Erynn's Blog

Honesty

2012-01-26T12:19:00.000-08:00

I have debated for the last few months whether I should write this here or not. It's something I'm not very good or willing (a lot of the time) to talk about. But, I want this blog to be an honest representation of my life. I try to write about the struggles I'm in the middle of and the fun we're having. I try to write about good days and bad days. Which was why I finally decided to write this post.

My brother and I are nineteen months apart. And I absolutely LOVED that growing up. Mom had all four of us in five and a half years and as a result, my siblings have become some of the best friends I have. They make me laugh and I love that we are all still very close. (Even as I'm writing this, I had to turn my phone on silent so it wouldn't keep buzzing with a group text with all of them.)

So, when Jon and I started talking about having a family someday, I knew I wanted our children to be close as well. It took us about six months to get pregnant with Nathan and so I knew that it may not be the easiest road to get pregnant again with the next one, but I have been around so many women who actually had it easier the second time. So, I imagine my hopes were set pretty high.

We are now going on nine months of trying for another baby. And while I realize that nine months is nothing compared to how long a lot of people have to wait for a child, this month in particular has been the hardest on me. Maybe because in my mind, I would like to have been due with my second next month.

I know that God has a plan. And I know that His plan is for my good. But that doesn't take away the sadness and disappointment of yet another month of hearing a "no" from God. Last Sunday morning was my official Break Down and Cry Day. And I hate that.

Here's the thing: I am SO blessed! I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful and healthy son, a perfect little home and the ability to do what I love - both in being a mom and being a writer. I should want absolutely nothing else and yet I am having the hardest time in the world being content. I want another child. I want to experience another baby growing inside me and the miracle of feeling him or her kick. I want Nathan to be a big brother and for him to know the unending joy and sometimes pain of being a sibling.

And yet, God still has said no.

I don't want to become bitter - always asking "why not?" and "how come?" I don't want to become angry and not be able to share in the joy of seeing my friends get pregnant and have babies. I don't want to become obsessed with this area of my life and miss out on the wonderful age that Nathan is and the time I have with him right now.

So this is what I'm working on: Patience. I'm working on waiting. And I'm working on learning more of who God is and what His plan for my life entails. Maybe it doesn't include a house full of kids like I always dreamed of. Maybe it includes only one precious, precious boy. Whatever His plan, I am learning to let go of mine and trust in His.

I am a slow learner.

So, if you wouldn't mind and if you think of it, would you be praying for me? Pray that I'll learn to be content with THIS stage in my life. Pray that I will come to know God better and that I will cling to Him even tighter through this struggle. And please pray that He will be gentle with me as I learn these lessons.

And know that I am praying for all of you out there who are in a stage of waiting as well - whether it's waiting to finish school, waiting for a husband, waiting for a baby or waiting for the next stage in life. If you feel up to it, please leave your prayer requests in the comments so I can be praying for you by name! We're in this walk together.

Love the Lord and follow His plan for your lives, cling to Him and serve Him enthusiastically. - Joshua 22:5

Love to you,

And we wonder that I worry

2012-01-24T16:33:00.000-08:00

We had a nice weekend. Friday night, we loaded the family up complete with a coupon and headed to Golden Corral.

Yep. Because we are THAT glamorous. Envy us.

Nathan enjoyed it though. Particularly this part:

I am a terrible mother. But, may I just say that Nathan has been stuck at 25 pounds for the past four months? He eats more than I do, most of the time. So, I have visions of a) Nathan having to face backwards in his carseat until he's eleven because he'll never pass the 30-pound mark and, b) Nathan as a 15 year-old who is hungry all. the. time and thin as a rail while he eats us out of house and home. So, I figured the extra calories weren't THAT bad.

Um. Same thing goes for the cupcake. ;)

The rest of the weekend was filled with friend activities. Saturday, Nathan and I went on a long walk and a picnic with Leigh Ann and Hayley and then Sunday we had a joint birthday party for me and Jamie. LOTS of fun. And we still have LOTS of desserts over here.

I'm excited for my taste-buds and scared for my waistline.

I made the Pioneer Woman's Mocha Brownies and oh. boy.

You can understand my concern for my waistline now.

And Nathan learned a new trick.

Pardon the poor video quality. Sometimes we just grab what's closest and it usually ends up being the phone. He has now given me, Jon, Gammy, his Mickey Mouse cup and doll, Kody, my leg and almost everything that stands still long enough an Eskimo kiss.

It's cute until there's snot dripping out of his nose. ;)

Hi, my name is Erynn and I'm a Pinner

2012-01-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

Things have been rather slow this week what with the colds and the deadline and the trying-to-eat-yogurt-for-breakfast and all, so I thought today, I would take the easy route and show you all a few of the things I've found on Pinterest lately that caught my attention.

Yes. I have become that blogger I've always had a mix of pity and sadness for.

And yes. I just ended a sentence with a preposition. Editor friends, I apologize, it was uncalled for.

Again. Apologies.

Source: bhg.com via Christina on Pinterest

I think this is genius and should I ever have a little blue room that is in need of not one but two desks, I will have to create this.

Source: heidihope.com via Erynn on Pinterest

Possibly the CUTEST picture of a baby girl I've ever seen. If we ever have a girl, she is going to sit in a suitcase in a tutu and pearls whether she likes it or not. ;)

Source: aimee-weaver.blogspot.com via Erynn on Pinterest

For some reason, I've been very into things written on wood lately. This verse is a favorite and I think it looks just beautiful written that way.

Source: twotinykitchens.com via Erynn on Pinterest

I have seriously made these chocolate covered, peanut butter stuffed bites of heavenliness about three times in the last three weeks. It's motivation to get up and work out. And only eat yogurt for breakfast.

And just because I thought it was funny:

Source: thingsmusicalstaughtme.tumblr.com via Emilia on Pinterest

Wise lesson to take to heart, my sweet, young, single friends. ;)

Are any of you on Pinterest? Addicting, is it not??

Days go by

2012-01-20T13:01:00.000-08:00

Today has just been one of those days when I wish Nathan still was about this size:

Not forever - but just long enough to get a nice, long snuggle in there and smell his sweet baby head again. :) I held my dear friend Melanie's three-week-old son Bennett today for a few minutes and I just about wanted to cry he was so sweet and little. Nathan never seemed more huge to me!

We met Jamie, her kids and Melanie, her kids and her mother-in-law, who is in town visiting little Bennett, at Chick-Fil-A for lunch today. We had a great time visiting there! I haven't seen them too much this week with all the birthday festivities going on, so it was wonderful catching up. And Nathan got to go play in the "big kids" play area for the first time. I'm pretty sure he thought he was about the biggest kid in the world. ;)

I'm almost through with Beth Moore's Living Beyond Yourself and guys, it's awesome. Please plan a time to go through it. The lessons are a little long sometimes, but I have learned so much. I've been trying to be diligent about getting up, showering and working through a day in this study before Nathan wakes up in the mornings and so far, God has been very faithful to give me that time with Him.

But, all that being said, I'm almost done with the book and looking for another Bible study. Anyone have any suggestions?? :)

And now, Nathan's down for a nap and I've got to work on this deadline! :) I've never been more grateful for a boy who takes good naps. ;)

Have a great weekend!

Haircuts and Winner

2012-01-18T19:01:00.000-08:00

I had a great birthday! :) I got spoiled rotten by Jon, Nathan and my family. Thank you guys!! Love you very much! After celebrating all weekend, I'm bummed that it's over. :(

Anyways.

Nathan and I got our hair cut today! This was his first time getting it cut in a professional salon. He did AWESOME. I was worried that he was going to freak out or try jumping off the chair, but thankfully, he didn't do either one. :) He did practice some modeling poses though:

I thought he was about the cutest thing in the world while he was getting his hair cut. :)

This is our dear friend and hairstylist Jackie. We like her lots. :)

He's a real boy with a real boy haircut now. :) :(

I'd show y'all my haircut but one of my birthday presents was a bike and a helmet. And that's why I'm not going to show you my hair. ;) But we had a fantastic little family ride today. It's hilarious to listen to Nathan laugh and talk the. entire. time. ;)

I absolutely LOVED reading your contest entries! Thank you for all your sweet words and happy birthday wishes! You guys are the bestest! :)

AND...the winner of the autographed copy of your choice of novel is....

Ginger!

Congratulations!! Email me at erynnmangum[at]gmail.com and let me know which book you'd like!

And thank you all for entering! :)

Birthday, FUN NEWS and Contest!

2012-01-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

Technically, it's not my birthday until tomorrow, but we've been living it up anyway.

Because that's just how we do it at this house. ;)

On Saturday, we got up late and went out to brunch at Mimi's Cafe, thanks to a free breakfast coupon I got for my birthday. Too fun! We felt sorry for all the sweet old ladies who were there trying to visit while Nathan yelled, "HI! HI!! HI!" and waved with chocolate covered hands.

Yesterday, Jon and I dropped the tot off at my parents' house and headed out for a date night courtesy of my wonderful brother-in-law and sister-in-law at this fabulous little restaurant in town. SO NEEDED. It's hard sometimes to only have Jon to myself at the end of the day when I'm exhausted and just want to veg on the couch. We spent so long at dinner we missed the movie we'd talked about going to, but it was worth it. :)

Dinner was delicious! It's fun to dress up and pretend to be gourmet. :) Thanks for watching Nathan for us, Mom and Dad!

AND... I have saved the best for the very last!!!

Remember the EXCITING news I had for you guys a few weeks ago?? Well, all the i's are crossed, all the t's are dotted (um, strike that. Reverse it) and I can now show you THIS:

Yay! It's a brand new, three book series coming your way very soon! It's tentatively titled Paige Rewritten - we'll see what the final title ends up being. I've been writing pretty much nonstop for the last three weeks on it - so very excited to share Paige with you all! :)

And all good news and birthdays must come with a contest, I think. Don't you? Contests are just party-ish feeling. :)

Leave a comment telling me who your favorite character was from one of my books and why and you'll be entered to win an autographed copy of your choice of my novels! YAY!! :) I'll pick the winner Wednesday night.

Happy commenting!

18 Months

2012-01-14T15:21:00.000-08:00

Nathan was 18 months old yesterday. I swear the months just go by faster and faster!

We love you so much, precious boy! You keep us laughing most of the day!

Somersault

2012-01-11T18:38:00.001-08:00

He's pretty proud of himself. :)

My Buddy

2012-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

Last night, Nathan and I hung out by ourselves while Jon went over to Clint's house to watch the Alabama game. We had a great time. :)

He's crazy and busy and always on the move, but he is SO fun. I am absolutely loving this age of actually playing with him! We laid on the couch and talked and played with his little piggies who kept having to go to the market. ;)

He's gotten very into singing lately. I think it's about the most adorable thing I've ever seen. He only sings words he knows, so in the car on the way to church Sunday he was singing, "Mine, mine, mine...Mommy..." Ha!

We met Clint and Leigh Ann for lunch after church on Sunday and had a great time. Such a great time that Nathan fell asleep on the way home - something he hasn't done in a long time! He apparently found a sticker sheet in the backseat before he crashed though. :)

I have gotten up early every day except the weekend since last Tuesday and worked out, showered and done my devotion before Nathan wakes up. And guys, I am hurting. I went on a run yesterday morning (something I haven't done in a very long time) and saw the sunrise.

I've known people who live for the sunrise. The pastor I used to work for back when I was interning would wake up every morning, get a cup of coffee and go watch the sunrise. Then he would come to work all thrilled about it.

Well, y'all. I would like to tell you that a sunrise is basically just a sunset backwards and not as pretty in my personal opinion.

Some of that hate could be due to the fact that my dream morning is sleeping until nine-thirty, drinking a few cups of coffee until eleven and then finally getting dressed and going to Cracker Barrel for peach pancakes. When yesterday morning I was up at seven, running by seven-fifteen and ate a bowl of Special K for breakfast.

New Year's resolutions. Ugh.

And time goes by

2012-01-07T18:29:00.000-08:00

I am finally getting the chance to catch up on here! My grandmother was in town for a week, which was WONDERFUL and I soaked up every second I could with her. And then my great-aunt and great-uncle came in town for a couple of days and left this morning. I loved seeing them again!

So much fun! Nathan has become quite spoiled being the complete and only center of attention. It might be a rough wake-up next week. ;)

Today was really the first day we have had at home in almost three weeks. So, we've been doing odds and ends, grocery shopping, cooking again for the first time since Christmas (thanks for feeding us the last few weeks, Mom and Dad!), and playing with our new Christmas toys. ;)

I have a MILLION pictures of this, but Jon got one of those little kid seats for in front of his bike for his birthday and we finally had a chance to try it this Christmas break. Nathan LOVED it!! He kept saying, "More!" and "Wide?" for ride. Too cute.

I got a new sewing machine for Christmas and it was SO fun to finally get it out and play around this afternoon during Nathan's nap. This is a terrible picture but I finally learned how to applique! It might be a little addicting. ;)

And I've got a question for you: Jon and I have a Groupon thing for a movie and we haven't been to the theater in MONTHS. Is there anything good out? Any movies you would recommend?? I was thinking New Year's Eve looked cute!

2011

2011-12-31T09:34:00.000-08:00

This year has been one of the absolute FASTEST years of my whole life. Maybe because I've been chasing this silly around the whole year:

Can you believe this was a year ago tomorrow???

This year has had so much change for us - we went from having a five-month-old who just sat there making silly grins all day to a seventeen-month-old who will NOT sit still for longer than .003 seconds. ;) We began referring to ourselves in the third person and "Nay-nen" started talking and didn't ever stop.

Nathan became a seasoned traveler! We met Mickey for the first time and then went back and got incredibly excited at the Lion King musical.

Someone learned how to drive and freaked his mother out about how quickly he really would be driving.

We went to the original Starbucks in Seattle and we swam with the cousins in California.

We welcomed a new friend and played with old friends. :)

We had our first Mother's and Father's Days.

And one of us turned one.

We remodeled our backyard and took a break from working to go to the State Fair.

And the crazy, wonderful Lunch Bunch came into existence.

We went back out to California to have Thanksgiving with the O'Briens.

And then spent Christmas at home with the Mangum side. What a wonderful, wonderful extended family we have been blessed with!

This year has been the most exhausting, incredible, up-and-down year of my life. I've learned that being a mom is hard work. I used to think when Nathan was first born that the hardest time in parenting was going to be those first few weeks when neither of us slept well and both of us were still recovering and getting used to our new life. Looking back, I'm pretty sure those might have been the easiest days of being a mom. ;)

I've learned that my house will never be perfect, my writing will never be the single focus in my life it once was, sippy cups have a way of walking off on their own and onesies can be thrown away. I've learned that Jesus listens even when I have twenty seconds during the day to read my Bible and God is faithful even when I am not. I've learned that a child makes marriage harder but more wonderful at the same time. I've learned that the expectations I put on myself as a writer, mom and woman are usually higher than anyone else's and I've learned to let a lot of those go.

I've learned that being a mom can be the most lonely job in the world and finding a wonderful group of friends to laugh with can make even the worst days better. I've learned that having a supportive and loving family changes everything. I've learned that even on days filled with tantrums, diaper rashes, teething and spills that stain the carpet, bedtime always comes eventually. ;)

And I've learned that when I think I could never love Jon or Nathan anymore than I do at that moment, the next day I love them even more.

God is so good. I'm so thankful for 2011!

Happy New Year from the O'Brien family! :)

Our Christmas

2011-12-30T15:58:00.000-08:00

This is SO late in coming! We've been laying around Mom and Dad's house all week and Nathan has been totally and completely spoiled rotten. We've had the best time!

We went over to my parents' house on the Thursday night before Christmas Eve because there was talk of a big snowstorm. Bryant's sweet girlfriend, Michaela, came in town the week of Christmas and I was SO excited to meet her! Nathan adored her - I'm pretty sure he thought she was there for him. ;)

Christmas Eve night, we all got out of our pajamas for our gourmet dinner of prime rib, potatoes rolls and salad and we finished it up with freshly baked Christmas cookies! Even Nathan got to have some - he thought he was about the coolest kid around.

After Caleb's girlfriend, Ali, got off work that night, we all opened our new Christmas pajamas from Mom and Dad. They all had A Christmas Story quotes on the shirts - best Christmas movie EVER!

Then we all hurried to bed so Santa could come visit and goodness, he did!! ;)

We were all spoiled rotten this Christmas! I'm SO very thankful for my amazing family - God has blessed me far beyond my wildest imaginings. What a wonderful week of hanging out with them!

Nathan has decided that his job is to "help" everyone do everything. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes it is not. ;)

Helping Pops with the cinnamon rolls = Good.

Helping Pops clean out the closet?

Um... ;)

He's also learned the "no" word and yells it at the top of his lungs when he doesn't want to do something. Joy. Looks like our parenting has moved to a new level. ;) Praying hard for God to give me patience! He is SO fun, but soooo busy and full of energy! I might have to switch back to my caffeinated coffee. ;) He talks all. the. time.

Two days ago, my grandmother, Nama, came in town and we have had the BEST time with her so far. We went to the River of Lights, a Christmas light display here in town.

Nathan loved it!

I'm so excited to spend a few more days hanging out with Nama! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! What was your favorite part of the day?

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!! :)

Lift up your eyes on high
And see Who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their hosts by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might
and the strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing.
- Isaiah 41

"For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him..."
-Matthew 1

May God's blessings be on your family this Christmastime!

Love always,

The Christmas Watch!

2011-12-18T15:17:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Christmas! :)

It's my new e-novella, The Christmas Watch!

Remember, you don't need a Kindle to read this - you can download a free Kindle app for your computer here (PC and Mac). There's also a free Kindle app for your smart phone! :)

I hope you enjoy it! :)

Going to see Santa

2011-12-17T19:40:00.000-08:00

Nathan has had a cough for almost three weeks. It's off and on and some days are worse than others but it's mostly at night. I think he just can't shake it from his last cold, poor kid. :( Last night, we tried putting a pillow in his crib to see if that helped his coughing, which scared the daylights out of me. I kept going in to check on him and make sure it wasn't on top of his head.

We walked in right before we went to bed and he hadn't moved since we laid him down, which is very different. He's usually all over the crib! I thought he looked so sweet!

Today is Jon's first official day of vacation and we are going to soak up every second!! So, what's a better way to start Christmas vacation than to go meet Santa? Our favorite Santa is part of a Christmas Corral put on by a place that benefits a troubled kids' ranch here in town. The Christmas Corral is SUCH a cute place!!

Nathan wasn't too sure about Santa at first but he warmed up to him after playing around the adorable little Christmas village. Then he noticed that there were Christmas lights behind Santa's chair and that made him a HUGE fan!

I think this picture is so cute!

My new Christmas e-novella, The Christmas Watch, is coming soon!! So excited for you guys to meet Lindsey, Marcus and Jason!

What's your favorite Christmastime drink?? Please share the recipe! I got hooked on salted caramel hot chocolates last year and I've been itching to try something new! :)

Christmas Prep

2011-12-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

There are nine shopping days left until Christmas.

NINE.

I do this every year. I plan on being done by now with everything all wrapped under the tree but as of this moment in time, I think I have one person halfway done.

Oy.

Which is partly why I haven't written anything on this blog in forever. We have been crazy busy! I've got a new Christmas novella coming out (stay tuned!!) and more fun news that I can't wait to share with you!!

Nathan's new favorite thing to do??

Hang out under the Christmas tree looking at the lights. Ha!

We have to go under there at least five times a day. He's such a goof. He points to all the tiny lights and says, "Oooo!"

We also tried letting him feed himself spaghetti out of a bowl this week.

My favorite part of this is that his bib says, "Cute but messy - just like Daddy." Ha! I think he is a fan of spaghetti.

And maybe not quite ready for a bowl. ;)

Yesterday, I met Gammy and Aunt Cayce at the mall to get some shopping done and Nathan talked Gammy into taking him on the carousel (I don't think it was very hard to convince her ;) ). It was so cute. He had a great time!

Can you believe that it's already been a year since this??

I'm excited to see what he does with Santa this year!

Okay, guys, what's your all time favorite thing to eat at Christmas???

Marathons and Girls Nights

2011-12-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

This last weekend, my mom was in the Las Vegas Rock N' Roll Marathon. I am SO proud of her!! She did great!! :)

We had to send her a few signs just to encourage her along the way. I really wanted to go be there to support her, but staying in Vegas with a 16-month-old just didn't sound too easy to manage. Particularly a BUSY boy like I've got!

Last night, we had our Lunch Bunch girls night and a Christmas gift exchange. Everyone was SO sweet and once again, we were locking up with the people who own the restaurant. :) I love these girls and I love our nights out!!

We had our family pictures taken a little bit ago and we got the pictures back! Here are a few of my favorites. I just love them! Our fabulous photographer, Sarah, has taken all of the pictures from engagement on for me and Jon - she's become a sweet friend. :)

The one below is my absolute favorite! :)

And my new favorite activity? Nathan absolutely LOVES to go look at the Nativity scene I've got up on our mantle. And he can even say "Baby Jesus"! I love it. Just love it. This is such a fun age!

Gammy came and watched Nathan this morning while I went to one of our local coffeehouses and wrote for several hours. What a HUGE help! I got a ton done and now that it's nap time, I'm hoping to get more done still! Thank you so much, Mom!

What are your favorite Christmas traditions??

Snow Day!

2011-12-05T14:28:00.001-08:00

Today, we woke up to several inches of snow! What a fantastic way to wake up!! We ate a quick breakfast and then bundled up to go play.

Last year, Nathan was so little that he just cried the whole time we tried to take snow pictures. Things were a little different this year. :)

Ha! He LOVED the snow!

He went absolutely ballistic - he and Kody both. We had such a great time!

And maybe did a couple of snow angels and face plants. Ha! :)

It wasn't great packing snow, so we didn't get to build too much, but he did love throwing snowballs for Kody to catch. I sound very froggy in the video, but both of us have been feeling a million times better!

Snow! from Erynn Mangum on Vimeo.

Then it was time to come inside, drink some hot chocolate and take a hot bath before nap time. Such a fun day! I love, love, LOVE snow!!

Friday Favorites - Gift Edition

2011-12-02T12:07:00.001-08:00

I'm going on five straight days without a steady source of oxygen thanks to a very congested head, so if this sounds grammatically terrible (couldn't resist), please forgive me.

This is usually the time of year when I have approximately three people on my ever-growing Christmas list shopped for, bought for or even an idea for. And a lot of the time, it's the idea that shoots me before I even start. What should I get this person? How much should I spend? What is the true meaning of Christmas? What material is Linus' blanket made out of because my gracious is he ever attached to it and maybe that's the best Christmas gift for a child?

Anyways.

I present the Friday Favorites Gift Edition. Sort of like my normal (or irregular) Friday Favorites, only this time, I'm going to write down some of the things I've seen recently that I thought would make great gifts. And nope, I'm not making any kind of kickbacks or semi-salary or anything off of this. You may or may not agree with me on my picks. Which is why there is a comments section, so you can add YOUR great gift ideas. And may all your Christmases be white.

Puffs Plus Lotion and Simply Orange Juice

I'm only a little bit kidding. Mom brought both of these yesterday over to my house and I would have hugged her had I been less grateful, but as it was, I merely waved a contagious hand and croaked a "thank you".

E-Z Charge Jump Start System

As a general rule, I am completely, totally, 100,000,000% against anything that looks, acts like, smells similar to or resembles an appliance for a Christmas gift. This, however, is pretty cool. And something that could really come in handy if you have a car who tends who have something of a little Grinchy personality this time of year. No need to raise the hoods? (This saves me an infinite amount of time looking for the hood popper lever dealie thing.) No need to worry about where to hook oversized tweezer looking things? (Again. Infinite amounts of time saved here.) To me, it is a great idea.

Perpetual Kid.com

Let's say that you are on a plane and you own an iPhone. And you're thinking, while on the plane, "hey! It would be great to watch a movie on my iPhone." So, you get a movie going and while you're sitting there holding your phone, your hand starts to cramp up. And you think, "sheesh! I really need like a mini plunger or something to hold my phone up!"

Well guys. Perpetualkid.com has mini plungers to prop up iPhones. Called iPlunge. And if they have iPlungers, they have a million other things. Honestly, this might be my one-stop shop for my brothers this year. ;)

Cedarmont Kids DVDs

I have talked about these before, but I really have a love/hate relationship with this DVD. On the one hand, it is THE ONLY THING that keeps Nathan completely entertained, as in, he's not watching it for twenty-six seconds before coming to find me. That means I have actually been able to take complete showers during his awake time while this movie is on. The hate part comes in when you start hearing, "Who built the Ark? NOAH! NOAH!" when the DVD isn't even playing. I keep telling myself the shower is worth it. And Nathan has started to mimic the kids on the screen. Which just makes me laugh. So, I'm clean and I'm laughing. This would be a great gift for toddlers with parents.

(That did not make very much sense. But I am coughing again and too lazy to go fix it.)

Woodwick Candles

I got a set of these last year for Christmas and guys, they are STILL burning to this day! (Not continuously. I am a responsible candle burner. But I do light them frequently.) If you've never seen or heard of Woodwick candles, go find a set. Not only do they keep their scent all the way to the end of the candle, they also make this amazing, ambiance-ish crackling sound like a little mini fire on your mantle. I am all about little mini fires that smell like cinnamon lattes. I have asked for another set this year for Christmas.

Magnetic Nail Polish

I heard about this on the radio before I actual saw it. Which sounds like I was listening to my favorite radio drama and filling out secret decoder spy messages sponsored by Ovaltine, but in all actuality, Jon was listening to a football game in the car and I happened to start paying attention when the commercials came on.

(It is terribly hard to pay attention to a football game on the radio when Nathan is sitting in the backseat holding his hands above his head and yelling "FUTE-BAWL!!" at the top of his voice every .04 seconds.)

But really, this stuff is very cool. And would make a really unique stocking stuffer.

Starbucks Via Ready Brew

DISCLAIMER: I have not actually tried these yet. However, I have it on good authority (my gorgeous barista sister), that these are actually very good and actually taste like freshly brewed coffee compared to normal instant coffee that actually tastes like something that could maybe be a very distant cousin from the coffee bean. And while I'm all about family around the holidays, very distant cousins tend to just cause more confusion than add real flavor to any conversation.

(There was a whole lot of actuallys, similes and awkwardness in that paragraph, but once again, I'm too lazy to fix it.)

Anyway. I could see these being a great way to get a little pick me up when you need a little boost after your child's nap time is over. And is there really a better gift than coffee the second you want it?

Hallmark Recordable Storybooks

My grandmother did one of these for Nathan last Christmas and then my in-laws made another book for him for his birthday. And let me tell you - he LOVES them! He's always walking in his room, plopping down on the floor and opening them up to be read to. It can be a little creepy though to be folding laundry in my room and suddenly hear, "HI NATHAN!" over the monitor.

Very creepy. But very cool. Especially if you've got family who lives out of town.

Photojojo Camera Mug

We gave this to my sister-in-law last year for Christmas and if her happy gasps and "NO WAY!" were any indication, I think she loved it. This site has a lot of fun, unique ideas for a photographer in your life. Or if you know someone who just likes cameras. Which would be weird if they weren't a photographer.

Paper Coterie Recipe Book

These can get pricey quick, but if you have some family recipes and you've been wanting to find a neat gift idea for your mom or grandma or maybe even a new sister-in-law, I think this would be a really neat present. You can add in all your own pictures, change up all the layouts and the fonts and completely personalize it. And - word of the wise - they frequently offer discounts or great deals to the people who have signed up to receive their emails, so get on their list and get designing!

Roku Player

By this point in the list, you may be saying something like this: "Erynn, there are gifts for clueless drivers, thirsty photographers and bored children, but there isn't one single idea for my dad!" Well, if your dad is anything like MY dad, he's extremely hard to shop for.

I have the answer. Unless your dad already has this, in which case, I don't have the answer. My parents gave us a Roku player a little while ago and since then, we canceled our cable, because we started watching the Roku WAY more than TV. Basically, the Roku can play Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Direct movies, etc. There's even a Pandora channel, which is wonderful. Couple the Roku with a month of Netflix and you've got yourself a great gift. Couple yourself with a sibling or two and it's even more decently priced. :)

Zoo Membership

This might depend on where you live and what your zoo is like, but Nathan and I LOVE our zoo and a few of my friends ask for memberships to it for Christmas. I think an annual membership to our zoo is $60, which to me was very reasonable considering we go there on a bi-weekly - sometimes weekly - basis in the spring, summer and fall. Gotta check up on Nathan's little monkey friend, you know. ;) Plus, it's a great way to get outside and get some exercise while still keeping Nathan contained and entertained.

And I'm all about contained and entertained. This would be a great gift for a mom of young kids on your list.

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Bar

You know how there's always that neighbor/relative/friend/acquaintance/work friend of your husband's who comes by around Christmas with a gift and you never have anything to give them back? Well, this year, I discovered my favorite thing in the whole wide world: Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Bars. Jon and I have eaten a very unhealthy number of these over the last eight months since I found them. I plan to keep a stash around just in case someone comes by who I wasn't necessarily expecting to need a gift for.

The Jesus Storybook Bible

I have talked about this MANY times on this blog and I'll say it again: BEST children's story Bible on the market. The VERY best. And I've read a lot of them! It doesn't rhyme, it clearly shows how the Old Testament always pointed straight to Jesus and I think it does the best job of laying out the gospel on every page. I love it, love it, love it. I've nearly memorized it, I've read it so often to Nathan. But I'll keep reading it until he can read it himself. :) Get this book. You won't regret it.

Amazon Gift Card

When all else fails, Amazon has everything you could ever want, need or imagine. Throw in a subscription for a year of a Prime membership (free two-day shipping) and you'll be the best loved person in the room. Promise. ;)

Okay! Those are my ideas! If I think of anymore, I'll post them up next week. Til then, happy shopping, watch out for holiday traffic and do take some minutes to sit by the tree with your Bible open while the rest of the house is quiet. :)

What are your Christmas gift ideas?

A No Good, Awful, Very Sad Birthday

2011-12-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Jon's birthday and let me tell you - I felt bad for the poor man.

To start, both Nathan and I have bad colds this week. His started a little earlier than mine, so he's doing okay now, but I'm still all congested, coughing and generally just NOT feeling well.

We are a pitiful mess.

So, Jon got home yesterday to a wife who won't kiss him because she's afraid to get him sick and a grouchy kid who didn't nap well. We did have a few presents for him. Nathan had to help him unwrap. And since we weren't feeling well, we decided to make dinner at home and go out for a birthday dinner sometime this weekend.

I honestly tried really hard to make it nice. I found a Bertolli frozen dinner that sounded up Jon's alley so I wouldn't be breathing all over something homemade, I sauteed asparagus in brown butter and garlic, I made a Pillsbury French bread loaf that I only touched after washing my hands and rubbing Purell all over them. I even had Jon's favorite red wine and poured us glasses to go with dinner. You know - all fancy and Italian-like.

So, right as our dinner was ready, Jon reached in to get Tuesday night's pizza box to reheat a slice up for Nathan and knocked the half-filled bottle of red wine all over the kitchen floor, shattering the bottle. It took us about fifteen minutes to get all the wine up and sweep up all the shards, maybe longer because it spilled right by the fridge, so we had to clean under there too. Meanwhile, Nathan was already in his highchair and he reached over (right as we finished cleaning, of course) and grabbed my placemat, sending my glass of wine and my glass of water all over the wall and the floor.

By this time, the bread was on the burned side, the asparagus (asparaguses? asparageese?) were pretty charred and Nathan was screaming.

Happy Birthday, Jon.

So, we finally ate dinner and we decided to do the cake part with Nathan. We (I) sang a croaky Happy Birthday, Jon blew out his candles and then Nathan had a slice of cake before bed. I lost my voice by about 8:30PM.

And I realized this morning that Jon never got a piece of cake.

:(

Mark this year down as a fail. I'm so sorry, honey. We'll make it up this weekend by going someplace REALLY nice.

On the plus side, Nathan and I watched Tangled yesterday while Jon was working and I was laying on the couch coughing. It is cute. I recommend it. I don't recommend keeping red wine anywhere near a 16-month-old, however.

Ornaments

2011-11-29T12:41:00.000-08:00

Both Nathan and I are sick today. He's been fighting some bug since Thanksgiving and I think I caught something while out in California too.

So, we've been spending a lot of time in our jammies watching Christmas movies and drinking orange juice.

Today, though, he was just being a little spitfire and I decided we needed some sort of activity to make it to nap time. Ha! I'd seen these salt dough handprint ornaments on Pinterest and thought they were just adorable, so we mixed up a small batch today. Pardon the DISASTER my kitchen is in - I finally had a few minutes to clean up while he was eating lunch.

I cut the recipe down quite a bit, but this is what I came up with and it seemed to work great! We had a TON of dough leftover, so we made a few extra ornaments. Nathan was very excited to "help" me. :)

Salt Dough Ornaments:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
Water (I think I probably added a little over 1/3 cup - I just added until the consistency was right)

Knead for a few minutes and then roll out on a floured surface. Cut out ornaments, then bake at 300 degrees for 20ish minutes.

He had SO much fun! All I need to do now is go get some sealer so I can paint it and hang it up!

He's at such a fun/exhausting age right now! A few things I want to remember:

* He has had a language EXPLOSION lately! He can say "Mommy" and "Dad" very well. He calls his paci his "Baba". Kody's new name is "Dodo", but occasionally he'll call him "Dody". His favorite word is "FUT-BAWL!" and he yells it at the top of his lungs. He tries to say everything, he just doesn't always quite get it right. ;)

* I couldn't find what I was looking for at a store one day so we left and I said, "Well, bummer kid." He looked at me, grinned and said, "Bum-mer."

* His new favorite thing to do is "houlp" (help). He wants to do whatever we are doing, whether that's dishes or writing. My laptop has taken a beating lately.

Hope you all are staying well and warm!

Our Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T16:39:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time in California with Jon's side of the family for Thanksgiving! And - MIRACLE OF ALL MIRACLES - Nathan was a complete ANGEL on the plane on the way out there (the way home was not quite as good, but hey, I'll take what I can get!). We took Band-Aids, stickers, little grow-your-own-zoo-animal sponges, coloring books, disgusting sticky frogs among other things. I had an entire bag packed just with plane toys.

We flew out there Tuesday night after Jon got off work and spent the night in Los Angeles at a hotel - which was the perfect thing to do. Jon's parents live two hours away from the airport and we landed at Nathan's bedtime. He was starting to become quite the grouch by the time we got off the shuttle at the hotel. A bath seemed to help.

He did discover that night, though, that he can now unlock my phone and take pictures. A few of the best ones I found later on my phone:

Jon's parents picked us up Wednesday morning and we spent the rest of the day making pies, playing with cousins, visiting with family and discovering a whole house filled with new toys. Ha! :)

Thanksgiving Day was so much fun - and there was SO MUCH going on! Nathan ended up taking an early nap and then was able to join us for our late lunch feast. Then we spent the rest of the day eating pie, playing games and visiting.

Since we spent Thanksgiving with Jon's family, we will be spending Christmas at home, so we went ahead and did our little Christmas gift exchange Friday night. The kids went crazy. It was so fun!

We got home yesterday. Tired and a lot heavier! Ha! I am so blessed to have a wonderful inlaw family!

Today, we put up Christmas decorations (YAY!) and then went to go see Gammy and Pops for a little bit. It's also a certain husband of mine's birthday coming up on Wednesday, so we celebrated in California, we celebrated today and we'll celebrate again this week. GOODNESS. :)

What did you do for Thanksgiving??

Thankful

2011-11-22T08:14:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for SO MANY THINGS, but when all is said and done, when all is quiet at the end of the day, when the dishes have been washed, the laundry has been folded, the house has been cleaned, the errands have been run and the writing has been completed for the day... the things I'm thankful for are not things at all.

I have been blessed beyond measure!

What are you thankful for?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-11-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

We have had a fun, busy weekend!! I saw this idea on Pinterest a little while ago - glow sticks in the bathtub! Nathan was a fan. :)

I have been trying to find everything I can to keep Nathan preoccupied on the plane during our holiday vacation this year! So, we had to run by the dollar section at Target. I think we found a good assortment of stuff - we came back with a bag full!

We had a great weekend! Friday night, my parents watched Nathan for us overnight. It was the first night I'd ever spent away from him and as weird as it was, it was SO nice. Thank you, Mom and Dad!! We ate dinner on the patio, we watched a late movie, we slept in and went out to a late breakfast. It was a perfect day. :)

We set up an air mattress in the living room to watch a movie on this weekend and I SO need to remember this on days when it's too cold to play outside. He went ballistic on the mattress! Rolling, jumping, doing somersaults - ha! It was SO funny to watch!

Y'all know that I tend to be a little nuts about Christmas. So, of course we had to go ahead and pull out a few of the decorations this past weekend - especially since we'll be with family over Thanksgiving and not able to do our normal Saturday-after-Thanksgiving setup.

I think my favorite part of this picture is the strip of tape on his shoulder. Ha! Setting up the tree was an adventure this year!

Someone found the box for the tree more interesting than the actual setting up. :)

The finished product!

SO SO SO excited that it is this time of year!! Bring on the snow, the hot chocolate, the Christmas carols and the excitement! :)

What are your favorite Christmas movies/music??

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T22:04:00.000-08:00

We've been having teething issues this week. Come on through, little tooth!

Bath Art

2011-11-14T14:26:00.000-08:00

This just makes my whole day:

Right back at you, kid (and Jon)! :)

Our Week

2011-11-12T12:40:00.000-08:00

This week has been busy but busy in the sense that we did a lot but I don't really remember what all we did. Ha! :)

Mostly, we've been getting ready for Thanksgiving/Christmas with the O'Brien side. I've been trying to think of different ways to keep Nathan occupied on the airplane this time, seeing as how the last time was SO HORRENDOUS. If anyone has any tips, please, I'm begging you!

Wednesday, we met our friend Jamie and her kids, Joel and Julia, at the zoo. So much fun! We were about the only people there, so Nathan got to get out and walk around instead of having to stay in the stroller. He had a blast with his cute little friends. :)

Thursday, Nathan was crying and whining and just generally acting not his normal, happy-go-lucky self. So, I got him all ready for an early nap and then realized his forehead was burning up. He was running a 102.5 fever! I gave him Tylenol and checked on him throughout the nap. He had a rough rest of the afternoon and night. By yesterday morning, though, he was fine. I'm pretty sure it was teething. He's cutting some back teeth and those have just been a doozy.

Poor baby. :(

So, this morning, since he was all back to normal, we decided to have a little family breakfast at Krispy Kreme. Nathan's first Krispy Kreme doughnut!!

I think he was a fan.

Then he drank some orange juice and made a face from the sourness. We laughed so hard so then he kept doing it the rest of breakfast. Ha!

Such a silly! It's nice to have my goofy boy back. :)

What have you guys been up to?

The last couple of weeks

2011-11-07T12:51:00.000-08:00

This is mostly just for my memories. Since I've been posting the Fall Fiction Frenzy, I didn't get to update on my little Tot, who just had his second Halloween.

I don't know how he got to be so old.

We pulled out the Christmas movies! Last year, my siblings got Nathan the Christmas Classics DVD set (one of the BEST gifts EVER!). So, we had to start watching those! We showed Nathan Rudolph one night after dinner and he had to go get his blanket, Wyatt and Lucky and sit in his little chair with them while watching the movie. At least, until it got tense. :)

We went back to the same Pumpkin Patch we did pictures at last year to get family pictures done again this year. Let me tell you - last year was WAY easier! Last year, we just kind of propped him up and got him to smile. This year, it was like a wrestling match to get him to sit still! We still got a few good ones though, I think. :)

Gammy and Pops came with us and got some grandparent pictures done! I need to frame Nathan with both sets of grandparents at the Patch.

After we got pictures, we let him run around and play with all the fun things they had to do there. I love his face with the duck races!!

And then Pops pushed him around on the tractor, since someone's legs still don't quite reach the pedals.

Y'all, I have to confess: Way, WAY before Jon and I even met, I always had this picture in my head of my little kid all dressed up for Halloween, sitting on the couch with a bunch of his or her friends also all dressed up.

And this year, I got my picture!! God is SO good, isn't He? I love how He fulfills dreams - in His timing.

Aren't their expressions hilarious?? They look like they're all about to be sent to the chopping block! Ha! We had the Lunch Bunch over to my parents' house for chili. Everyone brought a TON of food, so we just ate, laughed, took a million pictures of the kids and had a wonderful night! I hope it becomes a yearly tradition. :)

Last Friday night, Jon had to run get more grass seed to fill in a few spots on the lawn, so Nathan and I went with him. Nathan had the BEST time at Lowe's! I'm debating about going there on days when I just need to get out of the house! Ha!

He loved riding the "dack-der!". I think it's so fun that he's starting to say so many words! And that I can finally understand a lot of what he's saying!

We were walking through the Christmas aisle and saw all the huge blow up Christmas displays for sale. Nathan saw this one:

And came to a dead stop and said "Mim-mey!" and started waving.

Ha! Someone's a fan!

Fall Fiction Frenzy Winners! :)

2011-11-04T19:06:00.001-07:00

First off, guys, I just want to say how much fun I had doing this little series with you!! I hope you learned more about your favorite authors and maybe found a few new ones to check out!

To all of the following winners: Please send email me (erynnmangum@gmail.com) your full name and address as soon as you can! If I don't hear from a winner by next weekend, I will redraw the winner.

And now, without further ado, drumroll please, I give to you our winners!

For the signed Betsy St. Amant book, it's...

Lanae!!

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For the signed Jenny B. Jones book, it's...

Hannah Kruse!!

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For the signed Tamara Leigh book, it's...

Little Buttercup Baby!!

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For the signed Jenness Walker book, it's...

Madison Akins!!

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For the Diana Prusik ebook, it's...

Lynola!!

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For the signed C.J. Darlington book, it's...

Sarah Pickens!!

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For the signed Christa Banister book, it's...

Cjoy!!

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For the signed Sketchy Behavior, it's...

Andrea!!

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For the signed book of mine, it's...

Meghan!!

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AND...for the grand prize.. the Old Navy gift card, it's...

MARTHA A!!! :)

Congratulations to all of you!! And thank you to everyone for playing!! :)

Friday Favorites

2011-11-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Just to give y'all a little bit longer to get your names in the hat for the Fall Fiction Frenzy drawings! :)

Here are a few of my favorites from the last couple of weeks. Excited to hear yours!

1. Jif Natural Peanut Butter

SO delicious! As a general rule, I don't like natural peanut butter. Mostly because of the texture and the fact that you have to stir it for like a decade before it's pliable and then you have to store it in the fridge where it gets rock hard and demolishes whatever bread you're trying to spread it on. But this stuff looks and acts exactly like normal peanut butter except without all the additives. YUM.

2. Ramona and Beezus

I know, I know. I've mentioned this before. But I just absolutely adore this movie! Every single thing about it. If you haven't seen it, stop reading this blog, drive to the nearest video rental place and settle in with a blanket and a big cup of coffee.

3. Playing in our grassy backyard!

We're finally able to walk on it!! I think Nathan might have had a little bit of fun. :) It was very cold yesterday though, so we all had to bundle up.

4. Starbucks Verona Blend

To go with that Ramona and Beezus that you're about to rent. ;) It's hands-down my favorite coffee.

5. My little Tiger

Oh, how I love my little boy. And he is SUCH a boy. :)

He had his 15 month appointment today. He's finally starting to gain some weight! I'm planning a catch up post over the last two weeks and I'll write his stats down there. But I had to post this picture of him today after his doctor's appointment. Little doll. :)

Hope you're having a good day! Don't forget to get your comments in before tonight. :) And, if you'd like, I'd love to hear some of your favorites this week!

My story .... plus a GIVEAWAY!

2011-11-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Well guys, we are drawing Fall Fiction Frenzy to a close! Tomorrow, I'll draw all of the winners - including the winner of the Old Navy gift card. So be sure to get your comments in by 6PM pacific time!! :)

Today, I want to do things a little differently! Obviously, I won't interview myself (though I do tend to talk to myself quite a bit - particularly when trying to figure out what I'm going to wear that day), but I did want to answer a few of the more popular questions I get asked frequently in emails. And, side note, if you have a question for me, please don't hesitate to email me! I'm not the best at responding, but I am trying to get better. Having a 15-month old who can't seem to play by himself without getting in tremendous trouble makes it kind of difficult. ;)

Will there be a fourth Lauren Holbrook novel?

Sorry guys - unless I get a surprise call from NavPress, I'm not expecting to write a fourth Lauren Holbrook novel. But I do love the way it ended - I feel like it closed most strings and left a few open for your imaginations. :)

I want to be a writer - what should I do?

First, I hope that this current series is helping a little bit! Every writer has a different story of how they got published - I LOVE that because it just shows how uniquely God has planned each person's life!

As far as practical suggestions, I would recommend checking out one of the excellent Christian writing organizations - The Christian Writers Guild or the American Christian Fiction Writers. They both offer fabulous annual conferences with great speakers, information-overloaded workshops and LOTS of opportunities to meet with publishers and pick editors' brains. I hope you noticed how many of the people I interviewed got published because of one of these conferences!

Also, the Christian Writer's Guild offers correspondence courses. I've graduated from both the Apprentice and Journeyman courses and they were excellent. I saw HUGE improvements in my writing!

How do you plot your books? How do you come up with your characters?

I don't plot, actually. :) I have a basic idea of a story I want to write, I sit down at my laptop, type "Chapter One" and go from there. It makes it interesting for me everyday because I never know exactly what is going to happen.

Characters are almost the same story as plotting. I know the basic details - name, approximate age, occupation. Then I learn everything as I go. Lauren Holbrook showed herself to be a caffeine-addict and chocoholic very quickly. Maya Davis had a sweet, tender heart that I discovered along the way. Kate Carter had a way of looking at the world that was SO different than anyone I'd ever written about before!

The key to characterization is to think about whether or not YOU would be friends with whoever you're writing about. Do they seem real? Do they have faults and quirks and annoying habits? Do they struggle with something?

Are you anything like your characters?

A little bit of me ends up in every character I write. Lauren's caffeine habit was definitely true of me - particularly at that stage in my life. When I wrote about her, I was also living at home, I was also very involved in a singles' Bible study that was quickly becoming the Young Marrieds, and I still do love to watch movies (though, I don't get to as much and when I do get the chance, I usually end up falling asleep!). :)

I feel like whatever I'm currently learning in my walk with God always, always ends up in my stories - even if I never intended them to go that direction. Maya's struggle with learning to trust God with her future was a HUGE struggle for me as well - I was newly married, we were pretty much broke and Jon hadn't gotten hired on as a teacher yet. We learned a TON about trusting God that summer!! I finished the series when I found out I was pregnant with Nathan and again, I had to trust that He cared not only for me, but also for my unborn child.

Do you have as much fun as your characters do?

Yes. :)

Will you reply to my email?

Oh you guys! I so wish I could reply to every email I get! I hate, HATE not having the time to do that! Please know that I do read every email and every single one is SO wonderful to read. You guys are the BEST readers any writer could ever ask for! I am seriously trying my best to write everyone back, you just may not get a response for a few months. :( Between trying to get my writing done, trying my best to be a good mama to my son and a good wife to my husband, as well as have time to spend with Christ, go grocery shopping, clean the house, cook dinner, etc, etc, I just don't have the time I used to. I am SO sorry. But I do hope to write you all back very soon!!

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Guys, I absolutely LOVE having the opportunity to do this little series!! I hope that you have all enjoyed it as much as I have!

Today, I've got one last book giveaway! I'm going to be giving away the winner's choice of any of my novels. :) One last reminder - only one comment per person, please leave some sort of identifying information and lastly, have fun! Every comment over these last two weeks enters you in the big drawing for the Old Navy gift card as well! And if you haven't had the chance to comment on the other posts yet, hurry and go do it! I'll be drawing the winners tomorrow night!

Today's comment question: If you could steal anyone's hairstyle, whose would it be and what would it look like?

See you tomorrow for the drawing!

An Interview with Rel Mollet and a GIVEAWAY!

2011-11-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Guys, I need to introduce you to my amazing Australian friend, Rel.

I get a ton of emails asking me how to get involved in reviewing books. Rel has been running Relz Reviewz for a while now and she's now one of the best (not just in my opinion!) book bloggers for the Christian fiction market out there.

Plus, she's Australian.

I think I might have mentioned that already, but it is very important. ;)

And she's just about the nicest person I've never actually met. Are y'all seeing a trait when it comes to being a writer? How all of your friends are just pictures you see on the internet and signatures on emails??

Anyway, here we go! :)

Erynn: You blog about books which is SO cool. Tell us how you got started.

Rel: I began by writing a few reviews for my local Christian bookstore and started my blog, Relz Reviewz, to have a record of them. I stumbled across the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and began reviewing books for blog tours and subsequently publishers, publicists and authors. I couldn’t have imagined that five years on I would be turning away books due to an overload of books!

I used to read. Then I had a baby and even a shopping list seems like reading overload. How long did it take you to build up a blog audience?

Honestly, I haven’t really paid much attention to that aspect of my blog. My passion is to share great books and authors with my readers by way of reviews, author interviews and character spotlights and somehow, in doing that, I have been blessed by people reading my thoughts and those of the authors that I highlight on my blog. I’m still amazed that I have an audience at all – LOL! It has steadily built up over the past five years. I love my readers and appreciate every comment I receive. :)

I think this is awesome. What genre do you most love to read?

Romantic suspense is my favourite ~ high on the suspense with a subtle but meaningful romance. That said, other than sci-fi, I read and enjoy all genres.

Any books that just released you’d highly recommend?

That’s asking for trouble!! LOL! I’ll try to keep it to a minimum!

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig

The Colonel’s Lady by Laura Frantz

Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock

Restless in Carolina by Tamara Leigh

The Doctor’s Lady by Jody Hedlund

Torrent by Lisa T Bergren (Waterfall & Cascade are must reads first!)

And…….Sketchy Behavior by one Erynn Mangum!!

Aww, now I'm blushing. Thanks Rel! How do you develop contacts with publishers and authors?

You need to show publishers and authors you are serious about blogging and reviewing and you are not just in it for a free book! Book blogging is very time intensive and accordingly significant commitment is required. Reviewing books you already have or have borrowed from the library is a good place to start. Publishers and authors need to see that you are writing genuine reviews before they will be willing to send books your way. Join some of the publishers’ book blogger programs and establish your credentials with some well written reviews. Once you have a “folio” of reviews you will be in a better position to approach authors or publishers directly (if that option is available).

All this great info!! So, now the most important question of all... What is your favorite hot drink?

Hot water with a squeeze of lemon! Strange, I know, but coffee and tea just don’t do it for me ;-D

I think the problem is you just need to come here for a bit and I'll treat you to a Pumpkin Spice Latte. :) For my readers who would like to start their own blog reviewing books, what is the one most important thing they should do?

Write honest, well written reviews that are respectful even when offering a criticism of the writing.

Do you ever get sick of reading? :)

No, but sometimes it is lovely to just read a book I don’t have to review! It is a more relaxing read :)

I bet! You live in Australia, which makes me incredibly jealous. What’s the best thing about living there?

Mmmm…..that could be a long list, too! I love that as a culture we don’t take ourselves too seriously, we can laugh at ourselves, fabulous open spaces, beaches and, of course, vegemite!

I am on my way to Google "vegemite". Any additional advice for readers wanting to know more about review blogging?

Check out some of the established book review blogs around and see how they do things on their blogs. Think about the focus for your blog ~ do you want to review Christian Fiction or have a YA focus? Write a review policy that reflects your individual requirements. Never, never give away spoilers in a review! Finally, love what you do!

Thanks Erynn ~ loved the questions and hope my answers are of some help to your readers :)

Thank you so much, Rel!! I hope that those of you who are interested in book blogging learned a lot!

So, you guys know the drill now - leave a comment on this post to win an autographed copy of Sketchy Behavior!! And remember, every comment left during Fall Fiction Frenzy enters you to win the Old Navy gift card!

Please, guys, only one comment per person. Today's comment question: If you could buy only one thing for your house or future home, and money was not an issue, what would it be?

Interview with Christa Banister and a GIVEAWAY!

2011-11-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another edition of Fall Fiction Frenzy!

So, I have to introduce you to my friend Christa Banister. She's another one of my fellow Scribble Chicks and she's got one of the coolest jobs in the writing industry - she's paid to go watch movies! Granted, she's not just sitting there with popcorn (that I know of).

I'm so glad Christa decided to drop by today!

Me: Ok. We have to know. What's your favorite kind of cheesecake?

Christa: Pumpkin and any Italian cheesecake where they use mascarpone instead of cream cheese. It makes it so much lighter in texture and so incredibly delicious.

Drooling now. Tell us a little bit about how you got started writing.

I've been obsessed with writing ever since my grandfather started reading to me. I think my first "book" was about a turtle named Buddy who went to a birthday party. Why that wasn't the biggest book of my career, I'll just never know! Ha ha. In all seriousness, I knew I wanted to be a writer when I read my first Judy Blume book, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. I figured if Judy got paid to write crazy imaginative stories for a living, well, then that's exactly what I wanted to do. So I wrote for the school newspaper, treasured every creative writing class I took, read everything that even remotely interested me and eventually majored in Journalism. After college, I moved from Minneapolis to Nashville and started working my way up at the magazine I always dreamed of writing for. After five and half years there, I launched my own freelance writing company and review movies, music and books, write for several magazines and had my first two novels published in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

Oh! I loved Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing! Fudge. That was the brother, right? Speaking of, Chocolate Chip or Oatmeal Raisin cookie?

Mmm, can I have an oatmeal raisin cookie with chocolate chips in it?

Why not? So, any new books coming out or in the process of coming out?

I'm working on my third novel, Tuesday Nights in Italia, as we speak, which has been totally been this labor of love. After working on a couple different book ideas, this was the one I fell in love with, and I love seeing the story unfold day by day.

What a great title! What is your least favorite part of writing?

Transcribing the interviews that'll eventually be the quotes in my articles.

Tell us a little about the genre you write in. Why did you pick that route?

I write what I call romantic comedies in novel form. I love to play with this format because it's a perfect match for my voice, plus it's a genre I enjoy reading myself. The title I'm working on now, however, is more in the woman's fiction category, and I love the freedom it's given me to switch things up, which has been a refreshing change of pace.

I love that - it's so important to write something that you would enjoy reading. So, what is your favorite part of writing?

Well, everything. Characters. Dreaming up crazy plot lines. Creating the perfect setting. Finding the perfect word to encapsulate what you're thinking. Yeah, I'm a total writing geek.

Ha! :) Favorite character you’ve ever written?

Probably Lucinda Buffington, the boss of Sydney Alexander, my protagonist in Around the World in 80 Dates and Blessed Are the Meddlers. I love her warped sense of reality and how high-maintenance she is. But at the very core of her (and really, only a few people have ever seen this side of her), she's a decent human being with the same hopes and fears as everyone else. But her voice is just so much fun to write because she's sort of ridiculous.

Got any advice for prospective authors?

Read. A LOT! Great writers are readers, so read everything in the genre you want to write in and put your own spin on it. Also, don't be afraid of rejection—it's even happened to your favorite author. Everything worth doing is worth fighting for, so if you want to write a novel, work on it diligently and don't give up!

GREAT advice! Ok. You’ve got one minute to grab whatever you can at Target and money is no object. What do you buy?

Wow, how did you know that I'm a Target-o-holic? I'd head over to the section with all the dishes, candles and homey-type things and grab all the latest patterns. They always have the cutest stuff for your home at Target, so I'd go crazy and redecorate a bit.

Love it! Thanks so much for the interview, Christa!

Christa is being WAY generous and giving away a copy of her book, Around the World in 80 Dates today! Every comment gets a chance to win - and don't forget the rules! One comment per person, please. And remember, every comment over these next two weeks gets you a chance to win the Old Navy gift card!

Today's comment question: If you had to pick, would you want a star or a street named after you and why?

An Interview with C.J. Darlington and a GIVEAWAY!!

2011-10-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

Some people have amazing stories of how they got published. Like the one I heard one time about the author who hit someone with his car. The other driver turned out to be an editor, the author told the editor his five-minute pitch while they were waiting for the police and then got signed to the publishing house a little later.

DISCLAIMER: I do not recommend plowing down editors in your car in attempts to get your book published.

While my friend C.J. Darlington doesn't have quite such a dramatic story of publication, she does have a very fun one! She's the co-founder of TitleTrakk.com - one of the absolute best Christian review sites out there. But, she also wanted to be a novelist and in 2008, she submitted her novel, Thicker than Blood, to the Christian Writer's Guild Operation Novel contest. It won and she got signed with Tyndale. Wow!!

Erynn: Favorite drink to order at Starbucks?

C.J.: Triple grande cappuccino. Sometimes I order with sugar free caramel or vanilla flavoring too. Yummy!

Oo. That does sounds really good! Tell us a little bit about how you got started writing.

I’ve loved to read for as long as I can remember. I think that’s what really spurred on my writing. I too wanted to tell stories like the authors I read. I actually dabbled in guitar and oil painting as well but was never completely satisfied with them. I realized later both were attempts to tell stories, but nothing clicked like writing fiction.

When I was a teen I discovered you could actually learn how to write better through instruction books, and I devoured every one I could get my hands on. Through years of practice and plenty more reading I was blessed to have my work published. My first short story was accepted for publication when I was eighteen. Little victories like that helped me stick with writing until eventually my first novel, Thicker than Blood, was published by Tyndale House.

Such an amazing story! I love how you mentioned that writers tend to also be creative in other ways as well! Summer or winter – which one do you prefer?

If I can’t have fall, hands down I’d pick winter. I am not a heat/humidity kind of gal! I’d rather bundle up.

Yay! Me too! With a hot cup of coffee, preferably. Any new books out or in the process of coming out?

My latest novel is Bound by Guilt, which released this past spring. It’s the story of a troubled teen named Roxi Gold who finds herself on the wrong side of the law. She’s searching for love and acceptance, and through her journey I hope readers will catch a glimpse into God’s heart for those like her.

I’m currently writing my third novel. Hopefully I’ll finish it up before year’s end!

I absolutely love your novels! I love how real your characters are. What is your least favorite part of writing?

Plotting doesn’t usually come easily for me. Once I have an idea of where I want to go, the writing flows so much more smoothly. Problem is, I’m not an outliner, so most of the time I’m discovering things right alongside the reader. That often makes for some cool serendipitous moments, but it’s also frustrating at times. But really… if writing were easy, everyone would do it.

Love hearing that you aren't an outliner either. I think it makes writing so much more interesting for the author! Tell us a little about the genre you write in. Why did you pick that route?

I never consciously chose to write in the contemporary fiction genre. It just so happens the stories that spoke to my heart fit into that genre. Often I’ll sprinkle in elements of other genres, like suspense or YA, into my stories. I write the stories God puts in my heart and let the genre chips fall as they may.

That's exactly what I tell everyone who asks me what genre is selling - you've got to write what you feel God is calling you to write, not what is currently selling. So, what is your favorite part of writing?

When the picture in my head ends up appearing on the page exactly like I envisioned it. This usually doesn’t come on the first draft, or even the second or third. Most times it takes lots of editing and tweaking and honing to get it right. But when I’m done, it’s thrilling when a scene really works.

I love that feeling? Care to share who's your favorite character you’ve ever written?

Roxi Gold is one of my favorites for sure. She’s so vulnerable and yet shows a great deal of strength throughout the story of Bound by Guilt. Another favorite is Beth Eckert, the young veterinarian from my first novel Thicker than Blood (and who also has a cameo in Bound by Guilt). I had a lot of fun writing her!

Got any advice for prospective authors?

Write the story of your heart. Don’t worry about markets, editors, or readers. At least not when you’re first starting out. There’ll be plenty of time for that later. But if you’re not passionate about a story, it will show on the page. And remember---writing is an apprenticeship. Go in knowing it can take years to be published and you won’t be as discouraged on the hard days.

Wonderful, fabulous advice! Ok. You have an entire day with nothing planned – what would you do if money was no object?

I’m a pretty simple gal. I’d probably go to Starbucks, then go horseback riding, and after that take in a movie (with lots of popcorn!) before heading out to dinner. I’d fall asleep with my doggies in bed reading a good book.

Thank you SO much, C.J.!!

C.J. has been SO generous and offered to giveaway the winner's choice of either Thicker than Blood or Bound by Guilt! WOW!! I know you guys will just love her books!

Entry rules are still the same: Leave a comment to enter, one comment per person, please leave your name or sign into your Blogger account, etc. ;) And, don't forget that every comment in the Fall Fiction Frenzy enters you into the drawing for the Old Navy card!

Today's comment question: If you were accidentally left overnight inside a restaurant, which one would it be and why?

An Interview with Diana Prusik and a GIVEAWAY!!

2011-10-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder what people who lived even two hundred years ago would think of the world we live in right now. The cars we drive, the cable TV, the MacBooks, the flameless LED candles.

Amongst other things.

Like, for instance, the e-book. I have a confession to make: When the Kindle first released, I swore I would never in a million years read a book on one because I really love the feeling of holding a book and turning actual, touchable pages.

But then I got an iPhone and I downloaded the Kindle app and found ALL MANNER of free and very low cost books for instant download. And when I was nursing in the middle of the night? Instant, lit-up book.

I changed my views on the Kindle right then and there.

With the future of books looking more and more like it will continue swinging to the digitalized side, it's important for authors and would-be authors to keep this in mind.

Which is why I'd like you to meet my friend Diana Prusik! Diana and I have a very weird story on how we met - her daughter's grandmother-in-law is very good friends with my grandmother and gave her my books. So fun!

Diana is a mom, grandma, gifted photographer and a Tyndale author! Her novel, Delivery, is part of a new Tyndale Digital First e-book initiative. Very cool! Diana has an AMAZING story on how she became a writer, so I'll let her take over now!

Erynn: Okay, Diana. Big question. What's your favorite kind of cheesecake?

Diana: Since I’m all about simplicity, topping-free New York style is my first choice. If you drizzle a little caramel on top, I won’t complain. Add a little fudge? Still not complaining.

I rarely complain about these things as well. Particularly if it involves cheesecake AND fudge. So, you have a great story! Care to share with us a little bit about how you got started writing?

I have no short explanation, but I can point you to this recent guest blog entry, now Spire Reviews’ most popular post, that describes my blessing-filled journey: http://spirereviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/debut-author-spotlight-diana-prusik.html.

Wow! That's an incredible story! A little less of an incredible question now: Chocolate Chip or Oatmeal Raisin cookie?

One of each? Okay. If I’m forced to choose, soft and chewy oatmeal raisin wins. Or wait! Maybe chocolate chip . . . .

See, usually I would be indecisive about food, but my mind gets made up the second I hear the word "chocolate". Any new books coming out or in the process of coming out?

Characters follow me wherever I go, tapping on my shoulder, whispering in my ear, disturbing my sleep. I’m taking notes of tales they share, and I’m devouring all the information on writing I can find. I recently attended the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in St. Louis, which set me on fire with new ideas. Next month, I’ll attend the Story Masters Workshop in Houston to learn from experts like Chris Vogle, Donald Maass, and James Scott Bell. When I get home from Texas, my keyboard will be smoking!

I love, love, LOVE the high that comes from attending writing conferences! Highly, highly recommended if you are hoping to become a writer! So, what's your least favorite part of writing?

My heart aches when the story comes to a close. By the time I wrote the final chapter of Delivery, I loved the Wilson’s Florist gang as if they were my dearest friends. While I typed those final sentences, I grieved that our journey together had come to an end.

The florist shop was such a great setting for your story! Made me want to start arranging flowers, something I have no talent for. Tell us a little about the genre you write in. Why did you pick that route?

Experts often advise, “Write what you know.” I know small town life. I know strong yet wacky girlfriends. I know heartache. And I know God’s amazing love and mercy. So Christian contemporary fiction/women’s fiction is my niche. I write, as my website says, Small town stories. God-sized grace.

I love that slogan!! Want to tell us what your favorite part of writing is?

I love when the story feels so real that I forget I’m not part of it--when my characters suck me into their lives so completely that I laugh when they laugh, blush when they blush, and cry when they cry.

Not going to lie. I have definitely made the same face in the mirror for much longer than I'd like to admit to just so I could try to describe it. Sort of like how I just had to try all kinds of lattes to get the taste descriptions right for the Cool Beans series. :) What's your favorite character you’ve ever written?

Without a doubt, my favorite character is Mom Robinson, Delivery’s community matriarch. She takes weekly strolls down Main Street to offer gifts she receives at one business to employees she visits at the next--sharing the weekly edition from the newspaper office with customers at the bakery, pastries from the bakery with the flower shop gang, and posies from the florist with tellers at the bank. She is no stranger to heartache, but instead of becoming angry or bitter about her losses, she performs quiet acts of kindness that speak one loud message of unconditional love. When I grow up, I want to be like her.

Any last advice for prospective authors?

Read. Learn. Write. Pray. And never, ever, EVER give up on your dreams!

Amen and amen. Ok. You’ve got one minute to grab whatever you can at Target and money is no object. What do you buy?

First, I’d empty the gift card rack. Then, I’d race for the greeting cards, especially the new postage-paid kind. Cards adorned with handwritten notes work wonders to brighten someone’s day. Our world could use some brightening, so I’d launch a send-a-card campaign. I’d tuck an unsigned greeting card inside each signed card I’d mail, include a gift card for each, and send instructions for the first recipient to “pay it forward” by choosing the next recipient-- much like my Share the Gift Double Kindle 3G Giveaway, where the winner of the first Kindle 3G will choose the recipient of the second Kindle 3G, Mom Robinson style.

And if a second or two remained, I’d snatch an Almond Joy bar on my way to the check out!

Definitely going to check that contest out on your site now!! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, Diana!

So, Diana has very graciously offered to give a copy of Delivery to one lucky winner! Leave a comment on this post to enter. Remember, one comment per person and please leave some sort of identification in there. Diana's book is an e-book, but there are lots of completely free downloads available for all kinds of computers, phones, droids and GPS systems. Just kidding about that last one.

Today's comment question: In true s'macon fashion, what would be the most adventurous thing you would ever put on a s'more?

Today is my baby sister Cayce's 21st birthday - what a treasure she is to me! I love you, Kiki! :)

Have a great night!

An Interview with Jenness Walker and a GIVEAWAY!

2011-10-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

Hope you guys are enjoying this little series! I love learning the people behind the stories. And remembering what my writing used to be like in the olden days before I had a fifteen-month-old splashing in my toilets. I feel like I'm hosting a mini-Hallmark channel on this blog.

The Way I Used to Be - The Erynn Mangum Story.

Anyways.

Today, I get to introduce you to my friend, Jenness Walker. Jenness has a way cool story about how she got published and I'm excited that y'all get to meet her!

We'll start with the all-important question. Favorite kind of cheesecake?

Cheesecake Factory’s 30^th anniversary cheesecake!

Cheesecake Factory. Good answer. We are still friends. So, tell us a little bit about how you got started writing.

My first memory about writing is from 1^st grade, where we had a class contest to see who could write and illustrate the best story. I remember thinking I was a shoo-in for the winner. (Um…I wasn’t.) So I don’t know if I’d been coming up with stories before then or if that was the beginning, but I’ve been writing ever since.

Another important one, so take a deep breath. Chocolate Chip or Oatmeal Raisin cookie?

Is that a real question? :) Chocolate Chip. Of course.

Again, we're still friends. :) Any new books coming out or in the process of coming out?

I’m involved (with my coauthor Tracy Bowen) with the Bloomfield series, which is a series written by various authors and is being published by B&H. I believe the first book in the series is coming out next year. The stories all take place in the quirky small town of Bloomfield. So far it’s been a lot of fun!

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Serious rewrites. :) Sometimes it’s very hard for me to rethink plot elements or scenes when they’re already written. Maybe because the story becomes so real to me, that what’s written is history, you know? You can’t change the facts. :) So sometimes it takes some time beating my head against the wall to be able to get past that block.

Tell us a little about the genre you write in. Why did you pick that route?

I actually write in a few different genres. I do contemporary romance/romantic comedy with Tracy. I went that route with her because humor is something she excels at, and I needed help in that area. I mean, I thought I was funny, but… :) That’s the voice that works for us as a team, and we have a lot of fun with it. It’s also a nice switch-up from my other stuff.

On my own I write romantic suspense, probably because that is the majority of what I read growing up. I’m also currently working on kind of a darker women’s fiction. I’m not certain I picked that particular route. I think it just appeared before me and said, “You’re supposed to write this story. Deal with it.”

So, I think it's great that you are getting to write in two different genres. I think people often assume that writers can only write ONE way and that's their branding for the rest of their lives. What's your favorite part of writing?

It’s a tie between the very beginning—the exciting new idea and the brainstorming that follows—and the last few chapters with the rush toward the end. Both can be exhilarating.

Totally agree. My two favorite words are "the" and "end." So, what's your favorite character you’ve ever written?

To make answering this one a little easier, I’m going to limit this to characters from my completed manuscripts. :) And that would have to be Jake. He’s the hero in the first (as of yet unpublished) romantic suspense I wrote. And rewrote. And wrote again. I guess I love him best because we spent so much time together. And because he’s one of those wounded but devastatingly sweet and heartbreakingly handsome heroes that many of us swoon over. :) (Jason, if you’re reading this, don’t worry—I love you more.)

Ha! Love that. The "completed manuscripts." Ain't that the truth. I've got a couple buried in my hard drive. Got any advice for prospective authors?

The obvious things are to read and to join writers’ organizations and find a good critique group/partner. So instead of expounding on the virtues of those things, I’ll repeat something I heard from a recent workshop. Allen Arnold reminded us that we are to have no idols. We’re not to bow down to the story. “The calling should be more important than any one particular book. Your story is the fruit of the calling but should not become the focus.”

So, pre-published authors, remember why you’re writing and Who you’re writing for. Keep working toward the goal, but don’t be afraid to move on to a different story to continue to grow into the writer He wants you to be.

Perfectly said! Ok. You’ve got one minute to grab whatever you can at Target and money is no object. What do you buy?

Furniture! I heart furniture, even though I don’t have anywhere to put it. (No, seriously. My house is full, so I loan furniture to friends instead of getting rid of the surplus.) And Target has some great chairs…oh, and a desk I really like…and—wait. Do I have to carry them myself? This could be tricky…

Thank you, Jenness!! :)

Jenness has been WAY generous and offered to give away Bliss to one of you!! All you've got to do is leave a comment below. Don't forget that every comment left during these two weeks is also entered to win the Old Navy gift card!

Also don't forget that it's one comment per person, please. ;)

Today's comment question: Two hours to do whatever you want to do - where will you go, who will you see and what will you do?

An Interview with Tamara Leigh and a GIVEAWAY!!

2011-10-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

I am REALLY loving all of your comments on these posts! I'm now trying to figure out how I could plan an outdoor movie marathon while watching the leaves change colors with all of us together. And we might have throw some s'mores in there too.

Or s'macons. ;)

Several years ago, I worked as an intern for my church and one of the best parts of the job was that I got to go have coffee dates with all these amazing high school girls. One of my favorite places to meet was the Borders coffee shop - I'd always show up early, find the little nookish area that was Christian Fiction, grab a novel and sit and read until the girl showed up and made me stop.

The novels I always, without fail, navigated to? Tamara Leigh's. The novels I started buying for myself and my sister? Tamara Leigh's. And the novel that I received in the mail for an endorsement and did the HUGEST happy dance over? Tamara Leigh's!!

Tamara Leigh has SUCH an amazing testimony! One that I really want y'all to go read! She's a great inspiration to me because not only are her books hilarious and very well-written, but she's also another stay-at-home-writing-mom. I love that!

Erynn: So, I think we can all agree that this is probably the most important question I've been asking. What's your favorite drink to order at Starbucks?

Tamara: I especially enjoy the fall and winter drinks—pumpkin spice latte, gingerbread latte, and salted hot chocolate—but I always come back to Caramel Macchiato. I like it hot, but in the summer nothing beats an iced one.

You are my new favorite person. We have the same favorite drinks! Tell us a little bit about how you got started writing.

A couple years after graduating with a master’s degree in speech and language pathology, my husband and I decided it was time to have children. Long story short, wanting to find a way to stay at home and raise our children, I took a chance on my love of writing and medieval romances. After completing Warrior Bride, I signed with an agent, made the changes she suggested, and suddenly had several publishers offering on the book. That was the easiest and most exciting publishing road I’ve ever traveled. But though writing as a career can be difficult, the journey has been worth it.

That's so amazing! What a dream come true! So, summer or winter—which one do you prefer?

You had to make that one hard, didn’t you? I don’t like any extreme weather and, in Tennessee, summer is definitely extreme when you factor in the humidity—especially when it’s the year of the cicada. As for winter, it’s definitely mild here compared to when I lived in the Lake Tahoe area, but I really don’t like the cold. So…it’s a draw.

Ick. I don't like humidity at all. Love snow, though! Any new books out or in the process of coming out?

This past July, the final book in my Southern Discomfort series, Restless in Carolina, was released (I’m still going through withdrawal from the Pickwick family). Currently, I’m revisiting the medieval romance genre that gave me my start in the publishing world in 1994. When I was transitioning from the secular to the inspirational market in 2005, I was told medievals don’t do well with readers of Christian fiction, but I think I might give it another go.

I love that you're writing what you feel called to write - regardless of what is currently "being published". I think that's the best way to write. Write what's on your heart, the story that God has given you. If He wants it published, He'll find a way. So, what is your least favorite part of writing?

My least favorite part of writing has little to do with the actual creation of stories, but what, increasingly, goes hand in hand with it: promotion. I know it’s necessary, but it’s so hard to let go of a scene or the development of a character or a wonderful romantic twist and re-enter the non-fiction world.

Tell us a little about the genre you write in. Why did you pick that route?

All seven of my inspirational novels have been in the contemporary romance genre. When I was unable to bring my medieval romances into the Christian market, my agent asked for something “different.” How much more different can one get from twelfth century England than twenty-first century United States? As I enjoyed lighthearted romances, it seemed the natural choice.

I love your novels! They're so fun and relaxing to read! What is your favorite part of writing?

There is nothing like a scene in motion, discovering a character’s depth, and bringing together two people who were meant for each other even though they certainly didn’t believe it in the beginning.

I love that part - matchmaking people in stories is a personal favorite. ;) Speaking of favorites, care to share your most favorite character you’ve ever written?

They’re all dear to me. If I had to choose, medieval wise, I’d pick Lady Lizanne of Warrior Bride, my first novel published with Bantam. Inspirational-wise, I’d go with Adda of Stealing Adda, my first novel for the inspirational market. Why? I’m not sure, though it might have something to do with each being the start of something good. :)

Adda was awesome!! Got any advice for prospective authors?

Write, write, write, read in your chosen genre and on the craft and business of writing, and connect with local and online writing organizations such as ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and RWA (Romance Writers of America).

Last question and it's a big one. You have an entire day with nothing planned—what would you do if money was no object?

Every day I’m surrounded by my wonderful guys—hubby and sons—so I’d probably want to spend a day with my mother and sisters who live out west. Since you’re only giving me one day, I’d fly them nonstop to Tennessee. And what a day we’d make of it! Obviously, I see them way too little.

Well, I hope you get to see them soon!! Thank you so much, Tamara!!

Tamara has SO generously offered her latest novel, Restless in Carolina, for a giveaway!! YAY!! I just know you'll absolutely love this hilarious series!

Y'all know the rules by now - one comment per person per post, please leave your name or some way of identification in the comment (Starbucks drink orders do not count, regardless of how distinctive they are), etc., etc. Don't forget - every comment during Fall Fiction Frenzy not only enters you in a chance to win the book, but also a chance to win an Old Navy gift card! I'll draw all of the winners on November 4th!

Today's comment question: Music can be energizing, cathartic, deafening and make you want to put your head in the freezer (John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt, I'm looking at you). If you had to pick a song that would be YOU set to music, what would it be?

See you soon!

An Interview with Jenny B. Jones and a GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-10-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

So, there are days when all I want to do is lay around in my pajamas, eating chocolate chip pumpkin bread and reading something light and funny. Preferably with snow falling gently outside.

While my friend Jenny Jones can't really provide the pajamas, the pumpkin bread or the snow gently falling (or the time to do it, unless Jen's now offering babysitting services), she can and does provide the light and funny reading.

So. Thank you, Jenny.

I'm so excited to introduce you to my friend, Jenny B. Jones! She's a full-time high school teacher, loves to travel, and somehow still finds the time to get a ton of books written. How she does she do all this? Teach me, Obi Wan Kenobi.

Erynn: All-righty. Time for the Most Important Question I have for you: What is your favorite kind of cheesecake?

Jenny: Almost any kind besides pumpkin or raspberry. I don't eat gourds or raspberries. I used to hate cheesecake, but as an adult, I grew to love it. Why can't I have that experience with peas and carrots?

Lost some respect for you there, friend. I'll make you some of my famous chocolate chip pumpkin bread. It's spoken of on a daily basis by at least one person. Tell us a little bit about how you got started writing.

I have told this story a bunch, so forgive me if you've heard it. But I went to a writing conference in '05 with 20 whole pages. To make a long story short, God turned the impossible into possible, and six months later I got a contract through divine appointments at this conference. Those twenty pages turned into In Between, my first book. I can't recommend writing conferences enough.

Amen. Chocolate Chip or Oatmeal Raisin cookie?

Oh, gosh. I love both. How about oatmeal chocolate chip?

I guess that would be okay. Any new books coming out or in the process of coming out?

There You'll Find Me just came out a few weeks ago. It's a YA that's a spinoff of my women's romance, Save the Date.

The story is about eighteen year old Finley Sinclair, who books her trip to Ireland as a foreign exchange student, where all she wants to do is let her heart heal, see the sights in her brother’s favorite country, and work on her college audition piece for a prestigious music conservatory. She plans to use her brother’s journal from his time in the Emerald Isle as her guide during her stay, yet from the moment she boards the plane and sits next to Beckett Rush, teen star of the hottest vampire flicks, nothing goes according to her well-ordered plan.

The peace and beauty of the Irish village are no match for the chaos that soon becomes her life. When she gets roped into working as Beckett Rush’s personal assistant, she finds this famous wild child is not quite what he seems. And as she grows closer to the mysterious actor, her own secrets refuse to stay put.

And, it looks like I'll be doing some downloading to my Kindle app tonight. What is your least favorite part of writing?

Sitting. Sitting. And sitting. I really dislike that part of it a lot. There is nothing more exhausting and hard on the body than being immobile.

My son would agree with you. Tell us a little about the genre you write in. Why did you pick that route?

I write YA romance and romantic comedies for women. I work with teenagers all day and have always been plugged in to that culture. But when my publisher suggested I write a romance for women, I was intrigued. I enjoy both a lot.

So, what's your favorite part of writing?

Readers. Getting feedback and hearing that your book touched a heart or made someone laugh. I love nothing better than making someone laugh.

Love that! Favorite character you’ve ever written?

Maxine from the Katie Parker Production series. She's stylish, bossy, outrageous, and says whatever she wants. She was the most fun I've ever had in writing. If I could put her in every book, I would.

She was a great character! Got any advice for prospective authors?

Read a lot. Read wide. Don't just read in the little category you're most interested in. And don't wait til a full idea settles in your head or inspiration strikes to write. I rarely have a full plot or inspiration. So don't think just because you don't have 90 thousand words spinning in your head, you're not a writer. Take it a chapter at a time.

Ok. You’ve got one minute to grab whatever you can at Target and money is no object. What do you buy?

Target cards. I worship and adore Target. Love their home stuff. I could write poetry about Target. Except nothing rhymes with it. . .

Ha! Thanks so much, Jenny!!

Jenny has been SO gracious and offered to giveaway one of her novels! Leave a comment on this post to automatically be entered to win. And don't forget, every comment during Fall Fiction Frenzy enters you in the contest to win the Old Navy gift card! Please, guys, only one comment per person. :) And be sure to leave your name or sign into your Blogger account for the drawing!

Today's comment question: They say the best things in life are free (unfortunately, I have not found this to be the case at Starbucks). What is your favorite free activity to do this time of year?

See you guys tomorrow!

Interview with Betsy St. Amant and a GIVEAWAY!

2011-10-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

It's our first edition of Fall Fiction Frenzy!

I'm SO excited to introduce y'all to one of my dearest writing friends - and here's the kicker - we've never actually met in real life! :( Someday!! I love this girl SO much - she has just been the best encouragement on days when I needed it the most (and not just about writing), she's been the kick in the pants I needed on deadline days and such a sweet sister in Christ!

Meet Betsy St. Amant!

Betsy just released a new novel, Fireman Dad, which I found in my Walmart here recently (GO BETSY!). She's married to - oddly enough - a fireman and they have a gorgeous little girl. And she's one of my co-conspirators on Scribble Chicks.

All important question first. What's your favorite drink to order at Starbucks?

Mmmm this is easy. And now I'm hungry. Grande, non-fat, white chocolate mocha with no whip (unless it's a booksigning, then I splurge)

What are the odds??! We have the same order, if you change out the non-fat for fat and the white chocolate mocha for a caramel macchiato. :) Tell us a little bit about how you got started writing.

I knew I wanted to be a writer since I was 7! I was always pecking away at our first home computer, trying to write Baby Sitter's Club books (hello, Fan Fiction! haha) or making up my own characters, usually a girl with a dog and zero plot. ::grin:: I've been a character driven writer even since childhood! haha. I got serious about publication when I turned 18 and started attending writers conferences and trying to network and figure out how this whole thing worked. Gayle Roper introduced me to the ACFW and the rest is history! I've been a member there for 7+ years and it's amazing. Their website is www.acfw.com - highly recommend.

So fun - I love how similar our stories are. Summer or winter – which one do you prefer?

Winter! I love sweatshirts and hot chocolate and blankets and not worrying about being tan. LOL. One brush with melanoma and tanning beds are officially a thing of my past. Hello, Jergen's Glow Lotion.

Well. We all know my feelings on winter. Any new books out or in the process of coming out?

My latest release was Fireman Dad, August 1st via Love Inspired. My next release is Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK coming via Barbour Books in January, 2012. Can't wait!

Me either! Though, I have to tell you. I told Jon the title of your new book and he said, "Confessions of a place kicker? She's a football fan?" It's fall, I guess. :) So, what's your least favorite part of writing?

The waiting game! It never ends. First you wait to finish a story then you submit and wait to hear from an agent, then you get an agent and they submit to editors and you wait to hear from them. Then you wait to hear from committee and then you wait to get your line edits and then you wait to get your cover art and then you wait to get your author copies and then you wait for your release date and then you wait for reviews and then you start the process all over :) Writers can't be impatient. They'd go insane. I think the waiting does get easier but man, at the beginning, when I was new to the industry, it was brutal!

Preach it, sister! Tell us a little about the genre you write in. Why did you pick that route?

I've written 6 contemporary romances for Harlequin Love Inspired, but now I'm starting to branch out into YA, and actually, that genre picked me. Or rather God directed me to it. It all started when I pitched a contemporary romance to an editor at the 2009 ACFW Conference in Denver. When she reviewed it later, she told me it wasn't quite what they were looking for at the time, but she liked my style, and did I happen to have a YA? I was like, uh....if you want one, I've got one! ha. So I realized that I had a story I'd already started, a "secret story" if you will, that was just for me, a "vent" book for expression. And it was a YA. So I brainstormed with a friend, fleshed it out, put it into proposal form, and Addison Blakely, Confessions of a PK, was officially born. It ended up being rejected at committee level at that house, but then we sold it to Barbour a few weeks later. You'll get to meet Addison on January 1st ::grin:: God's ways are so much higher than ours! I would have never thought I'd go that genre route but now, I can't imagine NOT writing YA. I have a head full of new ideas eager to come out for teenagers. It's becoming my new passion from the Lord.

Yay! What is your favorite part of writing?

The blank document screen of a new story waiting to be written. It's an incredibly intimidating, incredibly inspiring (wow, how's that for alliteration? lol) moment when anything is possible, when the story is fresh in your fingertips, waiting to be released. The opportunities are endless. It's scary and awesome all at once. ::grin::

It's totally scary and exciting! So, what's your favorite character you’ve ever written?

That's like asking to choose between my kids. LOL Thankfully I only have one kid right now, so Little Miss wins that category ::wink:: But in fiction...Wow. I guess if I MUST pick, I'd have to say Addison Blakley. She's the heroine in my new YA coming out in January and she was so fun to write, probably because of the first person style. She's quite snarky and witty but honest and relatable. She taught me a lot.

I have a favorite child too. ;) Any advice for prospective authors?

DON'T GIVE UP! So many writers get discouraged after their fifth rejection or their tenth or their twentieth. But if you stop writing, stop submitting, stop trying, then you are guaranteed not to ever be published. You truly never know what door God is opening just around the corner. You have to keep moving to get there.

You have an entire day with nothing planned – what would you do if money was no object?

Oh great question! There'd be Starbucks, there'd be writing, there'd be new books from Barnes & Noble, there'd be dance lessons, and of course, there'd be shoe shopping. If $ is truly no object, then I'm going for the Jimmy Choos and the VENTI mocha. hehehe.

Ha! Great answers, Betsy!! You can find out more about my friend on her website, www.betsystamant.com. And, yay for this one, Betsy has very generously agreed to give a copy of Fireman Dad away!!

Every comment counts as an entry into the contest. Sorry guys - this contest is only open to folks in the continental U.S. One comment per person, please! And remember - every comment over the next two weeks enters you into the drawing for the Old Navy gift card! Time to stock up on those winter sweaters Betsy and I love!

Today's comment question: If you had to watch the same movie 50 times in a row, what movie would it be and why?

Fall Fiction Frenzy!!!

2011-10-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

I have a super special surprise for you all!!

Starting later tonight, I will be doing a two week long series filled with giveaways, interviews and much more!! :)

I'm SO excited! I have some AMAZING women lined up for you guys to meet - all fabulous authors and all wonderful women of God!

But the best part?? Every comment left during this two week period - on any post - automatically enters you to win an Old Navy gift card!! Anyone in need of some super cute fall sweaters?

You can enter once a day, but please don't enter more than once! Also, several of the authors are giving away a copy of one of their novels!!

So... anyone excited?? Look for the first post tonight!!

Yay!!

Birthday Weekend

2011-10-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Mom turned 50, so of course, we had to make a big celebration of it!

Bryant flew back in town from Austin and brought a friend of his, Nick. We had so much fun hanging out with them!

We went out to eat at one of our favorite Mexican food places on Friday night for her birthday and Jon got in major trouble for telling the restaurant manager that it was her birthday. The mariachi band came over and played "Happy Birthday" and then all the waiters and waitresses came over and sang again. Ha!

One side of the table! Nick, Bryant, Caleb and Caleb's girlfriend, Ali.

Mom and Cayce! :)

Nathan loved it there. He danced and danced to the music! I thought he looked adorable all dressed up for dinner. :)

We ended up being there for two hours, so he definitely did not make it the whole time in his high chair. Pops was very sweet to walk around the restaurant with him and watch the mariachi band play. I think this picture is hilarious - they both have the same expression!

Afterward, we went back to my parents' house and put Nathan in bed. Then Mom opened her presents and we played games until WAY too late. We also tried something new this weekend: S'macons! S'mores with bacon! :)

Such a great weekend! I'm SO blessed to have such a wonderful mother. She is someone I want to be more like and one of my best friends. I think I love her even more now that I have my own baby - being a mom has given me a whole new set of eyes when it comes to my mom. What an incredible blessing she is! I love you so much, Mom!

Disney World!

2011-10-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

This last week, my mom, sister, me and Nathan all went to Disney World for a little girls-plus-Nathan trip.

We had SO MUCH FUN.

We park hopped, we rode whatever ride we wanted to that day, we took Nathan on a few rides that he absolutely adored and we celebrated a little ahead of time for Mom's 50th birthday.

I love this picture of my mom and sister in Animal Kingdom!! :) We had such great girl time while we were there! We'd put Nathan down and then just whisper for the next little bit. It was SO needed. :)

Nathan loved it. Absolutely, positively LOVED Disney World! He danced and laughed and yelled and sang. His favorite rides were the carousel, the Mexican Small World (in Epcot. Ha!!) and he loved the Festival of the Lion King show in Animal Kingdom - loved it so much that I felt bad for the people sitting around us. My boy can be a little bit animated. ;)

He also learned a few new things while we were out there. You can now ask him what a cow, lion, duck or sheep says and he'll respond with the sound they make. :) It's REALLY cute.

Have to confess though, that I do not ever want to fly on a plane with him again! It's a little over a three and a half hour flight one way and he screamed and cried and threw a fit for at least two hours (the first flight was more) both going and coming home. I felt SO bad. I did everything I could think of to get him to be quiet and nothing worked. :( There were definitely points on both flights were I wanted to just burst into tears too. I hate having people get frustrated with me or Nathan. It's hard to not know what to do to make your child behave.

The good news is, he slept GREAT while we were there which was a big concern of mine since we were all in the same hotel room! Huge prayers of thanks were said! And he was very well-behaved in the parks - fits were few and naps were taken. Yay!

All in all, we had a great trip! We came home exhausted from all the fun and Nathan is just now back on this time zone, which is why it's taken me so long to catch up on here! :)

Thanks so much for the fabulous trip, Cayce and Mom!!

Friday Favorites

2011-10-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

We'll see how long I actually stick with this, but I'd like to have a list of what my current favorites are - maybe not every week, but every so often.

And here we go!

1. Homemade Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

This tiny corner was all that was left for my breakfast - and the picture. :) If there was anything I was going to stockpile, it would be canned pumpkin and chocolate chips so I would never have to be without this bread. I zap it in the microwave for about 20 seconds before eating it the next day and oh. the. goodness. Fall in bread form.

2. Downy Wrinkle Releaser

Because I am as good at ironing as I am at square dancing. And we've already gone over what happens when I am around objects of great heat.

3. Tazo Decaf Chai

Hands down the best Chai tea bags in the world. And I appreciate the decaf because then I can drink it late at night. And I just realized I sounded exactly like the "old people" at our community groups who always complained about the caffeinated coffee late at night.

Oh my.

4. Mossimo Juniors Jeans

Can I get an Amen for cheap juniors' jeans that actually have the option for long length?

5. Mrs. Mays Fruit Chips

Delicious, easy to carry with me and healthy for Nathan. Check, check, check.

And now it's your turn! What are your favorites this week??

Fifteen Months Old

2011-10-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

I seriously cannot get over what a big boy he is now!!

He's such a little ham - always ready to dance or do any of his "tricks" to make us laugh.

I love, love, love my little bean.

Sickies

2011-10-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Nathan woke up yesterday with a runny, snot-crusted red nose. :( He doesn't get sick very often - something I'm SO thankful for! - so it always catches us a little off guard. We stayed home all day yesterday and I filled him to the brim with orange juice, squirted him up with saline, suctioned him out with the nasty nose sucker thing (his absolute favorite thing in the whole world - NOT. Not that I can blame him) and wiped him down with Boogie Wipes.

Honestly, I might have bought those just because I think the name is cute.

So, he got to sit in his chair and watch the Cedarmont Kids and then he sat in my lap and we watched Larry Boy and then by the afternoon, he decided he was well enough to try and kiss my face and run through the house waiting to get tickled.

I think he's feeling better today. :)

Any wise words of advice for how to help a sick kid get completely well and stay well through the sick season?

Fiesta Time! :)

2011-10-10T10:46:00.001-07:00

Every year, our city has a Balloon Fiesta in October and I've been going for probably 20 years. I absolutely, positively LOVE it!!

Last year was Nathan's first time to the Fiesta and he was SO tiny that I'm not sure he got too much out of it. Ha! :) This year was SO fun! He loved the balloons and he loved the music.

We went the first weekend with Clint and Leigh Ann - such a great time!! The only bummer about the Fiesta is you have to get up WAY early in the morning - this picture was taken before 6AM!

My favorite thing to get at the Fiesta - the mini cinnamon rolls in a cone!! Nathan was a big fan. :)

It was such a beautiful morning for hot air balloons!!

Me and my dear, dear friend!!

Then, Jon's parents - Nonnie and Papa O - came in town and we spent this last weekend wearing them out. Ha! :) We redecorated my guest bath, we went to the Aquarium, we went to the Fiesta twice... I think we are ALL needing a little bit of rest now!

I burned my fingers really badly on a glue gun while redecorating my bathroom (I'll show the finished product soon - the bathroom, not my fingers). I should not be allowed to own anything hot or sharp to the touch. The only band-aids in the house were Toy Story and Cars, so Nathan decided that he needed a sympathy bandage.

Nathan got spoiled rotten by his Nonnie - lots of new toys, plus she took us all to Chick-Fil-A and we've already established that is Nathan's favoritest place in the world. :) She also got some fun bathtub crayons for him. Jon had a little too much fun with those:

Nonnie and Nathan outside the aquarium:

Mother, Son and Grandson by the fish! Nathan goes crazy in the aquarium - especially now that he can walk. Thank goodness it's a fairly small area!!

We went to a Balloon Glow with Nonnie and Papa O. The Glows happen at night instead of early morning, which is MUCH easier to take Nathan to! We had a blast - Nathan was totally in awe of those balloons! There was a band performing when we first got there and Nathan just danced and danced - he put on a real show. It was hilarious!

Touching one of the balloons with Dad:

You can't really see the balloon because it got dark quick, but it's a baby bee!! When Jon and I were dating and first married, our favorite balloons were these two bees - one guy and one girl. They always lift off holding hands and then turn midair and kiss. It's adorable! The year we found out we were pregnant with Nathan, they introduced this little baby bee! So, we always have to get Nathan's picture in front of it:

Watching the fireworks! Nathan did great! He sat very still through most of the 30 minute display. :)

Before they left, we took Nonnie and Papa O to the Pumpkin Patch to get some grandparent pictures with them. We had such a great visit! I'm so thankful that Nathan has two sets of such amazing grandparents - he is blessed way beyond what he even knows.

I cannot believe that this was already a year ago!!

What happened???

Lunch Bunch

2011-10-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Every Monday, I get to hang out with these beautiful girls and their amazing kids:

Y'all. They have honestly saved my life several dozen times. Being a stay at home mom can be one of the loneliest places in the world - odd, because I'm never alone. It's so wonderful to have a group of women who know exactly where I am. I love these girls so much!

Last night, we had second girl's night out - we're aiming for once a month. We had to get kicked out by the restaurant when they closed. So much fun! Each of us is very different, but somehow we all just clicked.

Such sweet blessings.

Lucky boy

2011-09-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

Few things in life

are quite as good

as getting to wear your snow hat and short sleeves

while eating Lucky Charms. :)

Pinning and Forts

2011-09-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

Well. It happened. I finally joined Pinterest.

Considering how little free time I have had lately, I doubt I'm on it very often, but it is SO cool to see all the neat ideas everyone has! And, since I've been in the process of decorating my living room for the past almost three years, I figure maybe now I'll actually decorate it instead of just coming up with ideas that never pan out.

Yesterday, after Nathan woke up from his nap, he decided he wanted to watch a "movie" (meaning the Cedarmont Kids) while he ate his snack. So, he got to sit in his new little chair with his apple slices.

I thought he looked so grownup. :( Then he noticed I was taking pictures and gave me this face:

Ha!

When Jon got home, he and Nathan built a fort together. The first fort in the O'Brien house! Nathan LOVED it. I have SO many memories of building forts when I was a little kid, so I love that Nathan will most likely be doing the same thing. ;)

Did you ever build a fort with your parents' pillows and blankets?

Just a Click

2011-09-27T15:52:00.001-07:00

Since I had to order a new lens for my camera anyway, I decided I might as well get the $13 remote for it as well. :)

The lens hasn't come yet, but I had the zoom lens that I used at the fair, so I put that on since we had to try out the remote after Nathan's THREE HOUR nap (praise God!). Please pardon my messy ponytail - we've been home most of the day. :)

It wasn't too cool until he realized that no one was behind the camera and it was still flashing.

Ha! Then, Mom was generous and let Nathan have a turn with the remote.

That was FUN.

Which is why I found these on my camera next...

My life is never boring. ;)

Celine Dion would be singing right now.

2011-09-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Y'all.

I am at home. ALONE.

All by myself. No husband, no child. I do still have a dog here, but he's even being quiet at the moment. It's very nice. :)

I can't even remember the last time this happened. Jon took Nathan with him to watch Monday Night Football at a friend's house with him and his kids, so that left me all alone.

Which meant I finally had time to clean the shower. And then take one.

Oh how things have changed. I do remember a time in my life when I started everyday clean and pretty. And where a night alone meant painting my toenails and watching Gilmore Girls while eating cookies.

We spent the weekend with my aunt and uncle who came in town on their way to ride 475 miles on a bicycle this week. Actually, I do believe the two of them will have two bicycles. I waver between envy and sympathy for them.

After Lunch Bunch today, Nathan and I came home, he took a nap and I did things around my house like laundry and straightening up toys (how does ONE child make such a huge mess??) and then we ran to Kohls real quick to return some shorts that didn't make the cut with Jon.

And then I made dinner, we ate it and Jon and Nathan left.

And here I am. Showered.

This might be one of the more boring posts I have ever written. :)

Earlier today, I was trying to take a picture of Nathan while he sat on his cute little chair that Gammy bought him this weekend and I said, "Nathan, take your paci out and say cheese!"

So, he yanked his pacifier out and did this:

Little sugar.

Our Backyard Looks Like a Chia Pet

2011-09-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

Which is AWESOME.

:)

I confess, I have all these visions of chasing Nathan across our green lawn, tackling him onto the cool, thick grass and then watching him play out there while I get some writing done.

Soon.

This past week, Nathan, Gammy and I went to visit our friends in Colorado Springs. We had a great - but fast - trip! We left Monday morning, got there that afternoon and then spent all day Tuesday and Wednesday morning before coming back. Very quick!

The boys had a great time. I think Noah appreciates Nathan a lot more now that he can walk and go see cool things like trains with him. Someone still has yet to find a replacement lens, so pardon the iPhone pics.

Buddies. Nathan found a rock, so of course we had to bring it back with us because who can measure the worth of a gray rock?

On the way home, we stopped at Subway for lunch and Nathan got to eat a sandwich by himself - usually I'll cut it or tear it up unless it's grilled cheese, but I figured, he could try it. His expression was perfect:

Yesterday was spent cleaning out closets - my absolute favorite thing in the whole wide world to do. Not. But, we had to make some room because 1) Nathan no longer fits into any of his 6-9 month wardrobe (cue the tears as I looked through some of my MOST favorite outfits for him), and 2) He hasn't been able to fit in those for about six months. So, it was definitely time to pack away clothes. Plus, we went to one of those consignment kids sales today and Nathan MADE OUT.

I found toys I'm going to save as Christmas gifts for him and enough clothes to get him to spring. Yay! Gammy went with us and she found some adorable things too. So fun!

Apparently, too much fun. This is what I found when I opened the back door when we got back home today:

It's such hard work being one. ;)

Y'all have a great weekend!! Any fun plans??

Fair Days

2011-09-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

We've been busy these last few days!

Jon's aunt, cousin and cousin-in-law came in town last week and took the three of us out to dinner. We had such a great time with them! Nathan loved showing off his new tricks and some of his favorite toys. And he did NOT want to go to bed. Ha! :)

Friday night, we had Clint, Leigh Ann and Hayley over for dinner. Then we put the kids to bed and had a great time talking and playing games - so fun!! It's nice to have "kid-free" evenings every once in awhile. Even if that just means having them after bedtime. ;)

Yesterday, Jon, Nathan and I went to the state fair!! We had SO much fun - what a great family day! I'm so glad it worked out for us to go - we tried to go Saturday, but after spending TWO HOURS in traffic to get there, we gave up and went to Gammy and Pops' house for dinner. We planned better yesterday and went right after church got out.

Nathan loved the baby animals! He got SO excited! But his favorite part of the fair was definitely the "McDonald's Farm" where all the little kids can walk around and gather fruits and veggies and eggs.

I thought he was the CUTEST thing in his apron!

The kids all got to ride tractors too, but since Nathan's feet didn't even touch the pedals, he got a little help from Dad. ;)

He took a 40 minute nap the ENTIRE day, so at the end of the day, he was wearing out fast, but he still was happy enough to have some laughs with Mom.

I love this boy!! He grabbed my face and started saying, "I laa laa laa..." SO sweet.

Such a fun weekend with my boys!!

Last Weekend and One Nap

2011-09-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

We finally finished the yard!! YAY!! We finished it Saturday and spent a MUCH NEEDED day of rest on Sunday. Such relief here! Now just praying for our grass to grow! So thankful for all the hard work Jon and my dad did!

The "helper":

This last week, Nathan has only been taking one nap a day, which means that by 5 or 5:30 at night, he is the biggest crabby-head in the whole world. He cries and whines and follows me around whimpering with big huge tears rolling down his face. And the fits! Oh my, the fits...

Poor kid. He is not taking the transition to one nap well. Neither, I might add, is his mother. ;) Look at this sad face:

And, speaking of big huge tears, Nathan found my camera on some of our lawn furniture and decided to throw it on the patio and broke my lens. :( It was my own fault for leaving it within his ever-expanding reach. I'm so bummed. I need to take it in to see if I can get someone to fix it. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to take pictures of my grouchy child with Photo Booth. Poor baby. He went down pretty early tonight for bed - praying that he'll sleep very well and we'll both wake up ready for a cheerful day tomorrow!

Has anyone ever broken a detachable lens camera? And ballpark - how much did it cost you to fix it?

Never Forget

2011-09-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

The hero is commonly the simplest and obscurest of men.

- Henry David Thoreau

Praying for all of the men, women and children forever affected by this day a decade ago. May God bless their families and may we never forget those who continue to risk their lives everyday for us in our prayers.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

- John 15:13

Good Day New Mexico

2011-09-08T13:29:00.001-07:00

Thank you again for praying for me for this, guys! Hope the shaking isn't too obvious. ;)

Has everyone settled back into their fall routines? ;)

120% Boy

2011-09-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

This will probably come as a huge shock to all of you, but I tend to be a girly girl.

I like things to be clean - including me. My shower is quite possible the best part of my day.

My idea of the perfect day would include reading, watching a movie and giving myself a pedicure. With pink polish.

I have been camping once and HATED it. I don't understand why you would willing forgo a shower and a comfortable mattress.

Not to mention the dirt. And the bugs.

This landscaping project has given me new appreciation for soap. And loofahs.

So glad that my child feels the same way. :P

He is SO his daddy's boy!

Manual Labor Day

2011-09-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

I will tell you this: I am ready for our landscaping project to be done.

But, as of yesterday, here's what our yard looked like:

Ugh. I told Jon this morning that I really needed a butler, because there was no way I was going to be able to get out of bed. I am SO sore from helping dig those trenches. And I only worked the 2.5 hours every day while Nathan slept! I can't imagine how Jon and my dad feel today after working for three days straight on the yard.

Since we can't really go outside, Nathan and I have been trying to stay busy inside. I pulled out a coloring book for him the other day and he really liked it for about three minutes.

Then, he had more fun running with the book behind the couch and taking all the crayons one by one back there.

A little artifically colored wax never hurt anyone. Though, I was telling him "No, Nathan!! We don't eat crayons!" the entire time I was taking these pictures.

I'm a terrible mother.

The aftermath:

Coloring may not be an everyday activity for awhile yet. ;) Eventually, we gave up on the coloring and Nathan defaulted to his favorite game - tickle monster! And we worked on his "cheese" face:

We watched his friend Hayley on Friday night while Clint and Leigh Ann went to a wedding. We had so much fun with her! And Nathan had lots of fun grabbing her paci and running for it. Are we seeing a trend here now that he can run? ;)

Saturday, Clint came over to help Jon on the yard and then they went to a football game. It's the start of football season! Which means... it's officially FALL!! I am SO ready for some cooler weather! Afterward, we met my family for a late dinner at Chili's since they were having a couple of Labor Day Weekend specials. And the last thing any of us wanted to do after working in the yard all day was cook. ;)

Someone, though, is loving all this yard construction:

"Guys!! Hey, guys!! I got the hammer, guys!"

We came home from church on Sunday and immediately got to work, then we celebrated my dad's birthday that night. I am SO blessed to have such a wonderful Dad! It's so fun to see him as a grandpa too - he and Nathan have so much fun together. I just love watching it.

And then yesterday, we celebrated Labor Day by doing more of it. I told Jon that we can't move from our house for ten years - not with how much work we've put into this yard! Ha! We are so close - Jon and Dad got the sprinklers installed yesterday, so all we need to do now is add our top soil and then seed it and we are DONE. All we'll have to do after that is sit on our porch and watch our grass grow.

Nathan, however, might be bummed that there won't be huge trenches throughout his yard anymore...

And our little master artist got the gist of coloring - just not the proper place to do it. Look what I found last night as I was going to bed:

Seems like someone got a hold of my eyeliner pencil and had some fun on my bathroom drawer. He is such a mess!!

Busy Day

2011-08-31T15:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your prayers! The interview went okay, I think. ;) I'll be sure to post a link after it airs on September 8th!

After the interview yesterday, Nathan and I hung out and maybe went to go get Icees at Target. And we maybe tried on ADORABLE boots but I just couldn't bring myself to buy them because a) they had like a 3-inch heel and while I love towering above the majority of mankind in my short, short state, I just didn't know if I could handle THAT much love and b) I can talk myself out of almost anything.

Then, last night, we had a Lunch Bunch girls night and you guys - I had the BEST time. We talked and ate delicious queso and laughed until we cried and never once did we have to stop and cut someone's food or change a diaper. So much fun and so needed!! God has blessed me with a wonderful, wonderful group of friends!

Today, we took a walk with my sweet neighbor and her two boys this morning, then came home and took Attempted Nap #1. Which ended with a resounding failure and resulted in Nathan pulling my entire bedroom apart while I took a 2.77 second shower so we could go meet Jon for lunch at school.

Nathan LOVED school. He hasn't been to Jon's work since the school year started up again, which means he hasn't been there when he could walk around. He quickly discovered that the empty hallways provided excellent acoustics for his yodeling. :)

Every single picture I had of him at school is blurred from his constant motion - he's very quiet and subdued, this one.

We came home after lunch and did Attempted Nap #2, which went better than #1 in that he actually went to sleep, but not nearly as good as normal since he only slept an hour.

Oh the short nap. I love it like I love half-eaten moldy fruit on my counter, mysterious stains that randomly appear in the middle of my carpet and smallpox.

So, we ran to the grocery store and now we're going to try and keep morale high and play with his toys while we wait for Daddy to come home. It's been a busy but good day. :)

Memories

2011-08-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

When Jon and I got married, his sweet uncle offered to videotape our wedding for us and put it on a DVD. Well, right after our wedding, he ended up changing jobs and starting at a very high stress workplace where he barely had any time off at all.

Long story to say that we - to our surprise - just got our wedding DVD in the mail last week. Ha! I had almost forgotten all about it, so it was SUCH a fun thing to find in the mail!

And of course, we had to watch it that very night after the Nater Tot went to sleep. :)

It was SO fun to remember things I'd stressed over that now seemed totally pointless to worry about (example - the unity candle? the order of the service? the music? the decor? etc. :) ). I think both of us were so overwhelmed that day that we totally spaced through most of our wedding - so it was nice to actually HEAR our vows. Ha! :)

I grinned like a Cheshire cat through the whole entire thing while Jon just looked very serious. I think he knew what he was getting into while I was blissfully ignorant. ;)

Funny how things have changed since then!

We got to have a long-anticipated date night on Saturday and went to one of our favorite places - California Pizza Kitchen. Oh, the tiramisu... I love it so!!

Please keep me in your prayers tomorrow! I have an interview on one of our local TV stations here - pray that I will be a light for Christ and that I won't be a big bundle of nerves!! Thanks so much, guys! :)

It's Hard Being One

2011-08-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy and fun last couple of days! Yesterday, we went to Leigh Ann and Hayley's house for lunch and then they came with us to Nathan's favorite place - Menchies!! I don't think you can NOT have a good time there. I didn't get any pictures because I was so busy feeding Nathan mango sorbet.

I finally got out to Old Navy today after eying their fall clothes selection online for the last three weeks (go now!! Most of it is on sale!!). We met my friend Melanie and her daughter Julia there and had a great time! I think both Mel and I are a little scared that Julia and Nathan are going to get into serious trouble someday. They are both SO rambunctious and crazy! They bicker and fight and hug like siblings. :)

We came home and it's been one constant teary fit since then. Nathan's, not mine. I'm not sure what is going on with him this afternoon, but I have to admit, it's a little hard to take him seriously.

He's doing this new thing too, where he will climb in my lap, put his face about half a centimeter away from mine and then start talking very seriously and enunciating very slowly, eyes all big, like maybe that will help me understand him better. It's SO cute.

Maybe some Friday night pizza will help us all. ;)

Fail

2011-08-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

We had to get the oil changed on Tuesday, so Nathan and I left the car at the shop and walked across the street to Kohls. We didn't find too much and we still had some time to kill, so we had to head over to Coldstone for some ice cream. ;)

At four in the afternoon. Right before we went home to get dinner started.

Jon came to meet us at Coldstone and let Nathan dance on the table and then wave to the people walking through the parking lot outside. While still standing on the table.

Tuesday was Parental Fail day for us. ;)

Crazy Week

2011-08-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was my brother Bryant's birthday and his last day here before he headed back to Austin to finish up his Master's degree. So sad! We met everyone except Jon and my dad (who had to work) for breakfast that morning at Bryant's favorite restaurant and then spent the rest of the day hanging out at my parent's house.

As usual, Nathan was the official gift-unwrapper-helper. :) We'll miss Bryant this coming semester - but I'm very thankful that when he comes home at Christmas, he gets to stay home forever! :)

Friday, Nathan and I met Eryn, Eve, Leigh Ann and Hayley at the zoo and had a great time. The goal was to get Nathan to take a nap there in his stroller and that (of course) did not happen. Why nap when there are so many fun things to look at?

And then, this weekend started Operation We Wish We Lived In A Greener State - a.k.a. we're putting grass in our all-rock backyard. We started working Saturday and let me tell you - I always thought we had a smaller backyard until we started trying to shovel all the rock out. Now it seems HUGE.

My dad and Caleb came over to help which was SO wonderful! We would not have gotten nearly as much done without them!!

Also, I forgot to mention on my Fall post that both sweaters were from Old Navy. Anyone gone shopping for cute fall clothes yet??

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T14:36:00.000-07:00

Nathan's new "cheese!" face:

Okay, nearly wordless! :) We finally had his one year appointment today. We've had to keep rescheduling because of schedule conflicts. He weighed 21 pounds, 10 ounces - which was in the 25th percentile, 32 inches tall - 92nd percentile, and his head was 48.5 centimeters around - 91st percentile. He's growing lots - but just keeps the same proportions! Ha! :) He's grown three inches since his 9-month appointment! No wonder I can't find pants to fit him...

Fall

2011-08-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

The temperatures are supposed to be in the high-90's this whole week, but I have to confess, I've been dreaming of this:

Seriously. How cute is that? Or this:

I'm really loving the whole open-cardigan look this fall. With jeans and boots? I think they are adorable.

Now I just need the weather to cooperate a little bit, because as much as I love the look, I just don't think I can wear a sweater - regardless of how open the weave is - when it's 97 degrees, 40% humidity and I'm juggling my purse, a diaper bag backpack and this crazy boy:

I always used to sigh and shake my head at those stay-at-home moms who only wore T-shirts and jeans on What Not to Wear, but...guys?

I have become that mom. I'm begging you here - what fall fashions are you guys most excited about?? I need some style ideas!

The Last of Summer

2011-08-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today started Jon's first day back at work, so Monday and Tuesday were spent running last minute errands, playing with Daddy and soaking up a few extra mornings of taking turns sleeping in.

Nathan got to experience part of the fun of being a "big boy" this past week - dipping food into ranch dressing (or really, any kind of dip - ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, yogurt...). He has now decided that he can't eat anything unless it's dipped. ;)

Since Jon has been off this last week, we did a little bit of rearranging. I was going crazy having all of Nathan's toys in the living room all the time. So we moved the toys to the office and moved our desk to our bedroom. It makes our bedroom cramped, but at least we have a clean living area!

So, I've been wanting a way of storing a few of Nathan's toys that he plays with a lot in the living room without it causing a HUGE mess. I found these little storage ottomans from Target. I think they are so cute. We had them home all of about three minutes, though, before this happened:

He climbed in and out for over an hour and half. He'd climb in, sit inside, read a book or play with the remote and then climb back out. Put the lid on, take the lid off and start all over. :)

And can you tell he found a new hat he loves? ;)

Less than a week until Sketchy Behavior releases!! Cannot, cannot wait! :) Don't forget that you can order an autographed copy in my bookstore! And if you're looking for a quick, fun read before then, Fish and Chips is available for Kindle!

Winner and Watermelons

2011-08-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

I'm SO glad that all of you are so excited for Sketchy Behavior!! I can't wait to hear what you think of it! The winner of the autographed copy of Sketchy Behavior is...

It's Alyssa C! Yay! Send me your address and who you'd like it autographed to to erynnmangum@gmail.com and I'll get that out to you ASAP! And if you didn't win, remember you can buy an autographed copy from my bookstore!

Last night, Nathan got to eat his first whole piece of watermelon at my parents' house. We've given him diced chunks before, but never a whole slice.

Think he liked it? :) The red mark on his forehead is from a bug bite - poor baby has gotten a few of them this summer. He's just too sweet, I guess! Jon has been off this whole last week, so we've been really enjoying having Daddy home. I think two people are going to miss him very much when he goes back to work now that school is about to start up again.

Nathan has adjusted to not nursing very well. Tonight, he even went to sleep without crying at ALL. Wow! God is very good!

Sketchy Behavior - Now available in my Bookstore!! :)

2011-08-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Look what I got in the mail yesterday!! :)

YAY!! You know what that means?? Sketchy Behavior is now available to order autographed copies in my bookstore! Be sure to let me know what name you'd like it signed to. :)

Also, leave a comment for your chance to win your very own free, autographed copy! I will draw the winner on Monday!

So excited!! :)

When A Long Road Turns Up Short

2011-08-04T20:27:00.001-07:00

Most of what I'm about to write is purely for my own memories. :)

Tonight was my last night nursing Nathan. He's definitely done needing to be nursed - it was mostly our routine more than anything. He would eat dinner, play for a little bit, Jon would give him his bath and get him dressed and then I'd nurse him. He'd usually fall asleep nursing - or at least relax enough that he fell asleep soon after going to bed.

I'm going to miss it.

Breastfeeding was not an easy road for me. At all. We had to start supplementing in the hospital with formula because even after we'd been there five days, my milk still hadn't come in. I spent most of Nathan's first week crying because the nursing was going so poorly - he wouldn't latch on and when he did latch, he wouldn't stay on long enough to suck. So I was making nothing and he was getting nothing except formula.

I cried and cried. I prayed constantly that God would help me to nurse. I don't even know why I was so set on it - I've known and know people who have given their babies formula and everything has been just fine - they've bonded, they've grown up healthy and happy. I just wanted SO badly to nurse. And I couldn't. I remember standing in the bathroom, tears rolling down my face as I just prayed for God to give me and Nathan this gift of nursing.

When he was eight days old, out of complete desperation, I finally went back to the hospital and ended up seeing a different lactation consultant than I saw in the hospital. After watching me struggle to get Nathan to nurse for a few minutes, she leaned over, adjusted my hold and his mouth and he popped right on. And he hasn't had trouble nursing since.

I don't even remember her name, but I thank God SO much for that lady. She sent me home with a huge list of instructions and I sent Jon to Target to go buy a breast pump (wouldn't you have just LOVED to have been there to see him buying that?)

I was nursing Nathan every two hours, pumping right after he finished, taking herbal supplements and drinking two gallons of water every single day. I felt squishy to the touch and exhausted, but suddenly, without warning, I had milk and milk in abundance! Nathan was getting so much that he would spit half of it up and I could still pump a whole bottle afterward. I was SO thankful. I looked like carnage covered in lanolin (not to get into too much detail) and there were times where I would cry thinking about the pain that was coming right before I started nursing, but still, I was thankful.

Then came the plugged ducts. The first time I got one, Nathan was about five weeks old. I didn't know what happened - I thought I'd gotten engorged again. Then it developed into mastitis and I drove for my first time after the C-Section to Wal-Mart to get antibiotics while Nathan screamed the entire time we were there.

It cleared up only to come back as soon as I finished my antibiotics. I got mastitis five times over the next couple of months. And I got plugs on an almost weekly basis. They were insanely painful and I'd usually have more than one at a time. Jon would try and help me massage them out and I would scream so loud I had to put a pillow in my mouth to keep from scaring Nathan. One time, I almost kicked over our coffee table it hurt so badly.

I remember one Sunday morning. Nathan had woken up at 4 AM to nurse and I woke up with a ginormous plug. I kept waking him up to get him to nurse so he could try and work the plug out, but it never dislodged and Nathan was crying and I was crying and I didn't know what to do. So, we went to church and I just sat in the nursing mom's room for most of the service, trying not to cry and just knowing that I was going to have to quit nursing.

That's when I met my friend Jamie. Who also struggled big time with plugs and she encouraged me enough to keep nursing - at least until the end of the week. :) I called my doctor who had me go in for a breast ultrasound, just to make sure it wasn't anything abnormal causing the plugs, but everything looked fine. Then, my doctor finally put me on a long-term antibiotic and it was smooth sailing since then - well, not counting the whole no-dairy thing for a little bit. Ha! :)

It's so weird to think that we're done.

I'm so thankful that God allowed me this time with my son. Breastfeeding is such a weird, sensitive topic in the world right now but I can honestly say that despite all the hard times - the pain, the healing, the plugs, everything - it has been worth it all. I loved especially these last many months when our routine was really in place. I loved how he would fall asleep against me and - when he was really little - how he would be so sound asleep that milk would dribble out of his mouth and run down his cheek.

There are so many, many precious memories I have that involve nursing. Too many to name. I just pray I don't forget them - or the feelings that go along with them.

It seemed like such a long, long, long road when I started nursing. Those 45-minute to hour long sessions in the middle of the night while my nipples were so painful I cringed almost every minute of it felt like they would never end. And when I was so tender from a blocked duct that I couldn't even hug Nathan close, it seemed like an eternity.

But now, thinking back on all of it - good and bad - it seems like only a tiny, short, sweet time.

I hate how fast time is flying past these days.

Sunny California!

2011-08-03T20:11:00.001-07:00

This last week, Jon, Nathan and I hit the road (or the sky, as it were) for California! Jon's whole family lives out there and we finally got to reconnect with everyone - we haven't been able to see his brothers and their families since Christmas.

Nathan had a great time playing with his cousins, Josh and Lily! And we had a fabulous time catching up with everyone!

Our first morning there, Nonnie gave Nathan his first haircut. :( He's so big! He wasn't super fond of it, but I think he did great!

Both sets of Jon's grandparents live in the area, so we spent one day with each side of the family. TOO fun. By Monday, both of Jon's brothers had left, so we went to a little lake where Nathan got to feed the ducks and the geese. He was SO excited about those ducks!!

And the park was beautiful, so we had to get a few pictures of the bean. :)

He LOVED the ducks, but I don't think he quite got the concept of feeding them:

Ha! I think Nathan ate more bread than some of the ducks did!

Family is such a blessing.

What have you been doing these last few weeks of summer?

P.S. And - quick reminder - Miss Match is FREE on Kindle this week!! Yay!! :)

In-N-Out...

2011-08-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

...is SO good. :)

The winner! :)

2011-07-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

...is Apostolic Angel!

Congrats! Send me your email address associated with your Amazon account and I'll send you your Kindle copy of Fish and Chips!

Thanks everyone for entering! :) Have a great weekend!

Now Available!!! :)

2011-07-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Guess what's available NOW on Kindle???! :)

My newest novella!!! You can read more on my site here and also on Kindle's site here! And remember - Kindle apps are completely FREE, so even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still read this fun, summer book on your computer or smart phone! I can't wait for you to meet Raina and Chip - I just loved writing their story. :)

AND... one of you will win a FREE copy of Fish and Chips on Kindle!! Leave a comment and I'll pick a random winner on Friday morning!

Goodness! So many contests!! YAY! :)

And so sorry to leave you hanging yesterday - it took a little longer for this to appear on Amazon than I thought it would. Ha! Let the contest begin!

What we've been up to :)

2011-07-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

We had a busy weekend and a busy week already!

This last weekend was my brother Caleb's birthday, so we went over for a little birthday party Saturday night. Nathan has become the Official Present Opener of the family, I think. Hopefully Uncle Caleb didn't mind!

Nathan also really started walking pretty well this past weekend! It's so fun and so scary! And he is bruised everywhere from falling over - his poor little legs look terrible. He's still pretty unsure of himself, and I think he still prefers crawling. But he's getting better. :) He got the Sweeping Award at dinner a few nights ago after he threw everything he was supposed to be eating on the floor.

:)

He also learned a new trick and has been doing it NON STOP and then laughing the whole time he's like that:

Ha! Like father, like son!

Jon was a deep snapper all through high school and college football. Guess it starts young!! :)

I've got super fun news coming hopefully later tonight! Can't wait to share it with you! :)

And the winners are...

2011-07-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

The Grand Prize winner, who gets an autographed book and an autographed Sketchy Behavior cover is:

Sarah!! Send me an email (erynnmangum@gmail.com) with your address and the book of your choice that you'd like autographed. :) Yay!

The next four winners will all receive autographed Sketchy Behavior book covers:

Congrats to Jewlez, Greta Lynn, Carol M, and Gabby! If y'all will email me your addresses, I will get those covers in the mail ASAP! :)

SO SO excited for Sketchy Behavior to release!!! And thank you to everyone who entered the contest - so fun!

Contest Time!! :)

2011-07-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

YAY!!! Look what I got in the mail yesterday! :)

It's the cover for Sketchy Behavior! That means it's almost here!! :)

And Zondervan was WAY sweet and sent me a few extra covers that I can give to some of YOU! I'm going to be giving away FIVE autographed covers!

Here's how to enter:

1. If you're not already a Follower of this blog, start following me with Google Friend Connect and then leave a comment that you did that (or have already been following my blog!).

2. Start following me on Twitter and then leave a comment letting me know you did that.

3. "Like" me on Facebook. (That just sounds weird.) And then... you got it... come back here and leave another comment. ;)

4. And lastly, sign up for my "monthly" newsletter (and I put monthly in quotes because HA. It's definitely not monthly). Then leave another comment!

Already do all of that?? Then just go ahead and leave four comments letting me know! And thank you very much! ;)

So, you've got four chances to stick your name in the hat. I'll draw five random winners on Monday and as a SPECIAL treat, I might just have to give away one autographed book as a grand prize to go along with one of those covers!!! :)

I love, love giveaways!

Zooper Wednesday

2011-07-21T08:20:00.001-07:00

This last week wore us out. It's hard work turning one!

We spent all day Tuesday in sweatpants and laid around the house. So, yesterday, we had to get out and do things again. I'm not the type to just sit at home and I think Nathan got that same annoying gene. ;) By the end of Tuesday, he was just looking at me like, "Well. We really aren't going anywhere?"

Our zoo is doing this thing on Wednesday nights called "Zooper Wednesdays" (and I about DIED laughing because isn't that so what Jack's zoo would have done in Double Shot?). Instead of closing at 5, they close at 8. So, I packed a dinner and we drove over after afternoon nap and Jon met us there when he got off work.

We had such a great time! The animals really were a LOT more active, which was just fun. And there were maybe 60 people in the whole park, so the three of us were the only people looking at some of the animals. SO nice!!

Nathan loves, loves, loves the monkeys. They are his all-time favorite animal there. He just laughs and points and talks the whole time to them. It was really cute. :)

We were finishing up dinner when it started sprinkling and within a couple of minutes, it was pouring rain. We threw everything in the stroller and ran for the covered polar bear exhibit and stayed under there for about 20 minutes before giving up that it would ever stop, so we ran for the exit.

We got SOAKED. Absolutely soaked. Nathan started laughing as soon as we got in the car, so I don't think he minded too much. :) So fun even with the rain!