online friend become real life friends

Way back about 3 years ago I got the chance to be part of a fund raiser called Project Book Babe. While we were there we got to meet some awesome authors and a budding author (who was in the process of writing her first novel, I believe) Stephanie Perkins. I have since read her 2 books (Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door) and loved them. I also read her blog. But Connie has stayed in good contact with Stephanie and we both just adore her, so we were so excited when she was coming to Phoenix. We went to the Changing Hand event and had a really good time. Connie has more pictures of that here.

Then on Monday we got to see her again. We were going to go to a movie, but that didn't work out which was fine with me cause it gave us more time to talk, shop, look at books, eat yummy food, look at more books, and talk some more.

And this afternoon made me realize a couple things:

1. Mrs Stephanie Perkins is an amazingly nice/genuine/creative person

2. I want to be creative more often. I don't want to write (it's not my thing) but I realized that being creative makes me happy and I am going to try and do it more.

3. I think it is crazy that authors have NO say in the design of their book cover. It is just crazy to me.

4. I really want to meet her good friend Laini Taylor in real life. And if Shannon Hale could be there too, that would be marvelous. And Rachel I would want you there too because I know you love all these ladies too, and I know we would make good real life friends as well as online friends, and by the time this all happens you will be one of my favorite authors too.  

Quick trip and an apron

Last weekend (I am so late posting this) Connie and I decided very last minute to take a trip up to Utah. My nephew, Ben was getting baptized and one of my favorite authors, Shannon Hale was having a book release and signing in the same neighborhood. Plus we got to hang out with our good friend Lauren who moved up there not too long ago. Russ decided that it would be to short of a trip to take with the kids so he stayed home. It was very nice to be able to just sit in the car and listen to music and talk to Connie. It reminded me of all the road trips I used to take. On the way up we saw this dog that was driving us crazy. It would actually get on top of the truck and just hop around!

The traffic started slowing once and we were not sure why until we saw a bunch of cows come running by the window. I had to take a picture for William since he has declared them his favorite animal.

The we saw this guy who likes to live dangerously and ran the whole way down the road with a line of cars behind him. I did not take any pictures at the baptism, but it was lovely and so fun to spend time in my brother and sister in laws home. It was Russ' oldest brother Eric and they were so nice to us and had such a nice home.

This is me with Mr. Darcey at the book signing. The new book released is called The Actor and the Housewife (I loved it - funny, sad, happy, great!) There was an apron competition and I won a signed copy of Nacho Libre.

Connie made her apron a long time ago, but I didn't even have one and I really wanted to win so I stayed up until 3:30 the night before we left making mine. I love it sooooo much. It is my favorite sewing project. Maybe because there were few mess ups and the finish product was actually what I envisioned. I even started singing From This Moment (you know - Shania Twain) to it when I finished.

I got the sweet trim from an estate sale so I know it is old and I don't know if I could find anymore anywhere. I have a tiny bit left and I plan on making a skirt for Gracie with all the same fabric.And here she is Shannon Hale. I did not think to take a picture with her but when we saw her she called us her Arizona friends (you know from when I was her assistant at Project Book Babe) and it made me happy. I hope she doesn't mind that we really are friends in my mind.

All in all it was a lovely trip and it was awesome that Connie and I made such good time and needed such little gas. It was a miracle!

Getting Motivated

So here is the deal. I created this blog because my other blog is designated for my family and our happenings together and the growth and awesomeness of my offspring. I started this blog so that I could write some stuff for myself. I wanted to be able to blog about my likes and dislikes and happiness and frustration and my hobbies. I neglect this blog BIG TIME. I post some stuff but not even half of what I want to. In my last post I made a list of the things that are going on this month and I really want to report on all of them. So I am starting with Project Book Babe. Yesterday I was a volunteer for a fundraising event for a book seller named Faith. I do not know her personally but there are some authors who love her (and I love those authors) who decided to get together and do something for her. I really like being behind the scenes of events like this so that made me happy, but what really made me happy was to watch these wonderful authors up close. Some of them I had never heard of, but I will be reading their books. I also got to meet my favorite female authors.

Stephanie Meyer, Janette Rallison, Shannon Hale

Aren't they just so lovely?

Here are all the authors and like I said, they were all extremely nice and funny.

I was assigned to Shannon Hale and could not have been happier. She was a wonderful person to talk to and she gave me her camera and had me take pictures. It was a nice camera and I had a lot of fun with it. I hope she doesn't mind that I probably took like 1,000 pictures with it. After it was all over Connie, Mimi, Tamir, and I headed over to Chelsea's kitchen for some yummy over priced dinner. When I got home I hugged my children and put them to bed, Connie called to tell me I was on the news (funny) and when my head hit the pillow I was out! It was a really great day.

***UPDATE***If you would like more on the Project Book Babe head on over to Shannon Hale's blog. You will get to see a lot of the pictures I took with her camera - including the one of myself that was a joke:)

April Showers

No rain this April but showers of other stuff going on. I have a lot to look forward to in the next few weeks:

• Russ' brother and his wife and two lovely children are coming to visit (I have not met my nephew yet) They are not staying with us - I am just excited to see them.
• Easter Pageant and BBQ's
• I already went to dinner and a play - it was wonderful
• Volunteering for Project Book Babe
• General Conference
• Easter (oh my gosh I need to figure out what I am going to do for Gracie's dress - anyone seen any pics of great little girls dresses out there? Please send them my way, I need ideas)

I just realized that all this is not happening through out the month of April but in the next week! That means I will be busy - that is okay because I am excited about all of these things. Our house is somewhat in order and we will try and keep it that way, that should help with the stress level.

In other news I have started scrapbooking again. It goes in waves for me. I began this hobby in my youth and it has changed a lot for me over the years. I feel like I am just opening my creative self to the process and it has been a lot more fun. Here are a couple of my most recent favorites:

Details -I really like the idea of using fabric and sewing in my books. I am 6 pages away from finishing William's baby book of one year. Then I will do Gracie's first year and then I want to do some seasonal books like Easter and Christmas.

I LOVE the Internet, I find so much inspiration there.