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Misery Loves Company
Rene Gutteridge
Tyndale House Publishers (2013)
Reviewed by Tamra LeValley for Reader Views (10/13)
This Christian suspense novel was a wonderful read. I love the play on words from the movie "Misery" to this book, "Misery Loves Company" by Rene Gutteridge, both of which have to do with kidnapping and book authors.
"Misery Loves Company" is a Christian suspense novel. Author Rene Gutteridge takes the reader through a series of events that will open a town's eyes to corruption. A young widow, named Jules, who is leading a life of solitude, is suddenly kidnapped with no clues as to why. Her dead husband was a police officer who was killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time....or was he? Her father is a retired Marine who is now an alcoholic but he is the only one who knows that something is just not right. Jules was writing a daily blog that often included book reviews and often mentioned her favorite author Patrick Reagan. One bad review and her world suddenly changes and she is taken into captivity by a man who is going insane. During her ordeal she takes a hold of her husband's faith in God to help save her and she finds out more about her husband's murder than she could imagine.
The author did a fabulous job of character description. Jules and Patrick were both written so well that you could actually feel each individual's internal crisis because of what life had thrown at them. Each of their personalities took on the exact characteristics of events that shaped them. The plot was written with depth. I loved how the author wrote the book in layers so that the reader was peeling away at the book's culmination.
The book itself had a few grammatical errors but they were not so obvious as to make me stop reading to figure out what was being written. At times the flow of the book seemed to be interrupted due to chapter changes. At the beginning of each chapter there needed to be a way for the reader to know who the author was writing about. It took a couple of sentences into the chapter for me to figure out who I was reading about. It also seemed as though Chris, the police officer, did not have to work too hard to find each clue. They just fell into his lap.
Overall, I really enjoyed "Misery Loves Company" by Rene Gutteridge. It kept me thoroughly entertained! The author did a wonderful job of planning this book out so that it ebbed and flowed perfectly.


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Politics, Religion, Social Issues' started by zimv20, Nov 17, 2003.
i have to say, this caught me off guard
Re: US agrees to international control of its troops in Iraq
Dito here. But I have to say, its finally something good to hear. might be the beginning of the end of this unilateral crap.
Does anyone else think this is motivated more by polls and an upcoming election that what GWB would prefer?
... and people accused Clinton of doing things based on polls...
Substitute Rove for GWB and I think you have it right on the money.

subset: commoncrawl


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Independence Air is offering flights from $29 each way for bookings through August 30th. First-time roundtrip bookings also receive $25 off when joinging their frequent flyer program.
DC to Pittsburgh is the cheapest at $29 each way. Flights betwen DC and New York City, Greensboro or Raleigh/Durham are $44 each way. Flights between DC and Detroit, Syracuse, Knoxville or Indianapolis are $54 each way.
Other major carriers are selectively matching, though look for more restrictive rules on their tickets.


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A free digital arts festival featuring the work of learning disabled people - so often excluded from the creative and social benefits of digital technology - is taking place in the West Sussex town of Horsham this summer [10-12 July, 2015].
SprungDigi Festival is the first of its kind and will feature digital interactive artworks using music, film, mapping, gaming and performance dotted around the town centre, all created by learning disabled groups from the area.
A highlight of the programme is Relix, a video game with an autistic character, based on one of the Sprungdigi Crew created in partnership with games producer Creative Assembly.
SprungDigi is the brainchild of Diversity Arts Specialist and Digital Producer, Sarah Pickthall, who having worked with disabled people for decades began to notice the impact of social care cuts on learning disabled people's lives.
"I noticed how some of the learning disabled people I worked with were becoming more withdrawn and their language and communication was suffering,'"says Sarah.
"By partnering with digital creatives at the top of their field, such as Dave Packer, Lynn Weddle and Exploring Senses, learning disabled people are finding new ways to express themselves in ways that surprise, delight and sometimes frustrate them.'"
At the heart of this approach is the desire to use digital technology to help learning disabled people feel more connected to the communities in which they live. SprungDigi participants are offered social media training to support them to share what they do with confidence, creating new networks and developing a more active social life with an emphasis on safety.
SprungDigi Festival is the culmination of months of creative workshops involving local groups of learning disabled people from a variety of settings, including schools, day centres and clubs.
The work includes filmed living portraits of local learning disabled people projected onto buildings in central locations, digital street theatre featuring young learning disabled performers, a game of dares played around town using a festival mapping app on a mobile or tablet, and a workshop in which participants can create their own digitised dream Horsham open to all across the festival.
Designed as a showcase of the creative and developmental possibilities offered by digital, its organisers hope more learning disabled people – and ultimately those who support them too – will be inspired to see the benefits digital technology could bring to their lives.
Nick Jenkins, Community Development Officer from Horsham District Council, which is supporting SprungDigi, says: "This is about offering learning disabled people the same social and creative freedoms as everyone else, with an emphasis on positive integration and safe autonomy.
"We want everyone in our community to feel safe and valued and we've long seen the benefits of using arts and creativity to achieve that.
"We're using the festival as a springboard for a scheme – Sprungdigi Safe that involves everyone taking responsibility for learning disabled people's safety and inclusion; training local businesses to support learning disabled people and become safe havens where they know they will be welcome and understood."
Sarah Pickthall hopes SprungDigi will help offer a model whereby society can move towards greater integration and equality between disabled and non-disabled people.
'Everyone has the right to a creative life, everyone has the right to be part of a community and no one should feel excluded from the digital revolution happening around us,' she says.
'Without support and encouragement to take part, learning disabled people risk being left behind and becoming even more socially isolated in this climate of austerity.'
For a full SprungDigi Festival programme, please visit: www.sprungdigi.com
Pictured are SprungDigi Participants from QEII School in Horsham.
Report contributed by Chloë Barker. Photo Stephen Candy.


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Speaking over each other for a few moments, Clinton finally blurted: "With all due respect, the fact is, we had four dead Americans! Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night and decided they'd go kill some Americans?! What difference, at this point, does it make?! It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, Senator.Now, I'm scratching my head, because for like 5 out of 8 years of the Bush Presidency, we heard over and over and over about how "Bush Lied, People Died" with regards to Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. Despite the entire international intelligence community agreeing with the assessment that Iraq possessed WMDs, despite Iraq actually having used WMD on Iran in the Iran/Iraq war, George W. Bush was accused of lying about the motivations of the US in resuming martial operations in Iraq.
And now it's perfectly acceptable for Hillary Clinton to say that it doesn't matter what the motivations were in an attack? Really? That's the hill y'all want to die on? See, here's the thing, Hillary!. Your people went on national television and claimed that some obscure filmmaker - who you had arrested in the middle of the night over a parole violation - caused the attack. Your people went out and very deliberately lied - real, honest-to-goodness lies, about the reason behind the attack. Rather than admit it was a specific terrorist action, you pretended that it was a popular uprising caused by an attack on Islam - all the while knowing the real reason. Textbook definition of lie, right there.
Look, here's the thing. I was disappointed that we didn't find so-called "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq. Our best guess was that Hussein's regime did possess them at one point in time, but since they had not been conforming to the terms of the cease-fire, we couldn't be certain that these items had in fact been destroyed in accordance with the terms set forth at the conclusion of the first portion of the Gulf War. Saying that Bush "lied" about WMD is a far stretch, to say the least. It is quite telling that the same people who, merely a decade ago, were jumping up and down about Bush "lying" are strangely silent about Hillary!'s claim that that the reason for the Benghazi attack is immaterial. Particularly when the whole "angry riot" part was a big steaming whopper cooked up by the administration to cover up terrorist activity in the area...
Or, shorter, Obama lied, Americans died.
That is all.


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- Bethany Christian (0-5) at Prairie Heights (2-3): After being idle tonight, the Bruins head for Brushy Prairie in search of their first win ... Prairie Heights' varsity roster includes eight players who stand at least 6-3.
- Elkhart Central (1-3) at Warsaw (2-3): After facing crucial conference tests tonight, these Class 4-A opponents must regroup for a date in the Tiger Den ... Another of the many promising freshmen seeing varsity action in the area is Central's Ron Dandridge.
- Fairfield (1-4) at Goshen (0-5): Backyard rivals square off in the final game for each before holiday tourney competition ... Goshen coach Brian Bechtel again goes up against his alma mater.
- F.W. Luers (1-1) at Riley (1-3): The Wildcats, who have been without ailing senior Tony Willis the past three games, host the Summit City team that was a nine-point winner over Marian earlier this month ... Senior Riley guard Michael Hunt scored a career-high 17 points against Concord.
- Plymouth (4-1, 0-0) at NorthWood (4-0, 0-0): Concluding the weekend's Northern Lakes Conference schedule is this exciting Class 3-A matchup in the Panther Pit ... Each team is riding a four-game winning streak.
- River Forest (0-5) at South Central (2-1): The Satellites play host to the Ingots from Lake County in a non-conference Class 1-A contest ... River Forest is one of five teams in the Hebron Sectional field that have yet to win a game.
- Rochester (3-1) at Cass (1-1): This non-conference neighborhood clash at Walton figures to be a measuring stick for the Zebras' fortunes in Class 2-A tourney play come March ... Veteran Lewis Cass coach Basil Mawbey enters tonight's game at Taylor with 611 career victories.
- Westville (4-1) at Washington Twp. (3-2): The Blackhawks make the short trip into Porter County for a Class 1-A tussle with the Senators ... These teams could meet again in the annual Mid-Winter Classic next week at South Central.
- Hoops 4 Healing Classic The Tribune area is well represented in this inaugural Indiana vs. Ohio extravaganza at The Wigwam in Anderson ... Class 3-A No. 5 Lakeland (5-1) faces Canfield High School of the Buckeye State at 4:30 p.m. and 4-A No. 12 Penn (3-0) meets Canton GlenOaks about 6:15 ... The evening's finale pits Anderson against Canton Lake.


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French Bakery
Cozy and Friendly
atmosphere. Artisan
bread, pastries, pies,
tarts, coffee/tea
and cold beverages!
Everything made
from scratch and
on the premises!
Bakers on Broad, Inc.
503 East Broad Street
Souderton, PA 18964
Click here for directions
Weekday 7am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 4pm
Sunday 9am - 2pm
Closed on Mondays and
Closed for Vacation
The bakery will be closed Sunday, July 9th thru Tuesday, July 18th. We reopen Wednesday the 19th @7am.
Lansdale Farmers Market
The Lansdale market will be held at Penndale Middle School this year.
Market hours: 9-1.


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text:
Insuring HNWIs: Life and Non-Life Insurance is a new market research publication announced by Reportstack. Demand for insurance among HNWIs commonly covers life insurance to protect dependents. Strategically, however, life insurance can be used as a tool to facilitate tax and estate planning. As the number of HNWIs grows, the desire to protect their assets and luxury investments such as luxury cars, yachts, jets, arts and wine collections also increases.
Parallel to this, instability in equity markets and fluctuating global economic growth make alternative assets such as collectibles more attractive; these items require insurance to cover their value
HNWIs often find themselves overpaying and underprotected. This is unsurprising given that broad product variety often makes insurance a complex product.
To access full report with TOC, please visit Insuring HNWIs: Life and Non-Life Insurance.
The report is divided into five chapters, which cover the following areas:
Reasons to Buy
• Understand insurance for HNWIs and the role of life and non-life insurance in managing HNWI wealth.
Key Highlights
• Data compiled in association with Timetric shows that the global life insurance market in 2015 was estimated at US$2.8 trillion, while the non-life insurance market was estimated at US$1.6 trillion.
Companies Mentioned
ACE Private Risk Services Chubb Group of Insurance Cos. Axa MetLife AIG Sun Life State farm Prudential New York Life GSRP SwissLife M Financial Group Limra Wink Inc. Morgan Stanley Aon Hiscox XL Catlin Prudential PURE Zurich Private Clients Reinsurance Group of America, Inc. Ceraulli Associates Amazon Walmart Mercury Insurance MF Block SulAmerica Richard Thompson Insurance Brokers Berkley Lloyd's Aspen Specialty IronShore Life Insurance Corporation of India Google Compare
Debora White
Manager - Marketing
Ph: +1-888-789-6604
Reportstack Market Research


text:
whichever is later. the \""official\"" survey date for the provider
Coupons and Discounts Hospital
Name *
Email *
Aging Information Network (AIN) is a multi-dimensional website providing information resources through listing of providers to care givers who may or may not have time to assist in daily care or locate services for their elderly loved ones.
Copyright 2013 Aging Information Network
Copyright 2013 Aging Information Network. All Rights Reserved


text:
Tips for Successfully Using This Site
Using the Search Box
In using the search box at the top of each page, you have the following options:
- Keyword Searching (default)
- The search engine looks for records containing every term you submit (note that misspellings will likely cause your search to have zero results)
- Search By Phrase
- Use double quotes around your search query. (e.g "Grand Jury")
- Use a minus sign before a term you want to omit from your results. (e.g., 'Petaluma -court' finds collections related to Petaluma but not any of the various Petaluma court collections)
- Narrowing Your Search Results
- If your search gives you more than a single result, you may browse the results list by collection title, creator name or subject.
Browsing the Collections
The tabs at the upper right will allow you to browse the collections by title, digital content (digitized accession forms), subjects, or by creator (agency or individual responsible for creating or building the collection).
Please note that this site currently contains finding aids for only a portion of the many archival collections of the County of Sonoma and the Sonoma County Library. Further details on some collections may be available through the Library catalog.


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Then, there were costumes which thankfully, I didn't have to make myself, but just had to make the money to pay for. Oh yeah, then there were hair and make-up - that was the deep end of the pool for me. I learned to do her make-up fast enough, but hair-dos were my undoing!
I had short hair much of my life which I never did more than keep clean and run a brush through. Then when I had really long hair, I just braided it or made a messy bun with my bare hands. But you can't expect that skill to hold up for a dancer leaping across the stage or swirling like a doll in a music box. It's a good thing that we have good friends who are good at stuff.
I bought packs of bobby pins, gels, sprays, nets... well, basically, everything they sell in the hair aisles and sent her off to shows. Then she started learning how to do it herself. It wasn't perfect at the beginning, but it was a start. I kept looking for resources to help her learn.
When I found this book by Anne Thoumieux called Hairstyled: 75 Ways to to Braid, Pin & Accessorize Your Hair, I was eager to know if the styles will be doable for my daughter. The answer is YES!
Now, that wasn't the only value I got from this book.
I decided to review this book on my blog for a very different reason though - something that might interest you a lot more.
I am using it to study the styles to practice my drawing skills. Let me show you what I mean:
What do you think?
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.


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Is Apple Working on a Solar-Powered, Sapphire-Covered iPhone?
Seeking Alpha's Matt Margolis recently made a compelling argument for why he believes Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) may be developing a solar-powered, sapphire-covered iPhone. Although many commentators have speculated that Apple may use sapphire for its next iPhone displays in lieu of Corning's (NYSE:GLW) Gorilla Glass, Margolis believes that the company has even bigger plans in the works.
Apple's interest in sapphire has been known ever since sapphire manufacturer GT Advanced Technologies (or, GTAT) revealed that the Cupertino-based company invested $578 million in the company last year. According to GT Advanced Technologies, Apple's investment "accelerated the development of its next generation, large capacity ASF [Advanced Sapphire Furnaces] furnaces to deliver low cost, high volume manufacturing of sapphire material."
Sapphire is an extremely hard and scratch-resistant material that is currently used by Apple as a protective covering for the Touch ID fingerprint scanner and the iPhone's camera lens. However, Margolis noted that this material could also be used to protect solar panels.
Margolis pointed out that Apple has patented several technologies that will allow mobile devices to be powered directly through solar cells. For example, Apple filed a patent titled, "Integrated touch sensor and solar assembly," that covers a method for "integrating both the touch sensors and the solar cell layers into the same stack-up."
It should also be noted that Apple holds a patent for a power management system that allows solar-charging technology to be incorporated into mobile products without increasing the overall size of the devices. Apple also holds patents for several other solar-related technologies that could potentially be used for a solar-powered iPhone.
Besides the patent evidence, Margolis also noted that Apple recently hired a specialist who could create a thin-film solar panel suitable for a mobile device. Last year, Apple's "Mobile Devices group" posted a job listing for an engineer with "extensive experience with thin-film technologies in either semiconductor processing or solar industries."
He noted that another more recent job listing for GT Advanced Technologies' Arizona plant described work responsibilities that involved developing a "new process for glass scribe/break." According to Margolis's research, "scribing" can refer to the process of depositing ultra-thin solar cells onto glass.
Finally, Margolis cited the recently reported supply chain rumor that Apple supplier Foxconn has successfully completed a trial production run of about 100 iPhone prototypes with sapphire displays. Although it is an unconfirmed rumor, it would appear to mesh with Margolis's argument that Apple is developing a sapphire-covered iPhone with solar-charging capabilities.
Follow Nathanael on Twitter (@ArnoldEtan_WSCS)


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Good Evening! Wow what a night last night, I went to my very first crop. Walking into this ladies house was crazy!! 4 huge rooms full of crafting supplies, anything and everything you could image! have looking around and getting over the shock I learned a few new tricks. one thing I learn was how to use a Stamp-a-ma-jig, really wish I had know how to use this along time ago. Check out the video to see what I am talking about (O and a lady at the crop said she made her own so I am going to try that and save myself some money). My mission last night was to make a card for the little girl my mom and I babysit because she became a big sister 11 days ago and we got her alittle gift so she wouldn't feel left out. We there was a cute image that I stamped and was just going to colour in at home with my watercolor pencils, but the copics were calling my name!! Big mistake I spent this afternoon looking up the best price for them...... however I think I will go with Promarkers as they are cheaper and from what I can tell give the same effect! Parting with this card today was really hard as it was my first time using the copics and I wanted to keep it:(
What I think I Used (LOL)
Close to My Heart: Little Princess Stamp set
Memento Ink: Tuxedo Black
Spellbinders: Ovals and Lacey Oval Dies
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Textile
We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper: 1/2"
not sure which company's the sentiments came from but I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get them spaced properly as one was a clear stamp and the other a wooden stamp.
I am for sure going back to this lady's house for another crop (November 6th to be exact lol). This time I know what she has and will make a list of what I want to do! If you have never been to a crop I really recommend it, not only do you get to craft but you get to meet with people and learn from them as well!!
Well I better get to bed as we have a busy day tomorrow, a 4 month old baby ontop of our regular kids, I get my baby fix in for the day!
Have A Great Night!
God Bless!


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If your teen is heading off to college, here's a good way to keep them supplied with cash and avoid credit card problems.
The UPside Prepaid Visa card is relatively cheap and allows parents to maintain some control over student spending.
Teens can only spend the amount parents load the card. There's no way to overdraw the account and rack up big overdraft charges, or incur similar penalties by exceeding a credit card limit.
Online access allows parents to see how much money is available and talk with their kids if spending starts to veer off course.
Unlike many prepaid debit cards there's no fee to make a purchase, and cash withdrawals from ATMs cost $1.49 (plus the fee from whatever bank you're using.)
There are two payment options:
Upside Access charges a $4.95 activation fee, a 99 cent monthly membership fee and 99 cents each time you add money from a checking or savings account.
Upside Edge charges an annual membership fee of $24.95, there's no activation or monthly fees, and loads from checking and savings are free.
(Loads from a credit or debit card are $2.50 each for both cards.)


text: It's been such a long hard winter that it's hard to believe this happy goose was strutting along the pond next to Onondaga Parkway just a few months ago. Many people travel down this road oblivious to some of the natural beauty along the sides. One day while driving home from work, I happened to notice the goose family enjoying the bright summer evening. Fortunately, I was able to pull over and watch them playing in the pond. This one held her head high as I snapped her portrait. Here's hoping spring is not far away.


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Watch the music video from hip hop and jerk music group, The Rej3ctz, "Cat Daddy". Chris Brown joins the Los Angeles trio, consisting of members Mowii, Pee W33, and Bounc3, and demonstrates the new dance that is sweeping the country. The music video, directed by Alex Nazari, will be featured as MTV's Jam of the Week.
The Rej3ctz have been well established in the crump and jerk dance scenes in LA and are thought to be the originators of "The Reject" dance (popularized by The New Boyz). The single, "Cat Daddy", produced by JHawk, is from their mixtape, The FUNKtion (2010). The song, with the help of the entertaining video shot last fall, is now garnering national attention.
What do you think of the "Cat Daddy" dance? Are you feelin the video? Follow us @CollegeDJ and let me know your thoughts on Twitter @DSsentialDScott


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Enjoy stories, rhymes, songs, and a craft with Miss Jessica!
Ages: 3 & Under
Toddler Time sessions are limited to a total of 35 patrons. We ask that patrons sign in upon arrival.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
In order to reduce disruption to the group, we cannot admit latecomers.
If you have questions, please contact:
Jessica Furtado, Early Literacy Librarian


text: Chris Yarbrough has been hired as director of program management at LightWorks Optics Inc., the company announced Friday. Yarbrough will be responsible for the company's execution of customer commitments and expectations in the development of all production programs within the commercial, military and aerospace business sectors. LightWorks Optics provides advanced optical design engineering and production solutions for precision assemblies, systems and components. For more information, visit: www.lightworksoptics.com


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Our house has been struck by illness. Since Jan. 1, (happy new year) someone has been sick, mainly me. But as a good mom I forge ahead as best I can when I'm sick. We still do the activities. I still make the dinners. The laundry is kind of done. The house is marginally picked up. The kids are played with and read to.
But when illness strikes one of the monkeys, all hell breaks loose. There is a reason I was never a nurse. I am terrible with sick people. I get annoyed with the whining and the tears. I know it's because they are sick, but I still can't do the "nurse" routine for more than about 48 hours.
Last week Alex came home from school complaining of a tummyache. By that evening, it turned into a high fever. That was Thursday. Today, in case anyone is counting is Wednesday and that makes six days of high fever, whining, coughing, germs and general overall grossness in this house. Not to mention my impatience. But I think, if I might say it without it undoing the past six days, we're coming back to life in this house.
The kids are fighting again. My head is cleared from congestion and my cabin fever is waning a bit.
Please, God, let Anna stay healthy now.
Coming Back to Life
Our house has been struck by illness. Since Jan. 1, (happy new year) someone has been sick, mainly me. But as a good mom I forge ahead as best I can when I'm sick. We still do the activities. I still make the dinners. The laundry is kind of done. The house is marginally picked up. The kids are played with and read to.
What Can You Do in the Dark?
So after I was up again for a third night in a row with sick kid or newly potty trained one, I realized how much I have learned to do in the dark during the past four years. I have new admiration for my blind grandmother.
But I now know why I insist that things should go back in their places (even though I often don't do it). Because in the middle of the night, no matter what the situation is with your kids, rule #1 is DON'T TURN ON THE LIGHT! Why? Because you risk fully waking them up and having them up for a longer period than expected. You must be able to find things in the dark.
Last night when my daughter cried out in her sleep that she peed in bed, I was able to strip the bed, change her completely (panties on the right way and all) and make the bed back up in the dark. I remember back when the kids were little and they dirtied their diapers at night, I could completely change a stinky diaper and outfit totally, in the dark. I even learned to change bedsheets around a half-sleepy child, in the dark. I have been known to find extra blankets, socks, lovies, bottles, etc. in the dark as well.
This is why I am the one who gets up with the kids at night. My husband, God bless him, has been known to turn on lights to change diapers and look for lovies. Come to find out, he's not alone. Seems most of the husbands tend to do this. We women must be wired for night vision as well.
Journey to Preschool Admission: School B--Part 3
This week I made three phone calls and one school visit. I went to check out "School B." School B has been intriguing to me since we moved here in 2006. It's a private Montessori school. I know two people who currently have children in the school. One is very happy with it, the other is not. I thought I should go check it out.
School B exceeded all my expectations at first glance. Everything was new and pristine--not to mention crazy organized. I wish my house was that organized. They staff was so agreeable. In fact, almost a bit too much. I felt a little like I was in Stepford. Nothing can be THAT perfect. I took the tour with my youngest beside me who seemed to fit right in with their culture. I observed a few classrooms, however, the first seemed a bit chaotic. I have seen Montessori schools before so I knew what to expect. This class seemed out of control. Kids were everywhere and the teachers seemed to be nonexistent in the setting. I loved what the kids were working on though and the academics of it pleased me.
After talking to my friend about it later--the one who is not happy with it--I found out a few major things regarding both the teachers and the administration that didn't not please me. In addition, the price tag attached to it, was well beyond our budget.
I believe we'll pass on School B.
Indoor Play has Arrived
A friend posted about a new indoor play + cafe establishment opening near my house called At Play Cafe. When I went upstairs to tell my husband, I was actually so giddy my children were excited about it too. As you know, I have been waiting for something like this and to have it so close by is a bonus
The Journey to Preschool Admission: Schools--Part 2
To fully understand the preschool admission journey you must know the players in this game. Here is a list of the schools we have considered (none are mentioned by name as I'm not willing to be on their hit lists):
School C: Current school where both my kids are attending. Generally pleased with the school, but want to make sure Pre-K curriculum is appropriate for Alex. Anna loves to be just about everywhere so she's just along for the ride.
School B: Private, Montessori school. High tuition, mixed reputation.
School F: A school Alex attended last year.
School L: A school where both my kids have been on the waitlist for two years now. Like the school OK. Think their attitude about admission is a bit over the top.
School M: Private, Catholic School. Open house in a week.
School T: Private, church school with a good reputation. Tour of school next week.
School U: Private, church preschool with a good reputation. May decide to attend open house. We'll see.
Cleaning Up Table Manners
This was cross posted to DC Metro Moms
My husband always says our kids (who are almost 4 and 2 ½) are animals at the table. He's probably right. But when I look at them eating with other children, they are about middle of the road—not the worst and not the best. So slowly we have been trying to clean up their table manners because well, it's just good to have good table manners.
I know it can be done. I remember the first time I saw it in action at my son's dagis (aka preschool) in Sweden. I walked in each day to pick him up, but one day I caught the end of lunch. Every child was sitting down to a hot meal (soup, salad and entrée) with a real plate, fork, spoon and knife and a plastic cup. They all sat nicely and were chatting by candlelight! This was when I knew that we Americans are really animals when it comes to eating. Eating on the run, eating standing up, eating while reading a book.
I have declared dinnertime the time of day to be civil—as best as we can. Now, I will be honest, my husband doesn't make it home in time for dinner most nights. I make dinner, the three of us sit down and eat and he eats later. So it's hard to make this the time to sit as a family. But I feel it's my role as "mom" to set the general tone of dinnertime where we all stop, turn off the DVDs, put away the toys and books and eat like human beings.
My son started very early knowing this was when we asked "how was your day?" After finally getting Alex and Anna to learn to use utensils at 2 and 1, respectively, we could at least pretend to be human. Alex would ask everyone "how is your day?" We'd respond appropriately and move on to other topics.
The latest issue was waiting until everyone was seated before we all chowed down. This was solved by my in laws visit last summer. Alex decided he loved the 'saying grace' aspect of the meal. While I have never been a 'pray before meal' kind of girl, I welcomed the opportunity to thank God for the food on our plate if it meant we'd all at least start the meal together. So Alex's grace goes like this: "Thank you God for the food and thank mom for making it. Let us enjoy this food. Amen." Hey, I can't argue with that. The grace changes from time to time, but that is the general idea.
Ok, I can now check 'starting together' off our list. The next issue is the matter of scarfing down food at the speed of light. A girlfriend of mine mentioned setting a timer for 10 minutes. During that time she requires her two kids to sit at the table, eat and engage in some sort of conversation. Once the timer goes off, they are free to exit. I tried this. I was pleasantly surprised that my kids can actually spend more than 10 minutes at the table. Indeed, when the timer went off, my kids were still actually eating. Yay! Cross that off the list.
The next issue is getting up a million times during a meal. I have told them time and time again to sit down and eat. Don't get up and play with a toy. Don't get up and do this and that. Don't get up and stand on your chair. The new rule in our house is if you get up from the table, then you're done. No coming back for food on your plate later (unless it's a potty break).
And of course, the most difficult table dispute is the "no thank you" bite. I absolutely insist that everything on the plate must be tried before anyone gets down from the table. While I would love for them to finish it all, if they at least try it, I'm OK with letting it go for now.
So our dinner ritual last night went something like this:
We sat down to eat--minus my husband who works late most nights. Alex initiated grace which was, as usual, "Thank you God for this food it looks very yummy. Thank you mommy for making it. Enjoy the food. Thank you God."
We ate and enjoyed some conversation about the day. Everyone ate most of their food, including the salmon I made. It was more a "no thank you bite" for Alex, but Anna actually ate the whole thing. Who knew? They both finished up and carried their plates to the kitchen. Mommy sat enjoying her glass of wine with a smile. I wish daddy had been here to see this!
The Journey to Preschool Admission: Part 1
I thought I should share this ridiculous journey on selecting preschools for my two children (almost 4 and 2 1/2) so you can really understand how crazy this all is.
SET SCENE: Both kids are currently enrolled in preschool. It is a well-known school and pretty well-regarded as far as private preschools go. (We'll call it School C.) However, there have been a few things about the school that didn't thrill us to pieces. While I understand we can't have it all, my husband did want me to investigate other options. So here it is.
SITUATION: Enrollment for most schools is imminent. Yes, that's right deadlines for September enrollment are in February. Don't even get my started on that one. With School C, I have another 2 weeks to get in my application and fees. My chances of getting in are pretty good since my kids are given priority as returning students. There is even a good chance they will get in on the same days. That is a bonus right there.
However, I'm trying to look at my kids' learning styles and match it with the right school. More to come on the schools I visit . . .Stay tuned for the list of schools.
Such a Princess
When did my daughter get to be so 'independent' and so.....princess like? Did I do this to her? Please let this be a phase.
Last night before bed while I sang her the routine "Moon, Moon, Moon," she told me,"You not sing the song right. Sing it like this." Who knew that a mother's voice wasn't good enough for her little one before bed. And at in the middle of the night, when I got up to put the covers back on, she told me the same thing. Sorry if my voice is a bit hoarse at 4:30 a.m.!
This morning, she insisted on wearing the outfit in this picture. I managed to at least talk her into the tights since it is 25 degrees here.
I won't mention the fight we had about the cereal this morning because it wasn't "big enough" or about the sandwich at lunch that WAS exactly as she asked for it.
There was some yelling and tears from both of us today. But before her nap she said, "Mommy, don't yell at me anymore. Can you kiss me?" Apparently that's all it took. Little girls.....what do I have in store for me in 10 more years?
My Fellow Mom Blogger
Tomorrow my fellow DC Metro Mom blogger Susan (aka WhyMommy) will undergo surgery for a double mastectomy for her Inflammatory Breast Cancer. She has bravely written about her past six months of chemo all while doing the normal day-to-day mom stuff for her two small children who are almost the same age as my kids. I don't know how she does it.
While I have been tracking her progress through chemo (as it mirrored my mom's own chemo schedule) on her blog, I knew I had to meet this woman. I met WhyMommy briefly at a DC Metro Mom event earlier this month and she simply exudes patience, courage and fun.
I just want to say you're in my thoughts and prayers for your surgery, and I hope you've kick that cancer's butt.
No Coffee If You're Pregnant?
I saw this story linking caffeine with miscarriage in the news today. I'm not really sure what to make of it.
During both my pregnancies I avoided coffee altogether during the first trimester because, quite honestly, it made me want to hurl. With my first pregnancy, I stuck with decaf only like a good soon-to-be-first-time mommy. With my second pregnancy, I had a one-year old on hand so the occasional caffeinated beverage did cross my lips. Ha, I probably had more wine during that pregnancy than I did coffee. But I did start drinking Diet Cokes through my whole pregnancy with my second. (Which could account for her personality.) According the article, all caffeinated beverages should be avoided.
So now we're down to no alcohol, no blue cheese, no brie, no deli meats (I lived off Subway for my first pregnancy), no coffee, no cokes, limited chocolate. I don't remember pregnancy being so boring. No wonder moms can't wait for it to be over.
The good news is that for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy you really don't want to face food in any way. And after that with most moms heartburn is such an issue (which caffenine can aggrevate) that you may not want it. And by the end, you really don't care anymore so all kinds of the "forbidden foods" start passing your lips. What's a glass of wine at this point? What's a cup of coffee now and then?
Enjoying the Snow
My kids are not strangers to the snow. In fact, if you ask Alex about his favorite time of year, he will say, most definitely, wintertime. Secretly I think it's because he likes to eat snow.
Wednesday morning we had almost 3 inches of snow fall near our house. While some kids shy away from the snow (I won't ever understand that), my kids jump face first into it. We spent most of Wednesday and almost all day Thursday in the last remaining bits of white. My kids were sledding down the hill behind our house until the sleds stuck on the peeking grass spots. Alex frustrated by this suggested a new hill. They sled down that one until the bottom was filled with water from the melting snow.
A friend commented yesterday saying, 'What a nice mom you are to let them be outside all day.' My response is, 'What's being nice? It's a way for everyone to be entertained by the natural weather.' How much more earthy can you be!
This morning my children woke up, peeked outside and declared it yet another snow day. Most of what's left is dirty slush and ice, but it might be worth the snowsuits this morning for one last bit of entertainment. The weather forecast is snow for today so perhaps I won't have to wait too long for another stretch of fun!
As a side note: With boots, snow suits, mittens, hats, towels, etc. all over my house....I can't believe we did this everyday for three months in Sweden.
She Can Spot a Good Thing
Today I had the morning to share with my daughter. We did the usual mundane things like go the gym, stop off at the grocery store, etc. But this morning, we added in a trip to Reston Town Center to help kill the hour before picking up Alex. So we shopped. Yikes.
We dropped in at my favorite baby shop Cradle and Crayon. One of the places that I love to browse, but can't afford to buy. But I love the feeling I get in there. It makes me want to have more babies. Ok, maybe not.
Then we dropped in at Gap hoping for some awesome winter sale items. Anna was very specific in what she wanted. She said no to many shirts and pants that I offered which were good prices. While I'm looking through a rack of clothes I hear, "Ooooooo, mommy, I must have dis!" I turn around and there is she, beaming from ear to ear, holding a animal printed, double breasted pea coat. I gasp. Indeed it was cute. So cute that I wished it had come in my size. I took one look at the $45 tag (on sale!) and decided that was not in our New Year's budget for a children's coat. She carried the coat through the store and even offered to pay for it at the check out. (I wish) Of course, now that I look online, I see it's only $24.99. Hmmmmm...I may have to go back and get it now.
I love little girls.
My Secret Love
This was cross posted on DC Metro Moms.
I have a secret love. Many people don't know about him, except my kids and my husband.
He sleeps with me in bed. Sometimes when I'm sad or sick I need him for comfort. Sometimes he needs to be washed and sometimes he hides from me behind the pillow. Yes, you guessed it. My secret love is my teddy bear. My very own lovey.
This is my first public admittance to my own dependency on a lovey.
He is a white bear with red feet given to me by my mother for Valentine's Day when I was 10-years old. When I sleep, he is the perfect size for that nook between my chest and my arm (since I am a side sleeper). He has accompanied me many places, including college and overseas. I did manage to keep him out of two delivery rooms and most hotel and guest rooms, but I've come to realize that he's now more than a perfect pillow, but a "comfort" lovey like my two and three-year old obsess over.
When my kids cry out for their lovies, I can understand. When they long for them at the end of the day, I understand. On days when I've been sick, my kids will bring "mommy's bear." On days when I've been
sad, my kids will make the extra trip upstairs to get him. He is worn, faded and pilled. I hide him behind my pillow many days so that guests can't see him. What would the other moms think of a 32-year old mother who still sleeps with a teddy bear? A mommy lovey?
Sometimes I think adults need some kind of comfort blanket. I watch my son slip into a momentary trance when he takes hold of his froggy blanket and jams his thumb in his mouth. It's as if peace has suddenly come over his body and all is right with the world. I wish I could say my lovey had this same effect, but it at least helps me drift off to sleep at night with a little less tossing and turning. I am lucky my husband moved over a bit to make room.
Where Has the Time Gone?
Since we're at the tail end of our potty training adventure, I decided to try an outing today with our newest member of the diaperfree population. I learned with my first that outings need to include an easily accessible and clean bathroom. So we opted for the Barnes and Noble train table today.
My kids have never really been a fan of this outing, but in recent weeks they actually enjoy the plethora of books, the possibility of a chocolate milk at the attached Starbucks, and some low-key socializing at the train table. Funny how a few years can change a mom's perception of the train table.
I used to loathe this activity more than any other outing. My kids would run through the children's section ripping books off the shelves and scream. They would fight with others over trains and the trip never meant sitting and reading books. When Anna was young, this was my way to nurse and entertain Alex. Only most of the time I was running after him, with one boob hanging out and Anna crying becuase I had interrupted her feeding. If storytime was part of it all, they would usually climb the steps and annoy the reader or make a bunch of noise and we'd have to leave. It only took me a few trips to figure out that my kids didn't do well at Barnes and Noble.
Today, I noticed my kids were some of the oldest. I watched the other children pull books off the shelves and fight over trains. My kids tried to mediate a disagreement over a train. I actually sat on the bench, drank my coffee and took a breather. I can't believe how fast they grow up.....
Potty Training Boot Camp Complete
She did it! We started on Thursday with the goal of sending Anna to school on Monday diaperless. Mission accomplished with not one accident. She even exceeded my expectations.
Tips you ask? I have none, except to say it isn't easy. Here was our schedule:
Tuesday: Found Anna changing her own diaper. Decided it was time to get serious.
Wednesday evening: Brought potty out into the living room where Anna could be with us still. Made her sit and sit and sit. She cried and fussed and finally relented. First EVER pee pee in the potty. We had two successes.
Thursday: Went to school and talked about it with her teacher. Thursday afternoon continued with making her go every hour. Many tears were shed by both Anna and me. Alex was a big help in this by encouraging her. And ultimately, it was he who got her excited about it.
Friday: Husband returns from overseas trip and is super jet lagged. Use this as excuse to stay home and potty training. Success continues. We don't leave the house with her. Two accidents.
Saturday: Spend all day in the house with Anna. Many tears from her. We can tell she's frustrated. So am I. Success many times. Attend evening gathering with neighbors and Anna goes in first foreign potty. One accident.
Sunday: No accidents at all. Goes all day. Tells us when. Learns to pull up pants.
Monday: Attends school with big girl panties. No accidents.
We haven't even addressed nighttime potty training yet, but I do remember this being a big deal with Alex. It took us a full week to get him trained at night and it was about two months after he was trained for daytime. This will require moving her into a big girl bed. Ugh. Not sure I'm ready for that so we might wait a while before we go on to nighttime training.
Whew....glad the bulk of it is over.
What I forgot about potty training
Anna has been doing awesome on the potty training. We just jumped in and she took off. But you'd think since I just did this 16 months ago, it would be fresh in my mind. Well, let me tell you, it's not.
This is what I forgot from the first round with my son:
-How potty training is an all day, everyday activity until it's done, really done.
-How you can't leave the house unless you bring 4 changes of clothes, the potty, diapers, wipes and a towel with you.
-How during potty training bribing doesn't even make you think twice--you can read that book; eat that cookies; do that puzzle; have a piece of chocolate; play with that toy AFTER you use the potty.
-How setbacks and accidents can make you want to throw in the towel and just put a diaper back on.
-That as proud as you are at your kid for going potty no one else in the world really cares.
Name calling
When I was a kid, we called people by their last names. My neighbors were Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Carter. Seriously. Somewhere along the way people switched to calling adults Ms. Jane or Ms. Sarah. So, when my kids were little we used the first name, preceded by the necessary Ms. or Mr. to make it polite.
Now that my kids are getting older and their teachers are called by their last names, do we enter into that agreement with friends' moms and dads as well? Do we go back to Mrs. Fox or Mrs. Smith after they were previously something else? Are there certain people that need to be identified by their last name instead of their first?
I noticed this when my friend came over this week, and she called me Mrs. Kerr. I looked around and thought, 'who is that?' Even my son looked a bit taken aback by that. That was when I realized, perhaps she preferred to be Mrs. Smith.
What is the proper way for preschool-aged children to identify adults these days?
Potty success!!!
I must amend my post from yesterday. I changed the potty strategy a bit after my husband asked again repeatedly from the opposite side of the world if Anna was potty trained. (Is this really necessary? To have pressure from abroad?)
Yesterday, I moved the potty into the living room so she could be part of the activities. She didn't cry and didn't protest. But sat for an extended period of time. Nothing. But the mood was better. This evening, we gave it another go keeping the potty in the middle of everything and we had two successes. Not only was she super surprised at the reaction and praise from me, but she received a 'high five,' good job and hug from her big brother. Oh please let this be the beginning of the end of diapers. This morning we had yet another success after Alex convinced her to come in and go with him. Perhaps the key is having your almost-four-year-old potty train the little one.
Potty woes
I feel I must start a discussion on this. My daughter is now 2 and a half. She is so ready to be pottying on the potty. Today I walked upstairs and found her changing her own diaper because she had peed in it. What does that tell us?
You would think after doing this once before I'd be better prepared, but Anna is a different child. With Alex, I bribed him and three days later we were done. Almost completely potty trained. What can I say except he loves his M&Ms? Anna on the other hand will not be bribed for anything. She doesn't care about the reward. She will sit on the potty and cry and scream until my ears burn with pain. If you know my daughter, you know I'm not joking. She will hold it in as long as she can just to prove that she doesn't need the potty.
I find it endearing that even Alex has tried to get her trained. He will tell her she needs to do it, get her books and even sit with and read with her. He, too, walks out of the bathroom frustrated.
I'm looking for any suggestions beyond stickers and bribes since that route obviously isn't working. I could go cold turkey, which is probably what I need to do, but I still haven't seen her pee in the potty at all so until I do that I'm not sure that will work either. Any thoughts from readers out there?
Graco's latest swing may soothe your baby but not your wallet
Sometimes I'm sad when I see new baby gear out there that I missed with my kids. I was a total "gear girl" and love, love, loved colorful crap to fill my living room. Today, however, my focus is on getting it out of my living.
But last night at a DC Metro Mom's event I had an chance to see Graco's latest piece of gear for new moms. Hot off the assembly line, Graco's new Sweetpeace Soothing Center is the latest and greatest. If I was a first-time mom, this would be on a registry as a "nice to have" because there is NO WAY I would pay the $169 for this. If I was a second-time mom, I might pay it so that it would keep my baby busy while I managed a toddler. If I was about to be a third-time mom, I would probably let this gadget slide because it's big and with three kids, you already have enough junk.
Graco's taken Dr. Harvey Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block and made a piece of gear to do a new kind of swinging you. (You know part Dr. Karp's Five S's of Swaddle, Swing, Side, Shushing, Sucking.) For all those babies who don't like the baby swing, this machine will turn it into swaying. The Soothing Center actually mimicks the mother's side-to-side rocking/swaying a of a baby. And with the Soothing Center it has a few different directions you can turn it to suit how your baby likes to be rocked--whether it's the traditional baby rock side-to-side, one facing front or one facing you.
When I first checked it out, I rolled my eyes. Do we moms need something else to hold our kids? I can hear my mother in law cheering me on for saying this. We have swings, bouncy seats, car seats, strollers, Baby Bjorns, slings. All of these do the work of Karp's "swing" to soothe the baby. Plus, the Soothing Center takes up a lot of room. But new moms often have trouble transitioning into mommyhood during the first few months and something like this would give some relief. I got sleepy just watching it rock back and forth. Do they make them from grown ups too? I also think that when I had my second baby (my son was only 16 months old) I would have paid money for this. My daughter wanted to be held all the time and rocked as much as possible. She would have lived in this thing.
The one thing to note is that babies don't sit in swings for more than a few months so while this investment might be good, by five months I think you'll find many babies will be ready to graduate on to the other giant structure in the living room--the Megasaucer (which you can find from friends for free). Someone is always willing to clear the Megasaucer from their living room.
My opinion on this: Big, expensive and a bit silly. But if you have a fussy baby you will do anything to sleep or get him/her to sleep. Ask your rich aunt to buy it and then pass it along to your best friend who's next in line for all the cool gear.
Spring fever. . . in January
We in the DC area have been hit with wonderful spring-like temperatures this week and as a result my new years has turned around. It's as if the weather hit my reset button and we're ready to give the new year a new try.
With temperatures close to 70 degrees, which is very unusual for this part of the country when January and February seem to be our snowy months, the neighborhood has come alive. So much alive that I don't mind the fact that my husband is on a different continent right now. In two days, we've hit 3 playgrounds, played soccer, baseball, basketball, raked and jumped in the leaf piles. My kids dragged out their sandals and short-sleeved shirts. The bikes, scooters and wagons were cleaned off and set to rolling again.
Even I had sparks of energy for cleaning and organizing. False sense of spring cleaning, perhaps. I wish every year we were promised a break in the cold for a bit of warm temperatures and sunny days. It helps air out the kids from being cooped up inside and it helps me readjust my attitude to get in gear for 2008! Thank you mother nature for this beautiful day.
Want to invest? How about an indoor playground
Northern Virginia needs an indoor playground. If you are looking to invest in a project, this would be it. Today, we made our second trip out to the All Star Legacy Gym in Sterling. It was OK. I would say $10 a kid for the two-hour open session twice a week is fine for us once in a while. We certainly can't swing that once a week, but every now and then on a rainy/snowy/hot/cold day we would make the journey and pay the dough for some indoor fun. Today it was cold and my kids are tired of being inside with my sinus infection. (Which I am now fully medicated for.) But this gym is lacking in many reasons. While it's fine for the cheerleading groups that use it most of the time, it provides no place for moms to sit down; it isn't really a safe set up for kids (this doesn't matter to me really); and it's needing some spirit to it.
What I am looking for us a full-time indoor playground. Not open gyms from 12-1 or Gymboree limited open gym on Sunday morning. I need full-time. Ok, maybe limited hours during the nicer weather since most people want to be outside. In Richmond there are a few open gyms including The Playroom. I love this place. You pay $6 a kid, go in and check your email (Wifi included in the price WITH laptops), let your kids run around for as long as they like AND you can bring in your own food. It's not just moonbounces, but a dress up area, train table, play kitchen and baby area, too. They even have babysitting on certain days.
Also, if someone is looking to invest only a little--a coffee place with a play area would be nice too. There is also one of these in Richmond called Chat & Play Cafe. Someone is really missing out on a huge market here. Moms in Northern Virginia WILL pay for stuff like this. I just dropped $20 today to let my kids run around in an open gym with a few moonbounces. Friends from the West Coast find it hard to believe there are not more places here for kids to play indoors. What's a mom have to do to get a cup of coffee around here? My kids aren't going to sit while I drink coffee and chat with friends. And until Barnes and Noble gates in their train table, I'm not including this as an option. I will never include Chuck E. Cheese's in this group. NEVER.
If there is anyone out there with a wad of cash looking for a good investment, here is a tip--indoor playgrounds, family-friendly coffee shops or fun things for the kids to do indoors.
Preschool mania begins
The stress from the holiday season is supposed to subside come Jan. 1. Everyone takes a rest and puts up her feet, or my case, gets running on the treadmill to burn off the holiday calories. But there's nothing like letting the stress of the holiday season roll right into preschool registration mania. How is it that we're here again so soon? I feel like I just got the kids settled into school, and now it's time to start the process of looking, second-guessing, registering, bribing, hoping, praying, losing sleep for two months.
I thought it would be easy since my kids are both in a preschool now--just sign the paper, give your deposit and be given priority as a returning student.
But with a potential move this summer to a different area of Northern Virginia, this process could be more stressful than the last. It means attending open houses in a different location, deciding whether we're going to go the Montessori route for my son and then what to do with my daughter. Keep her where she is, send her to a different school from her brother, look for someplace new or just throw my hands in the air and let the cards fall where they may.
Talk of lotteries, waiting lists, deadlines, deposits and so forth just makes my stomach turn. I know it's not as bad as it could be. My girlfriend actually knows people who have slept in their cars the night before application day or seen local law enforcement called to help facilitate preschool registration. What ever happened to just good ole' fashion bribery?
My husband asks me about once a week if I've researched or called schools. Fortunately my answer for the past month has been, "Preschools? I'm getting ready for Christmas." But Christmas is over and I will either need to think up another excuse or actually start the research and calling.
You think it's not a big deal. Hey, my son is only soon-to-be four, what is preschool but learning to be social and "keep his hands to himself." Apparently that's what we're working on this year in school. But there is still pressure to make sure I've scoped out all the options, visited several schools, talk to enough teachers and stressed about it all before I make the final decision. Then it's left up to the preschool lottery gods.
Happy New Year!
Our household is struggling this week and it's only the second day of the new year. So far we've had my husband leave for China for 10 days, my glass cassarole dish explode all over my kitchen (took me a full hour to clean up the glass), decided that my head cold turned into sinus infection (ah, but now at least I have the drugs), oh, and I was pulled over by a cop for not completely stopping at a stop sign. Yes, I did! The upside to this is my kids FINALLY understand and comforted me while I cried my way out of the ticket. Oh, have I no shame? They let me crash on the couch and "be sick" for once. Alex even told Anna to leave me alone because I was sick.
Tomorrow has to be better, right?


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Tin"a*mou (?), n. [From the native name: cf. F. tinamous.] Zool.
Any one of several species of South American birds belonging to Tinamus and allied genera.
In general appearance and habits they resemble grouse and partridges, but in anatomical characters they are allied to the ostriches and other struthious birds. Their wings are of moderate length, and they are able to fly a considerable distance.
© Webster 1913.
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First, we were told that spanking a kid will lower it's IQ by a whopping 2.8 points.
Then we found out that simply having a second child will force a 2 point IQ drop.
Now, we learn that reputable scientists have removed spanking from the top of the LIST OF DANGERS TO CHILDRENS IQ and replaced it with...margarine.
Margarine merits a full 3 point drop.
Of course, I'm sure the "scientists" didn't control for the fact that parents who would feed a kid margarine are probably a few IQ points short of a Mensa membership themselves.
Marley and Me - This dog needed a prong collar. That pretty much sums up the whole book. "Marley and Me", by John Grogan, is not exactly a book of profound revelation, i...
9 years ago


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ATK Exotics presents: Black model Vanity can't keep her clothes on when you show up. She reveals her tiny titties and smooth ass. Then she spreads her shaved pussy wide open, so you can get deep inside her. Photos from Marco P.
Date: May 15th, 2014; Site: ATK Exotics; Network: ATK; Pictures in set: 121; Dimension: 2000x3000
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Maggio still has title dreams with Napoli
Napoli defender Christian Maggio is confident Rafael Benitez's side can still win Serie A despite Juventus' healthy lead at the top.
Juve hold an eight-point lead over second-placed Roma at the summit of the Italian top flight, with Napoli four points further back after 20 games.
Benitez's men have not suffered in defeat in their last seven league outings, a streak which looks likely to be extended when struggling Chievo visit Stadio San Paolo on Saturday.
And defender Maggio believes that Napoli can end their 24-year wait for a third Scudetto.
"A 12-point deficit to the leaders is a lot but you can never say never in football," Maggio told Radio Kiss Kiss.
"Of course Juve look unstoppable at the moment and Roma look to be the team we have a chance of catching, but we can't ever give up."


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It's a different kind of BINGO over at Simply Create Too, challenge no. 38.
I had purchased a big background stamp image from SU and knew I could incorporate it into my card.
I went for the letter "N", but put my winning chips are under the letter "I". The challenge for the letter "N" used red, a bow, 3 layers, flowers and a punch or die. In that order, my red is in my dap from SU, my bow is a green ribbon from SU, the dsp is in 3 layers and I used red resin flowers from SU. These flowers are placed on little squares of SU so saffron cs diecut with an SU punch. I got it all.
If you look to the left, you'll see the Simply Create Too team has many new members. During my blog absence, we grew by leaps and bounds. Our fearless leader Diane, saw a need and filled it by giving us all some breathing room with the expansion of the team. Please go check-out the links. We're a talented bunch. and then go play in the BINGO challenge.


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MARATHON man Simon Dougherty completed Sunday's race to raise money for the Bobby Moore fund.
The 29-year-old sports teacher told the Visiter: "I completed the marathon in four hours 13 minutes which I was pleased with. My target had been to do it in under four hours but on the day the heat got the better of me and for the last six miles I was in agony."
Simon, who teaches at Birkdale High and Tarleton High, chose the charity in memory of his mother-in-law, Sue Kenyon, who died of bowel cancer.
He added: "I would like to thank everyone who has sponsored me and all the money is going to the Bobby Moore fund which is such a good cause for research. I enjoyed the day and the crowd really helped get me round but next year I'll stick to Sunday League football.
l If you would like to sponsor Simon he is still collecting donations at www.justgiving.com/simond


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Local Development Corporation of East New York Local Development Corporation of East New York
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
The Local Development Corporation of East New York (LDCENY) is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and expanding business opportunity in East Brooklyn. Since is founding in 1979 by a coalition of local business owners and community leaders, the LDCENY has worked with government, foundations and private enterprise to create and administer programs that help businesses cut red tape, reduce costs, increase productivity, increase profitability and access the resources they need to be successful.
Women's Business Center (WBC) East Brooklyn Business Improvment District (EBBID) Empire Zones Program (EDZ) All programs focused on starting or expanding businesses in East New York and throughout the borough, city and state.
This information
Might be out of date
Do you work for this organization?
Request administrator status and update its information!


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My friend's oldest daughter, a very thoughtful and generous soul, was talking with a six-year-old today about the terrorist attacks on London. In an e-mail to her mom, she said, "She asked me what a terrorist attack was. I told her a random act of violence against human beings. Also told her we are going to combat the senseless acts of violence with random acts of kindness."
Her plan is that every Thursday, she will do something nice anonymously, like send $10 to a name picked randomly from a phone book, along with a card like the one found here (along with some more great anonymous good deeds. It may not bring world peace, but then again, it just may bring us one step closer.
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1. is there any organisation to promote such nations and thinking who never attacked on any country?
2. Is there any global organisation which promote anti nuclearism?
3. Do we see and reward to those nations who never run in the race of nuclear weapons?
4. Do we need a organisation i.e a system which keep giving their review reports timely to every nation i mean whether the world is going in the right direction in terms of the social values,peace.
5. Is some social values is important to be shaped and must be obeyed by every country and every person.
6. Do the global organisations are serious about these things and are determined to establish peace and if it is then why still we see and hear so much violence all over the world?
7. Is the fact that violence can never be the solution to bring peace is being established globally and is the prime policy for every nation?
8. Do the talks focusing on peace,unity,affection among all countries and their men take place timely and is such programes are also being increased at a definite rate and time interval.Are we focus on this issue?
9. How many times nations talk to each other for spreading more peace?


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The Sinclair offers a choice of three modern design temporary stay residences of luxe quality and taste. Residence 202 is a modern appointed home that sleeps four and allows you to comfortably engage the urban excitement Asheville offers.
Located in Asheville's vibrant town center at 59 Broadway, The Sinclair allows convenient access to the many points of interest and entertainment venues for which Asheville is known. Your residence provides the comfort and style you would expect at an exclusive high-end resort. For added convenience and safety, private parking in the building is available.
Come stay at for a few nights and discover Asheville's newest brand of modern urban luxe.
The residence is furnished in a contemporary style with a kitchen and bath fully-equipped for your personal and entertainment needs.
Enjoy a fully-equipped entertainment center including high-speed Wi-Fi internet, a smart 48″ HD LCD TV in both the living area and bedroom, and a Bluetooth sound system zoned separately for the bedroom and living area.
Feel secure with audio and keyless controlled street access, private basement parking, keyless residence access, and access point security cameras.
The residence has zoned heating and cooling to assure your comfort while entertaining, relaxing or at rest. Peer out the oversized windows that frame the city and sky, along the comfortable window seating.


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Less Than 2 Miles From:
· National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
· Remington Race Park and Casino
· Tinseltown Theatre
· OKC Firefighters Museum
· Oklahoma City Zoo
· Omniplex Science Museum & Planetarium
· Softball Museum and Complex
· The Lincoln Park Golf Course
· 45th Infantry Division Museum
There Is A Lot To Do Around Here!
We are conveniently located in the Gateway of Oklahoma City, just off of I-35. Many attractions are within a five (5) mile radius of our park.
We offer shuttle service to several of these locations, just ask the front desk about our shuttle services.
6 - 7
10 Minutes From:
· Bricktown
· Canal/Water Taxi
· Bricktown Ballpark
· Bass Pro Shops
· Harkins Theaters
· Restaurants and Night Clubs
· Oklahoma City National Memorial
· Myriad Botanical Gardens
· Cox Convention Center
· Chesapeake Energy Arena
· Oklahoma City Museum of Art
· Oklahoma History Center
· The Paseo District
· Penn Square Shopping Center


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10 piece wooden miniature farm play set, perfect for imaginative story telling.
It's just another day on a tiny wooden farm, the farmer is driving the tractor and her husband is feeding the animals, rabbits are hopping about and donkeys are braying. What could happen next? Only your kids will know as they play with these charming wooden pieces.
Compatible with other Mini Story figures.


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To book your appointment, please click a service or class under the following categories. From there, you will be prompted to choose a date and time, and confirm your appointment.
*** From time to time, there may be an appointment available for the same calendar day. These will not show in the online calendar. To find out if there is availability, please call Angela at 631-255-2781.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
- In order to receive a full refund, you must cancel 48 hours prior to your appointment date and time. Exceptions will be made for emergency situations.
- When you book your appointment, you will receive a confirmation email, a 24-hour reminder email, and a 2-hour reminder email. All of these emails provide links to cancel and reschedule your appointment online.
- If you do not show up for your appointment, you are responsible for the full session rate. Exceptions will be made for emergency situations.
- All multi-session packages (i.e. 5 & 10-session packages) are non-refundable. If you have not experienced a modality, we recommend purchasing 1-session prior to purchasing a multi-session package.


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You can personalize it by anchoring it with some emotions for instance, you need to remember something or your boss will get angry. Or on a positive note, you plan to please your wife or husband, with the information you you've remembered. You can also remember something better if you can associate it with information you already know. We'll come to such techniques later.
Mercury is lagnesh and rajyesh in Virgo ascendant. Despite of the owner of two centers it is not accused of central occupation position. Mercury is highly fruitful and successful planet. You may be lucky and may take interest in music, dance, literature and scientific inventions. You may be dear to your parents, teachers and your friends. You may prove to be very obedient and have the happiness of all the comforts. You may be an admirable person to all.
> While the attorney may delegate much client contact to paralegals, the attorney is obligated to maintain a direct relationship with the client.
No longer content to sit in a rocker on the porch wiling away the hours, today's retirees and Baby Boomers about to retire want and demand more from their later years. "We're out and about," says Nordstrom. "We're taking part in educational programs, traveling all over the world, and offering our expertise to society through meaningful community involvement. We're not a strain on society; we're an incredible asset."
Having your income protection in super may limit the amount of coverage you can get, and the cover may also not cater very well for your individual circumstances as it is quite limited. When making a claim, you have to satisfy both the trustee of the fund and the insurance provider before accessing the benefits.
In order to be a Corrections Officer, a candidate has to pass a Test. In general, a written test of 3 hours is conducted but sometimes both written and video-based exams are also conducted in some states.
The benefit of using a brainwave entrainment program in binaural beats is, that it works quickly, much more quickly than if you try to access and maintain gamma on your own. If you already have a meditation practice in place, you're laughing and won't need any assistance. But, if meditation alludes you, binaural beats will help you experience a higher level of intelligence, a stronger mental processing speed, as well as enrich your sensory experience– within the first session. Repeated sessions will make new neural pathways and your improvements will be permanent.
Vinegar is also used for other tests for genital warts. Some doctors use vinegar in a test called an acid wrap. A gauze strip or piece of cloth is first soaked in white vinegar. It is then wrapped around the genital area of the individual for approximately 10 minutes. Similar to the acetic acid test mentioned above, the parts of the genital area that become white are identified to as potential genital warts. Again, more tests will be conducted after this to rule out any possibilities of similar-looking diseases.
them later. Work on those that you are certain of, as there is a higher chance of you getting more answers correct. This way, you can be sure that you've got


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The Haunting
Meet Dave
The Haunted Mansion
Intolerable Cruelty
Cool World
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag
Critters 4
Eye for an Eye
The Family Man
Scream 3
All Lori Rowbotham films
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2019 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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2 Day Package - Reef Cruise (Snorkel) + Cape Tribulation Deluxe Tour (DUD)
|Rate Option
|2 Day - Reef & Rainforest Package (DUD)
Prices above include the $20pp reef levy.
Children: Aged 4-12 years.
Family Rate: 2 adults + 2 children.
Rates are valid until 31st March 2019.
|Prices are shown in Australian dollars and include GST. Prices subject to change without notice.
This 2 Day Package includes one day visiting the Outer Barrier Reef onboard Evolution, and a one day tour to Cape Tribulation with The Adventure Company. This package offers great value for the budget conscious traveller.
REEF CRUISE (make own way to the Reef Fleet Terminal)
Evolution - Great Barrier Reef Day Cruise offers a truly memorable reef experience to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. A large vessel cruising at high speed provides a superior and comfortable ride in all weather conditions and takes up to 170 passengers. The day includes guided snorkeling tour, all snorkelling equipment and tuition as well as BBQ Lunch.
Check in: 7.30am at the Reef Fleet Terminal
Departs Cairns: 8.20am
Returns Cairns: 4.45pm
Standard Inclusions:
- 2 Outer Reef sites
- 5 hours of snorkelling
- snorkel equipment and flotation provided
- free guided snorkel tour
- BBQ lunch
- Onboard entertainment provided on return journey with cheese and glass of wine
* Certified or Introductory dives can be added onto your package - Please enquire for prices.
* Return bus transfers can be added on for extra cost -Please enquire.
CAPE TRIBULATION DAY TOUR (Return bus transfers from your Cairns hotel are included on this day)
The Adventure Company - Deluxe Pack
This Cape Tribulation tour visits our World Heritage Daintree National Park and includes a variety of activities. This tour includes return bus transfers to and from your Cairns hotel accommodation.
Pick up time: Generally between 6.30am-7.30am (your pick up time will be confirmed at time of booking)
Return time: Generally around 6.30pm
- Wildlife Habitat (Port Douglas) - Venture through purpose built native habitats of some of Austarlia's rare, endangered and beautiful native animals.
- Mossman Gorge - Enjoy a guided rainforest walk and see the crystal clear waters of the Mossman River cascade over spectacular boulder formations.
- Lunch - Set menu with a choice of barramundi, steak or vegetarian option.
- Cape Tribulation Beach - Kick back and relax under the fringing rainforest of the Daintree where the "Rainforest meets the Reef".
- 1 Hour Daintree Wildlife River Cruise - Journey on the majestic Daintree River for a 1 hour Wildlife and Crocodile exploration.
* Please note that these 2 tours do not have to be done in this order, or on consecutive days. Please advise at time of booking if what dates you would like to do both tours.


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Home Aadhaar Card Contact Us
URL Submission
Tour n Travel
Pincode India Search India
Herbalife Club
In year 2004, Kreative Tutorials was established. KT have the well experienced teacher team.The teachers provide timely, systematic and latest syllabus to the students. Main objective of this coaching center is provide the educationa in a different, innovative and friendly learning environment.
It Offer the courses: IIT / AIEEE / DCE Class I to X ( ALL SUBJECTS) XI & XII( Maths,Physics,Chemistry, Biology & English)


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TREASURE Forest Program
Alabama has nearly 23 million acres of
forestland. These forest provide valuable
resources which directly affect the quality
of life of every Alabamian. They provide
wood products that we depend on every day.
These same forests also provide habitat for
wildlife, clean the air, purify water,
protect valuable topsoil, and provide scenic
beauty and recreational opportunities. For
all these reasons, Alabama's forests are
vitally important.
The TREASURE Forest program is a voluntary
program sponsored by the Alabama Natural
Resources Council that seeks to promote
sound and sustainable, multiple-use forest
management. This type of management
encourages landowners to use their forests
wisely to meet their own needs while at the
same time protecting and enhancing the
If you would like a resource professional to visit your property or if you
would like to nominate an Alabama Forest landowner for the TREASURE Forest
Program just complete and submit the
online application.
What is the TREASURE FOREST AWARD?
The TREASURE Forest Award is earned by
private landowners who display their
commitment to the TREASURE Forest ethic
through the physical management that takes
place on their land. The TREASURE Forest
Award includes a numbered and signed
TREASURE forest certificate, a TREASURE
Forest sign to display on the property, and
a TREASURE Forest hat. When the award is
given, the land is called a Certified
TREASURE Forest and the landowner is called
a TREASURE Forest landowner. TREASURE Forest
and TREASURE Forest landowner are earned
titles that represent good stewardship of
the land, protection and/or enhancement of
the multiple values of the forest, and
providing benefits for both present and
future generations.
If you would like more information
on the TREASURE Forest Program or the other
management programs we use, please contact
your local
Alabama Forestry Commission office.
Additional Information:
TREASURE Forest Program Brochure
History of
TREASURE Forest
Alabama's TREASURED Forests magazine
is a quarterly publication by the Alabama Forestry Commission that offers valuable insight on management
according to TREASURE Forest principles.


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Summer Sights: Fathom Five Visitor Centre
Fathom Five National Park in Tobermory, Ontario is under water and accessible only to glass bottomed boats and scuba divers with very thick neoprene suits- this ain't Ras Mohammed., so a very small proportion of visitors actually see the park. However it is a beautiful spot and the start of the Bruce Trail and a big tourist attraction. The new Fathom Five Visitor Centre provides an overview of the park's natural history but also is a "showcase of sustainable design strategies and environmental stewardship."
Designed by Andrew Frontini of Shore Tilbe Irwin and Partners, the project has an observation tower and an exhibition building built on a steep, rocky site, but uses the slope to minimize its footprint by exposing the lower level.
It is full of technologies: a computer-operated ventilation system operates motorized awning windows and dormer windows to capture the prevailing breezes, automatically shifting the building between natural ventilation, air conditioning and heating. Different architectural micro-climates are created by the south-facing glazing, but the sophisticated controls and zoning adjusts for this and reduces overall heating.
It would have been expensive and destructive to bring water and sewer to this rocky and steep site, so the building is designed to be self-sufficient. Water is sourced from a local well, collected in a cistern sized for fire-fighting, heated in a solar array, and treated in peat moss eco-flo array to meet "Parks Canada's stringent standards for this sensitive ecosystem."
To top it all off, materials include reclaimed timber decking from a local 19th century mill and local limestone. ::Fathom Five Visitor Centre by [flash warning, excruciatingly slow site] ::Shore Tilbe Irwin and Partners via ::Sustainable Architecture and Building Magazine


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Julie Garwood is a member of my personal romance pantheon. While she's written some clunkers, she's also given me many hours of reading pleasure (oh my, do I just adore the heck out of Castles). That makes this a difficult review to write. Because Shadow Dance isn't a bad book…it's just not the book it could (or should!) be.
Since making her move to romantic suspense (I know, HK, I know), Garwood has also been name-checking two previous series – the "Roses" series and, for lack of a better name, the "Medieval" series. To achieve this feat, she has brought together a descendants of the Claybornes from the Roses series, and the Buchanans (see Ransom. among the other Medievals) and the MacKennas (who apparently didn't appear in any of Garwood's previous books — fact-checkers will be working overtime to verify this — but they've been feuding for centuries with the Buchanans). This will all come together, I swear.
Throughout Garwood's current contemporary series, the various law enforcement-minded Buchanan brothers have found the loves of their lives, usually as said loves are the targets of deranged killers. You got a better way to meet chicks? I thought not. Showing up in the periphery of the stories has been Nick's partner in the FBI agent biz, Noah Clayborne. Also showing up is Nick's brainy, computer geek sister, Jordan. In the previous novel, Slow Burn, brother Dylan Buchanan hooked up with Jordan's best friend, Kate MacKenna, setting off the chain of events that make this book possible. See, I told you it would all come together.
Okay, so at Kate and Dylan's wedding, Jordan meets a not-so-very charming eccentric MacKenna relative who tantalizes her with stories of the ancient Buchanan/MacKenna feud (this wedding comes complete with seriously bad historical mojo) and lost treasure. Right after that, Noah tells Jordan that she's, basically, boring. Stuck in a rut. So naturally, she follows the mysterious MacKenna to Serenity, Texas to find out the story of this feud and maybe solve a mystery or two.
Before you can say "hey", the dead bodies start piling up. Jordan, by virtue of having one them stowed in her trunk, finds herself on the wrong side of a jail cell. Luckily, she's already called the FBI – the cavalry is coming, though I suppose since Nick and Noah fly to Texas, they can't really be called cavalry. Nick soon leaves the scene, but Noah sticks around to protect Jordan and, well, you know. Fall in love with her.
Mid-review confession time: I have a weakness for Garwood's ditzy heroines. Sure, sometimes she takes it a little too far, but when she's on, she's great at the funny, loopy, goofy characterization that make her heroines memorable. Jordan started out with all kinds of promise, but, alas, promise went unfulfilled. Garwood seemed confused about how she wanted to play this story – either harkening back to her historical style or latching on to her grittier, suspense style – and Jordan suffered for the lack of a plan. I couldn't get a grip on her.
This uneven characterization made it hard to relate to Jordan. Is she a klutz? Is she really taking the fact that a dead dude is in her trunk in stride? Is she hot for Noah? And is she a computer geek who is never more than three feet away from her laptop? Though we see her solving petty little computer problems, we don't see her engaging in her life's work. And at the end, she boldly announces to Noah that she's not giving up computers. Whoa there, missy. Like, was that even a possibility? Was that even discussed? Was that even – really – the reason for Noah's challenge?
Ostensibly, Jordan's goal is to move out of her comfort zone – and she certainly does that – but I wasn't sure why that mattered. Despite Noah's challenge, I never got the sense that Jordan was unhappy with her life. Even with the advantage of several books of back story, I still didn't fully comprehend why she got on a plane and headed for Texas. With all due respect to Texas, this course of action rarely makes sense to me anyway.
Noah, unfortunately, suffered from his advance press. He's been identified as a womanizer, serial playboy, you-name-it (Jordan calls other women "Noah Clayborne Groupies" and decides she won't be one). Of course, most of this takes place in other books or the night before this book begins. Even this mostly hearsay and rumor. Garwood has been building toward romance of Noah Clayborne since book one of this series (Heartbreaker) by trying to make Noah mysterious and sexy and worth the wait. I always found this to be a little forced on the part of the author, and didn't believe that Noah lived up to the (supposed) hype. The lack of "getting to know Noah" in this book didn't help matters much.
This is the same fate suffered by Noah's ancestor, Cole Clayborne. He came off mysterious and sexy in For The Roses, but when Come The Spring was published, readers felt let down. It was as if Garwood couldn't find a romance (or heroine) to match the man she sees in her mind.
As with Jordan, Garwood seemed confused about the "type" she wanted for her hero. His antecedents were alpha males with buttery soft spots for the heroines. And huge protective streaks. Man, a good Garwood hero makes sure his little woman is safe and sound. This is often the source of conflict between her heroes and heroines. An overly protective alpha male coupled with a headstrong, smart female leads to fun battles of the sexes. And works better, I think, in a historical romance.
Noah is certainly alpha, but how? He carries a gun, he's big and strong, he commandeers Jordan's bed. But I'm not sure what makes him a hero (I know what I am told about Noah, yes, but show me, show me, show me). I think the scene where they're heading back to Austin after the third body is found sums it up. Long car ride, lots of time to talk, and most of the discussion is summed up in a single paragraph. Rather than telling me that Jordan is telling a funny story, tell the funny story, you know?
What I'm saying is, give these characters something to do with each other now that you've given them a whole book. Noah and Jordan aren't really working together to solve this mystery. In fact, there's a whole 'nother team working the case. They spend a lot of time traipsing from crime scene to crime scene and sitting on Jordan's hotel room bed, but when push comes to shove, the build-up of the relationship is largely off the page. And then it's presented as fait accompli — the whole Buchanan family is clear on the situation, while the reader is still scratching her head.
And that, my dear friends, is because Garwood couldn't decide if she was going romantic suspense or straight romance in the mold of the historical novels that sowed the seeds for this one. She slides mini-chapters into the text to allow us to get into the minds of her criminals, thereby aiming for the suspense camp. But she offsets this by having Jordan pore over the MacKenna relative's historical research; Jordan ends up reading bedtime stories – of ancient, bloody Scottish battles – to Cole. Presumably, these tales will have something to do with a future novel (the treasure is still missing, you see) because they didn't add a thing to this one.
One big problem I have, generally and specifically, is that neither Jordan or Noah had a personal connection to the murder mystery. Jordan knew the first dead guy, the second guy fixed her car, and was, well, punched by the third. Those are not personal connections; Jordan and Noah simply don't have a stake in the chaos surrounding them. They're disconnected from the action. The fact that they're not engaged in the story means the reader isn't, either.
The core mystery is interesting. Garwood gives us a character who disappeared from his old life and is fighting to keep his past a secret. She does a good, if not-wholly believable job, of adding a second layer of villainry: the local blackmailer (who has a lot of equipment that, well, he couldn't afford and didn't seem bright enough to operate). The seamy underbelly of seemingly-tranquil small towns always makes for fascinating reading, though this feels forced into the story. There's a missing treasure somewhere in Scotland that takes up a lot of energy, only to go unresolved (why is there bad blood between the Buchanans and MacKennas? Who knows?). Oh, and Jordan's father, a Federal judge, is presiding over a racketeering case and is under constant guard.
The big question of this novel is why did it need to be written? Why did Jordan and Noah have to be featured in a full-length (hardcover) book? What is it about their love story that is so unusual, so compelling, so ultimately emotionally fulfilling that an entire series has built up to this moment?
I don't have answers to those questions. I'm still puzzling over the first sex scene. I mean, one second, it's just good friends hanging out in bed together, in a non-sexual sort of way. The next, Cole's jumping Jordan's bones. Where in the world did that come from? I honestly think something was cut from the manuscript – something that would tie this whole thing together.
If you're going to read this series, I think you need to read it all, pretty much in order. That way, all the characters and their relationships make sense. The Buchanans and spouses comprise a big, rambling mess of a family – and I mean that as a compliment because the interactions between brothers and sisters feels natural and are, if you want my opinion, the best moments of the book.
Otherwise, you can find Julie Garwood here. You can buy Shadow Dance here or here.