Consider yourself invited!!

I'm the columnist at Romancing the Blog today - please stop by, read my article, and chime in with your opinion!
http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/

Thanks,
Laurie

LOOK!! Free for you, Fun for the troops!

The info. below comes from my friend Cryna; she and I both think it's a great thing and hope that everyone who stops by will go check it out. It only takes a minute to do and will provide a smile to a serviceman or woman on the receiving end in Iraq. Please go take a look!!


Something cool that Xerox is doing - If you go to this web site, http://www.letssaythanks.com/ , you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Troop stuff and Thanksgiving!

I have finally had to face the fact that the holidays are coming at mach speed. Our town's Christmas parade was yesterday - cold, which is acceptable for a Christmas parade, but the rain/snow mixture sucked big time. It was a fun parade with the high school marching band (Kelsey froze her damp patootie off), girl scout and boy scout troops, dance troupes, baton twirlers, fire trucks and police cars, horsedrawn wagons and carriages, and of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus. It was great fun, despite the lousy weather. (Kelsey is the flutist in the middle of the bottom pic.)

Add to that the fact that Lindsay came home today after her last exam; she'll be home until New Year's Day. I'm excited to have her home for a nice, long while. I'm giving the girls five days to get along before they have their first argument. Kelsey isn't quite that optimistic, and her estimate is three days. :(

What is everyone doing for Thanksgiving? I hope that no one is having to spend it alone or at work. I have two cousins who have always been like sisters to me; they both live in big old farm houses and they each have our family with theirs, taking turns at each other's house every other year. There are usually friends or other family who might not have anywhere to go, and we've had upwards of 30 people before. It's always a great time with family, friends and good food. My wish is that you all have much to be thankful for and that you have a warm, safe holiday. Please be careful if you have to be out on the road.

My troop packages are being shipped out to Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan tomorrow. I thought everyone might like to see a couple of photos - the one on the right is approximately two-thirds, maybe a little less than that, of what was shipped, spread out on my dining room table. The one on the left is of ten of the boxes that are ready to ship. I ran out of packing tape, but there are three more ready to go as soon as I'm able to tape them up. This project was hugely successful and I was repeatedly overwhelmed by the interest and support it received from the romance community. Thank you again to everyone who donated or participated in one way or another, I can't begin to thank you enough.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Laurie

A FRIDAY FUNNY

My neighbor shared this with me - I think it's cute and wanted to pass it on. I hope everyone has a terrific weekend! Be safe if you're out on the road.

It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are first graders, 6-year-olds, because the last one is a classic!
1. Don't change horses..........................until they stop running.
2. Strike while the...............................bug is close.
3. It's always darkest before.................Daylight Saving Time.
4. Never underestimate the power of.......termites.
5. You can lead a horse to water but..... how?
6 Don't bite the hand that..................looks dirty.
7. No news is......................................impossible.
8. A miss is as good as a .................Mr.
9. You can't teach an old dog new ...math.
10 If you lie down with dogs, you'll......stink in the morning.
11. Love all, trust.............................. me.
12. The pen is mightier than the..........pigs.
13. An idle mind is..............................the best way to relax.
14. Where there's smoke there's..........pollution.
15. Happy is the bride who.......................gets all the presents.
16 A penny saved is.......................not much
17. Two's company, three's .........the Musketeers
18. Don't put off till tomorrow what..... you put on to go to bed.
19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and.... you have to blow your nose.
20. There are none so blind as.......... Stevie Wonder.
21. Children should be seen and not...spanked or grounded.
22. If at first you don't succeed.......... get new batteries.
23. You get out of something only what you ... see in the picture on the box.
24. When the blind lead the blind...... get out of the way.
And the WINNER and last one!
25. Better late than.................................... pregnant

Hugs!
Laurie

Dianne Castell's I'LL BE SEEING U

Dianne Castell wraps up her O'Fallon series with I'LL BE SEEING U, a fun read filled with laughs, heady passions and excellently written, very touching heartache. Secondary characters have their own stories, making for a well-rounded combination.
Here is my review for I'LL BE SEEING U:
When Quaid O’Fallon learns of trouble at home involving his baby half-sister and her missing mother, he quickly abandons his Coast Guard job and without a backward glance, returns to Fallon’s Landing to be with his father. Quaid was cruelly neglected as a child, stubbornly surviving an abusive environment; he was fortunate enough to be adopted by Rory O’Fallon who raised him as one of his own.
Quaid’s first night at home finds him face to face with Cynthia Landon James, a snobby little rich girl who, being a few years older and the stuff of a young boy’s dreams, never gave Quaid the time of day. Now she too has returned home, albeit under different circumstances. Cynthia has divorced the cheating husband who ran her successful clothing design business into the ground, resulting in her and their eight year old son, Lawrence, being left with absolutely nothing. Cynthia returns to her mother’s home-turned-B&B, shocked to find her gorgeous childhood home more than just a little shabby, and her mother imbibing uncharacteristic quantities of liquor. Cynthia has sworn off men - all men - and is determined to raise Lawrence on her own.
Passions quickly flare between Quaid and Cynthia, and each and every time they are together, Cynthia insists that it has to be the last time. Quaid feels differently and while he has his hands full with the mystery of his father’s missing lover, the relationship woes of a dear family friend, and running his father’s business, all he truly wants his hands full of is Cynthia. He just can’t get enough of her and while he is determined to have more than just a brief fling, convincing her that they could have much more may prove to be the most difficult of all of the tasks in front of him.
Cynthia stands up for herself, for Quaid, and for her friends in town, proving herself to be a strongly independent woman, and not just the snooty bit of fluff that everyone remembers. Cynthia’s son, Lawrence, visibly grows into a strong young man under the guidance of Quaid, and the three of them make a lovely family. Secondary characters, their relationships, heartaches and motives are vital to Cynthia and Quaid’s story.
I’LL BE SEEING U sadly concludes the story of Dianne Castell’s O’Fallons. It has been great fun reading this entertaining series, and this final book provides a satisfying ending, tying all loose ends up in a tidy little bow. While I will miss this heartwarming family, I look forward to Dianne’s next release.
Check out Dianne's website here http://www.diannecastell.com/ - and if you'd like to go straight to Amazon to get your own copy - just click here http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Be-Seeing-Dianne-Castell/dp/0758210078/sr=1-2/qid=1163530553/ref=sr_1_2/103-8997130-2879010?ie=UTF8&s=books
Thanks as always for stopping by!
Laurie :)

AMERICAN DIABETES MONTH

Hey Everyone!
November is American Diabetes Month - check out the link below to see what you can do to further research efforts for a cure. Diabetes is a deadly disease that affects 21 million adults and children in the United States.
I failed to heed warnings from my doctor a few years ago that I was a prime candidate for diabetes - overweight, fairly sedentary, family history, etc. - I did develop diabetes and was diagnosed a little over two years ago. By the time I was diagnosed, I already had damaged blood vessels in my eyes, my liver wasn't functioning properly, and I had slight muscle damage in one leg. I now have good diabetic control with medication, diet and exercise, but I will never be rid of it. I was foolish not to listen, please don't you be foolish too. Know what the symptoms are, get up off your ass and stay active, eat right, and most importantly, if you have children, get them busy too. Turn off the television, video games and computers, and go outside and play ball, walk or ride bikes.

http://www.diabetes.org/communityprograms-and-localevents/americandiabetesmonth.jsp

Hugs,
Laurie

PLEASE NOTE

I plan to work this evening on getting everyone's information pulled together for the appropriate parties! Some prizes are coming directly from the donor, and I will be providing your information to them. There are several prizes that I haven't yet received, but they are on their way. For that reason, it will probably be at least a week before ANY prizes will be mailed out by me.
***AMELIA DURBIN*** If you see this, sweetie, I need your email addy for one of your prizes. I have your mailing address, which will work for all other prizes. Thank you!! If anyone knows Amelia, will you please give her a shout and ask her to contact me? Thank you!
One more thought I'd like to share. If anyone received a book as a prize and already owns a copy of that book, they might consider donating this copy to the troops. This is just a thought - the prizes are yours to do with as you wish!
Thanks everyone for your support, and now for your patience, as I work to get loose ends wrapped up!
Hugs,
Laurie