Happy St. Paddy's Day - Shamrock Run

Me and the girls all ran the race and finished the 9.3 miles. This Shamrock Run was a hard run for me. I don't know why but I finished! And I'm glad I did it. Here we are dressed in our tutus and tiaras.

The photos don't show our tutus too well but that's to bad ;) because it was early when our photographer was snapping the photos - before he even had any coffee. But, I had fun sewing them. Here's a couple pics.

Answer to Word for Wednesday

Answer to what the word blandishment means:

It is speech, that tends to flatter, coax, or entice.

Thanks for playing :)

Word for Wednesday - Game for Writers

Guess what it means. Put your guess in comments and then come back around 3:00 to see if you were right.

WORD: Blandishment

Happiness

Happiness is a journey, not a destination

It is a state of mind we create for ourselves that begins with self-love and respect.

Never lose touch of your inner child, laugh often, and be quick to smile.

Work like you don't need money,

Love like you've never been hurt,

Sing like no one's listening,

And dance like no one's watching.

(Author Unknown--to me)

Book Review - me and jack by Danette Haworth

Book: me & jack
Author: Danette Haworth
Pages: 229
Age Range: 8-12

Background: me & jack was on my list of TBR “to be read” books because I loved Danette’s Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning story about spunky little Violet.

Review: me & jack is a middle grade fiction set during the Vietnam war. But the story is really a tale about a boy (Joshua) and his dog (Jack). This is a story about relationships, family, friends and having to make tough choices in hard times.

Joshua and Jack meet at the perfect time. Joshua’s mother has died and he’s living with his single father (Rich) who is working to support his only son as a war recruiter in the worst time: a time of war. No one likes the war and everyone wants to blame someone. Joshua’s dad is new to town and an easy choice.

Just about to enter seventh grade, in a new town, Joshua needs a friend in the worst way. Jack is a boy’s-best friend. Right from the start there’s a bond between the two that can’t be broken. Even at the dog pound they felt like old friends.

“The dog rested his eyes on me openly, as if he knew me, as if he trusted me. Staring back, I felt the same way.”

But trouble starts in the very beginning. No one likes Jack because they blame him for everything and anything that goes wrong in the small town. And, he doesn’t help things. He’s always getting loose and running into the woods, chasing things. He even hunts a rabbit and kills it. The bad thing is, he does it at the local ice cream shop where everyone sees and from then on they think he’s a killer.

Mixed into the matter is another boy (Ray the yo-yo slinger) and his cousin (Prater the spoiled brat). Joshua wants to be Ray’s friend but Prater keeps getting in the way. In the end, Ray has to make a hard choice.

Overall: There is plenty of drama in this “dog” story. And, it’s a great “boy’s book”, one with lots of adventure and even a little fighting. Plus there’s even a little suspense mixed into the mash. Of course girls will love it too. This is recommended, even if you don’t like war stories.

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June, 2011
Source of Book: Review copy from author

Fuzzy Wuzzy Was A Bear

Does anyone remember him - besides me?



And what the heck was the chemical that made the hair grow...?

Fuzzy Wuzzy
Was a bear
Fuzzy Wuzzy
Had no hair
Fuzzy Wuzzy
Wasn't fuzzy, was he?

Was he bare?

Earth-Friendly Friday - GO GREEN - the Irish way

St. Patrick's Day: it's the ECO-Warrior’s Favorite Holiday what with the “Wearing Of The Green" this celebration can take on more significance than ever today.

And, what better way to celebrate ECO-progess than with a holiday that screams green?

Here are a few ways to help you celebrate in an earth-friendly way:

Serve green mashed potatoes for dinner – it’s fun and makes the day unusual. Just add a few drops of green food coloring to your mashed potatoes and stir it up ;)

Buy organic green beer. Beer manufacturers :are producing a broad assortment of brews with ingredients that meet organic guidelines and standards.

Wear the Green (organics) proudly. It’s easier than ever before to find quality organic clothing.

Go vegetarian with your Irish cooking, cutting back on meat consumption for a day. It’s an earth-friendly option. The average cattle ranch can produce as much sewage runoff as a small city. Check out a meat-free version Of Irish Vegetable Stew.

Plant something green this weekend, like Irish Bells.

Do some good for Ireland: Find an Irish charity and lend them a hand.