Happy Birthday Jess!

Jess at 3 months

After 26 hours of labor, 15 years ago today, I became a mom for the first time.  I stared at the tiny little bundle in my arms and wondered what our future would hold.  I was instantly in love with her. Her dark almost black eyes stared up at me, trusting my every move. I felt too young to be responsible for this tiny human.  My husband and I still felt like kids. Did we really know enough about life to guide her?
I had no idea how proud I would be of her 15 years later!  I think now I'm learning more from her than she is from me.  She is always helping me with computer stuff and encouraging me to accomplish my goals.  Yesterday she advised me to stop cleaning and just sit down and write.
Lately I have cherished our early morning writing/editing sessions.  We sit with a cup of tea and laugh while we examine the silly sentences we have committed to the page.  I'm still in awe that she has finished her first novel before me!

And then there is skating...my two passions other than family are writing and skating.  When she and her sister finally decided they loved it, I was thrilled.  I could now share my love of the sport with them and it has been an incredible journey.

I can't wait to see what the next 15 years bring for her!

Stop by her blog over at Write Skate Dream and give her a big Happy Birthday! She would love to get 2 more followers to bring her to 100 today!

Kathy

Jess doing a back spiral :)

Watching Willow Watts Launch Party

Today I'm participating in the Watching Willow Watts Launch Party over at Talli Roland's blog.  It's her second novel and I can't wait to read it. In the book, Willow gets thrust into instant fame because of her You-Tube video in which she impersonates Marilyn Monroe.

 It's available on Amazon as an e-book for only 2.99 so head on over and check it out.

Queen Elizabeth's coronation from Wikipedia

If I could be anyone, I'd be... This was a difficult question for me to answer because I honestly am happy just being little old me.  Everyone has their own problems that they have to live with and so far I've been pretty lucky with mine.  That being said, if I had to choose, I would choose someone who lived an extraordinary life and therefore I pick....  Queen Elizabeth I.

Yes, she was locked in the Tower by her sister and her mother was beheaded by her father the King, but this woman was a leader.  She had the guts to believe in her own ideas and to not be swayed by anyone.  Many advised her to marry and produce an heir. But she decided if she couldn't marry the man she desired, she wanted only to be married to England.  Wow that's courage!    

If I had to be a man... I would choose Benjamin Franklin, because he got to travel around the world and I love all his cool experiments!

I also thought if I were to choose a fictional character, I think I would be Princess Leia.  I mean who wouldn't want to marry Han Solo?

So who would you be?

Kathy

Do Not Remove

First of all I want to thank all my wonderful new followers!  I'm excited to get to know all of you through your blogs as well!


My husband loves to read.  He's read so many books from our local library that he only finds the New Book section interesting. So he decided to order books from different libraries across the state in order to find enough to read.

When his ordered books came in he was like my son at Christmas.  He quickly ripped off the wrapping and threw it away.  He totally ignored the big bold letters that said, "Do Not Remove."  I found it in the trash the next day.

I showed it to him and he admitted tossing it out, he still didn't see why it was bad.  I had to point it out to him.  I thought, "Do you even have eyes?!" (That's my son's favorite line.)  He read the message and finally understood the problem.
He felt a little silly handing the book back in to the librarian telling her he didn't know he wasn't supposed to remove the sleeve.

It makes me wonder what things I have missed that are right in front of my face.



I also want to say how much fun I've had being a part of the Campaign!  I can't believe how many talented writers are out there posting there works.  It's been great to read all the wonderful flash fiction.  It amazes me how those few beginning words can conjure up so many different situations!



Kathy


  

Greedy squirrel

Greedy Squirrel eating all the bird seed.

I had a nice lunch with the kids at Panera Bread. They were on their way out the door. My left hand balanced Alyssa's left-over bread and my cup of water. My right hand held keys and Ryan's iced tea.
Everything was going well.

Then, I sensed a free sample of icing drizzeled bread approaching. Must try free bread, my inner animal brain thought.  I rebalanced the items, reached for the bread and put into mouth. Hmmmmmmm. A server moved in front of me and I altered my course.  The water cup shifted.....Ooooooh nooooooooo can ....not...catch ....it.
Water spills onto floor. Server gives me evil eye. My mouth, filled with free bread, attempts to say "Sorry". She mutters curses under her breath as she sees me walk out. I call the kids back for assistance and rush back in. I grab napkins and wipe it up but the server never sees.

She sees me only as the greedy squirrel I am.

Kathy

Have a great weekend!
We're going to competition this weekend.  Wish us luck!

Campaign Challenge

Okay here is the first challenge for all you Platform Builder Campaigners.  The assignment is to write a piece of flash fiction of 200 words or less.  It must begin with the words "The door swung open" and for an extra challenge end with the words, "the door swung shut" and keep it to 200 words exactly.   Hop on over to Rachael Harrie to get more info.  Here's my entry.  Hope you like it.

The door swung open before I was ready.  I had to calm down, had to focus.  I was shaking not from the cold, from my nerves.  I'd been waiting for this all my life.  Here and now I could prove who I was, show the world what I was made of.  Time slowed.  A million thoughts raced through my head as my coach pushed me to the ice.  All those hours of training came down to these 4 minutes.  My stomach twisted.    

     

     I glided to my starting pose, inhaled and waited for my music.  It seemed like forever.  Then the silky smooth strains of the violin began.  I was no longer afraid.  I felt strong as I skated over the glass-like surface of the ice.  I felt free.  I loved the feeling of the cool breeze tugging at my hair and the smell of the ice... it's cold and moist... and inexplicable.  It's the smell of freedom.  As I soared into the air my mind was clear and happy.  I didn't care what the world thought of me.  I knew who I was.  That's what mattered.  My music stopped.  I bowed and skated off and the rink door swung shut.  

Kathy

Check out all the great entries over at Rach Writes and don't forget to vote for your favorites. If you like mine, I'm number 236.  :)

Birthday Fun

Gramps with the family

Hope everyone had a fun weekend!

We had a wonderful time celebrating my Grandpa's 90th birthday. He loved having everyone together. Here's how the weekend went:
The 5 cousins swam, ran around and played games together.

The grown-ups spent time sitting on the porch looking out at the water and chatting.


Gramps reflected on his long and full life and entertained us with crazy stories from his past.

Ryan taught him how to use the i-pad.

He took Ryan fishing.          

Jessica and I got some writing done, though I didn't come close to finishing my first 5 chapters.  Oh well I was really there to spend time with people anyway.

Birthday cake, candles, presents and lots of pictures and laughing!

All in all.... great memories made.

Now it's time to get back to work and back to checking all your great blogs.  I'll leave you with some more pictures of our weekend.  :)

Kathy

My brother, my mom, me and Gramps

Ryan and Gramps fishin

The cousins swimming

Happy Weekend!

 I had a great time with all of the awesome blogfests this past week.  Thanks to Tara Tyler for her fun Blogoversary party and Christine Tyler for her Sparkfest.  I also want to thank Alyssa over at Life is Good for giving me some super cool awards!  Thanks Alyssa!

I'm also excited to be part of the Campaigners over at Rachael Harrie's blog. But today, I'm looking forward to a long weekend of some R&R up in Northern Michigan.  We are going to celebrate my Grandpa's 90th birthday!  We will be staying at his cottage on a lake.  I love waking up early and watching the sun rise over the mirror-like surface.  It has always been a great place for me to clear my thoughts and write.  Yeah!  Maybe I'll come back with my first 5 chapters done! Hope you all have a great weekend.

I'll pass these awards on when I return on Tuesday and I will also check out all my fellow campaigner's blogs as well.

Kathy