I have discovered the secret to meeting someone famous....

And I'll tell you! :) But first...

A week ago Shannon Hale came to my little town. She spoke at the library--which was packed by the way, adults and children alike wanted to come hear/see/meet her.

(Okay...she's not exactly famous-famous... but well known for sure... and a successful author--O ya! Twenty books and counting published!)

I loved hearing her insights as well as hearing so many things we agreed on when it comes to writing--I being the newbie that I am, sort of feel like I don't have a clue what I'm doing half the time. She made that half empty glass, half full! :) I realized I DO know what I'm doing!!!--Half the time, anyway.  :)

And there's a whole lot I need to learn, without a doubt.

Still, she came, she spoke, she answered questions and then she signed books.

The line for the signing circled the room.

It was crazy. 

So, although I really wanted to meet her and have her sign something, my friends and I decided our stomachs out-weighed the length of the line. So, we went out to dinner. We laughed, we talked, we ate... we SAT. It was lovely.

Two hours later, Heidi and I decided to see if there was still in fact a line to see Shannon. 

Guess what? There was. And ONE person was left in the line. (Thus my sitting joke above... we didn't have to stand in line for two hours!!)

So, we didn't just get her to sign our stuff, but we had a nice little visit as well. She went to the same mission as my hubby--the same years--neither of them remember the other, but still kind of cool. Heidi bragged me up--(tho there isn't much to brag about--my one novel that's coming out looks a little lonely compared to her twenty already out. haha.) The ironic thing was she bragged me up after Shannon wrote this note in my book. :)

It was fun. And inspiring. I came home and wrote out an author talk for kids--(a teacher has asked me to speak to a bunch of 5th graders...and I hadn't a clue what to say!! But she helped inspire that).

And someday if I have a little author-talk-book-signing thing I'm guessing there will be 6 people there--all friends who know and love me. But that's okay. I have to start somewhere. And I am really really grateful for those friends who know and love me.

So, if you're one of them--and if you're reading this, you probably are. Thank you! :)

O yes and the moral to the story: When there's a huge line to meet someone special... go out to eat first!

Alice VS Jen

The Sheriff (aka my 3rd son) recently told me that I look

JUST

like Alice from the Brady Bunch.

So, instead of being offended I laughed my can off.

Which totally offended him.

He was giving me a compliment.

She is after all a great cook with a fabulous sense of humor.

I thought about being Alice for Halloween... well, maybe next year.

The weird thing is, now that I've made this silly side by side of the two of us, just to laugh at--I can see a little resemblance there.

Yowza.

I don't know how I feel about that...

Maybe I'll go to the butcher or make some cookies while I think about it... let me grab my apron first though...

Putting yourself out there--

It's never easy.

The first book I completed (I had half a dozen started in high school) is called:

Am I 30 Yet?

I wrote it the year I turned 30. It took me only 6 months. And one day when I am done re-writing it {it needs more than editing!} I'll try to publish it too.

Anyway, having people read what I wrote up to that point had been an ooober scary thing.

As I was writing this book I told my very good friend Samantha about it. She wanted to read it. Now, I am not even kidding when I tell you this. I would have her come to my house and watch her every single minute while she read each and every chapter. Seriously, I'd stare at her.

Sorry about that Sam.

But she read every word and when she said she loved it, it was a huge high. I had always wanted to be published, in fact I sent my first children's story off to a publisher (not having a clue how to go about it correctly) when I was just 13.

I guess my point is this, I put my heart on my sleeve and it paid off.

Now, that same book I had another gal read and she hated it. In fact she only made it through about 3 chapters... I think I offended her. She was a 30-something unmarried gal. And my book was about an almost 30-something unmarried gal.

Anywhoo-- the high I'd felt was worth the risk and I gave my manuscript to another friend, my buddy, Amy.--who by the way also love it. :)

Err, or they love me. Hmmm... well, their "likes" always felt sincere.

Today, while cleaning out our storage room I found a box full of my college notebooks. Hahahaha. Yes, I'll be needing all that jazz soon. Err--not.

But there was one notebook in there, a book of poems I'd written in High School. So, I decided to put myself out there again and share one with you. I'll tell you up front I am a pretty sucky poet.

No, seriously, suck-yy!

I can write a 300 page novel easier than a poem.

But this one, I actually liked. It had inside meaning for me.

And my BFF and college roommate Kristina really did love it. She hung it up in our dorm room and then one day she gave it away to a gal she visit taught. I haven't seen it since the day she gave it away.

Today, I found a copy! :)

I don't know that it's as great as I remember, but here ya go.

And this ends my career as a poet. :)

But my point today is that it's okay to put yourself out there.

In fact it's good for us.

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS....

THIS TIME OF YEAR...

I sort of feel like a super star when...

I walk into Mrs. Zotti's 2nd grade class. :)
A small chorus of "Mrs. Atkinson!" fills my ears.
I know everyone isn't able to help in their kid's classes, everyone has different situations, but if you can, it's so fun!
Maybe it's because I went to college to be a teacher.
Maybe it's because I looove children's books.
Maybe because I love children.
I don't think I could quite pin-point the exact reason, but I adore helping in my kiddos classes!
And my very favorite is 2nd grade!
I have helped in a lot of classes, but somehow I got lucky enough that every time my boys have been in the 2nd grade they have pretty fabulous teacher's who allow me to come in once a week to read and sing with the kids. It's only 15 minutes, but the kids love it--almost as much as I do!

Use what you have!

Sometimes I get a little ocd freaky about throwing out perfectly good things...

pickle jars

paper that's still blank on one side

and now...

toilet paper rolls

Ya, I know you're probably saying-- get over it.

But look how cute??--And handy!

My sister told me about this organizing blog. And it's been a fun little discovery! Click here to see the blog!

I will probably be purchasing cute duck tape today! :)

 

 

Hold on to your hats people!!

Because I got about 3 inches away from Mr. Brad Paisley this weekend! Whoo! It was kind of AWESOME. :)

I seriously am kicking myself for not leaping over the seat in front of me, it wouldn't have taken much... I just couldn't quite reach him.

I think was a little star-struck. I've never been so close to a fabulously famous person before.

 

It was my first concert in 20 years... 2nd ever and it was so darn good! I screamed, I sang, I danced my can off.

And of course there was the ALMOST touching Brad Paisley part too.

{Thank you again dear Sister for the birthday tickets!}

 

Have you ever met a famous person?

Who?

How was it??

 

Or ...

Who would you {almost} touch if you could? :)

 

Wierd but True!

My son Landon has this book, Wierd but True!  It's his very favorite book. It's fun, I think any young boy would dig it. Click on the title link to find a few for pretty cheap on Amazon.

 

It has things in it like:

*There are more pets in Japan than children

*Rotten eggs float in water

*Wombat waste is cube shaped

 

Anyway, I was thinking this morning about it and how we all probably have strange, but true things in our lives.

 

For instance: I got my ears pierced at age 8, I wore earings in my ears constantly from 8 until I had my first son at age 21. I couldn't wear them anymore after that, they made my ears swell up.

Two years ago I had my first daughter and since them, after 11 years of not being able to wear earings I can wear them again--no problem.

Wierd, but true.

What's your wierd, but true thing?

Your Thoughts on: Nicknames :)

One thing you should probably know about me and this blog is that on: “Your Thoughts” Mondays, I won’t be asking for your political rant or religious view. I’m pretty sure I won’t change your mind and I’m guessing you won’t change mine. So, the thoughts we’ll be sharing are pretty light hearted and fun.

Today I want to hear about the silliest/craziest/funniest Nickname you’ve had, heard, or given.

For example, I call my daughter “Toes”… I am a tad obsessed with her little, precious feet. I kiss them. I nuzzle them. I love them. And one day it just happened. I called her Toes and it stuck.