Book Club - Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck

Monday night I went to my first book club. We discussed "Sweet Caroline" by Rachel Hauck. It so happens that Rachel actually came to the BC that night. It was great to be able to pick her brain about why she wrote some of it like she did and why she didn't.  It was fun to hear how others thought about the book and if they agree with me or if they don't. I am excited about next month to discuss our next book. 

My FIRST HOMEMADE latte!

You all know I won an Espresso Machine at the Booksellers Convention a lil while back well, today I finally got around to reading the directions and making my own latte! I am sooo excited and it tastes "perfect" if I do say so myself. =) 

MMmmmmm YUM! 

Anyone want to join me???

LET ME KNOW: What's your favorite cup of Joe????

Friday FUN (she said with sarcasm)

So it wasnt really fun at all. I got a phone call from Erin around 2:30 asking me to come and get her because she had a lil scare. So I went and got her and took her to the hospital....for 5 hours!!!! That's right we were there for 5 hours with no food or drink for all of us (Ricardo, Erin, and I). We tried to make everything fun while there though.  And after a special with Rachel Ray talking about Peru and an ultrasound they let her go home just saying it was a false alarm. Thank you God for letting nothing be wrong!  

CBA 2008-the end

The last two days at the Convention: 

Wednesday morning didn't start as early as the others but we got to the floor at 9:30 ready to just peruse the aisles and stand in line for some great authors and artists. Two I was a bit excited to meet was Dan Evans from The Biggest Loser (he has a cd coming out and we got it - signed!) and Brian "Head" Welch from Korn!

Pretty neat, huh? 

For dinner we all went to the Rainforest Cafe 

- it was soooo yummy (We all got the same thing, lol - Potroast! )

Then we walked around Douwtown Disney and had some Ghiredelli ice cream!!! MMmmmmm!

Yes, I finished everything, I'm a little piggy! 

Thursday was the last day and Rachel and I went around finding out if we won all the drawings we entered and had to "be present to win".  I DID!!! I won an espresso machine!

I am soooo excited about it - there were a lot of entries too... You should have seen the box full of them. (It was no shoe box). YAY me! 

Here is all the goodies I got and brought back home!!!

CBA 2008-the middle

Another day at the Convention Center: started with breakfast at the Rosen Center and finished with dinner at House of Blues. 

The breakfast was for women only and we got to hear some great guest speakers!

For lunch we went to a new artists luncheon.

I enjoyed most of the artists playing but didn't care for the gospel twang that some of them had. Loved Brandon Heath and Josh Williams. 

After another long day of meet and greet we headed to the House of Blues for the Fox Faith trailer of Mama, I can sing.

Here we ate so much food!!!!!

We took advantage of the tasty buffet but had to leave when "moooore" gospel singers came on stage. Instead of staying and listening to the music we walked awhile around Downtown Disney for some "fun"! LOL. 

Off to bed now... exhausted! 

CBA 2008 - the beginnig

I arrived in Orlando, Florida on Sunday for the Christian Booksellers Convention. I was very excited to be there and get all signed in and ready for fun on the floor monday. But of course, as soon as we all got there it was hit the ground running. My friend Nancy and I went to a meet and greet reception at the Peabody Hotel where the guest of honor was a well known author Karen Kingsbury. It was a very nice (semi-formal) reception which coming from just driving we were definitly underdressed but had a great time meeting and talking with her. 

Then we met up with everyone for dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy.

SOOOOO yummy!!!! 

Afterwards we headed to the Convention Center for a mini concert including Nicole C. Mullens and Jeremy Camp. 

It was a late night and we had a very early morning (up at 5:00 am) for a breakfast with the authors. Here we sat at Robin Jones Gunn's table. She sat and talked with us then we all got mini encore from Cindy Morgan. 

Then it was off for the ribbon cutting to open the convention floor for the first of the long days ahead!!!! 


We all got tons of goodies which I will try and post pic of a bit later and got to meet authors as they signed our books and cds. 

FUN FUN

We finished the night off by seeing a complimentary movie including popcorn and a drink. Have you seen Kung Fu Panda yet?

If not it is a MUST SEE!!!!! 

Im exhausted already and its only the first day!!! More fun tomorrow bright and early again! 

PS: I held an alligator today too!!! Aren't you proud because for sure it was gross, nasty, disgusting, and scary!!!!! LOL 

RIP Grandma!

Some of you know that while on vacation with the Drummond Family I received a phone call from my sister telling me that my Grandma had passed away. It was a horrible feeling and a very sad time. 

Douglas went with me to Pennsylvania (my birth place and her home) for her funeral this Wednesday and Thursday. There were so many people that had been touched by her life and the love of Jesus she had in her. 

She will be greatly missed by me and the others in her life she influenced. 

"I love you GRANDma! "

June 26, 2008

Hiking and Bowling in Kentucky

We went cave hiking yesterday in Kentucky. I know.. I had no idea there were caves here either.

Well, these are called the Mammoth Caves and they are the longest caves in the world and hover around 54 degrees year round. If you look close you can see Douglas breath!!!! Crazy huh?

We went on the Self-Discovery Tour (very mini trail)  because when we got there every single tour was booked. They are quite popular. We are going to try and go back and make sure we reserve our spots - maybe a night one. 

Later that evening we went bowling in "Bowling" Green. LOL. It was a lot of fun had by all, even though I suck at it. Ahh, just wait till they play me on Wii. 

On a side note Douglas and I found the corn. Well, its kinda hard to miss its all over the sides of the roads. But, this particular corn is just down the street from our friends. LOL. 

Fourth of July!

We went and saw fireworks again last night and they were a BLAST! Even though we were stuck out in the rain for the whole night it was still a lot of fun. We didn't bring and umbrella so we thought we were going to have to move or leave but this really nice family next to us had an extra one and let us borrow it. How sweet is that. Thank you so much to that family!

Even though we had to squeeze the three of us under one umbrella it made it more enjoyable and we made some memories! When we got back to the house we found that the shoes I had been wearing dyed my feet! AHHH.

The rain made the red dye from my shoes drip off and I had no idea.... Now I can't get it off. LOL. 

I hope everyone had a memorable, fun and safe Fourth! 

Fourth of July in Kentucky on the Third

Last night we went to watch fireworks for the Fourth of July. We sat in a local parking lot with our drinks from Sonic (can be pronounced with a French accent for some lol ) and it was raining. But we hung in there with humor.  Happy 4th of July everyone! 

Don't let him tell you differently!

Ok, I figured I would beat Douglas to the punch with the "TRUTH" before he decided to tell a "FIB" like his father. (Such a storyteller)
This time when we went to Kentucky we got another convertible! YAY! Loads of fun. Its about an hour, hour and a half trip from the airport to the hotel so we put the top down on the car and of course its sunny out. And being the tan line conscience person I am I made the joke "I should just ride with my shirt off". And Douglas of course had NO problem with that. He said "Well, you mine as well because I'm going to tell everyone you did anyway." But you heard it from me here first. "I DID NOT ride with my shirt off....but, lol. ... I did decide to change it in the car (with the top down - while driving) to a tank top to limit the lines. So, I did go shirtless for like a second (maybe 10). But it doesn't count. But poor Douglas - we forgot sunscreen again so I gave him my first shirt for his head.....