Brrrrr

To say it is cold is an understatement. It is cold and everything is frozen and it is...lovely. Hope you and yours are well and don't forget, every day provides us with the opportunity to pay it forward.

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

Sharing the Love....Marlee Cain Designs

It is that time of year and therefor the time of year to really promote the small business owner. Today I share with you the fabulous MARLEE CAIN DESIGNS. Her work is amazing and she has even taught me a thing or two;). If you are looking for a great custom piece for your lady love, Mom, Mother-in-Law, sister or friend, check out Marlee Cain's blog and her Etsy shop.

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

Blog:
http://marleecaindesigns.blogspot.com/

Shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Marleecaindesigns?ref=top_trail

Mmmmmmm, French Toast

I can't believe I missed National French Toast Day, where the heck was my head?! But never you fear for I come baring a delicious recipe for all of those French Toast fiends out there. One of my favorite ladies ever, Miss Wendy Wooley Paul, who just happens to be the author of 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes and 101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone, created a mouth watering, gut busting French Toast Cupcake! This cupcake would make Guy Fieri yell "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!". I mean come on, the cupcake is topped with BACON, how could that not be a winner! So here you go, I am posting the link to Wendy's blog so you can make your own French Toast Cupcake and also if you are a baker or know someone who loves to bake, you can click the link to go and buy a copy of her book!:)


For her blog:
http://www.wendypaulcreations.com/2010/11/yes-another-food-holiday-national.html

and for her books:
Cupcakes
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/101-Gourmet-Cupcakes-in-10-Minutes/Wendy-Paul/e/9781599552590/?itm=1&USRI=101+gourmet+cupcakes+in+10+minutes

Cookies
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/101-Gourmet-Cookies-for-Everyone/Wendy-Paul/e/9781599554099/?itm=1&USRI=101+gourmet+cookies+for+everyone

Family

Today my kids and I got to go visit my sister and slobber all over my new nephew Kiwi. My son wouldn't give him up which almost started a was between him and my daughter, lol. I hope your Saturday was as enjoyable as ours was:).

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Black Friday, the day that strikes fear into the hearts of many. I for one did NOT venture out to freeze mu butt off in line for mediocre deals. Nope, instead I slept and when I got up I jumped online and discovered that Walmart had RAISED the price of the Ipod touch bundle from $188.00 to $228.00! I had researched everything I was planning on buying last week only to discover that everything on my list except for two things were twice as expensive as they had been.

So instead of getting the majority of mu Christmas shopping done I am now going to wait for Cyber Monday to see of maybe they were just holding out on me. What about you, was Black Friday a success or a flop?

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is pleasantly stuffed and that there was no major drama today. We had a lovely time at my in-laws and I have to admit that I wish we had been staying the night because there house is so cozy. I am off to take a nap so that my eyes and fingers are well rested in order to hop online and catch some of those Black Friday dea. May the season of over indulgence begin!

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

It's beginning to look a lot like, wait....we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet!

Are you like me, you get all excited for the start of the holidays, which in my home starts out with the double celebration of Halloween and my son's birthday which falls on Halloween. You get all geared up to go to the store to see what new and spooky items they have to add to your horror repertoire. You walk into the store and instead of Halloween you get hit with Herry HallThanksMas! 

That totally happened to me this year. I went into the local Shopko and as I walked in the front door, in front of me was a display for Thanksgiving and too my right were some decorations for Thanksgiving. That's alright, it's just a little bit, no harm no foul. I walk to the back of the store and sitting right next to Halloween Alley in full festive mode is the Christmas Village, what! Breathe in 123, breathe out 123. This was at the end of SEPTEMBER people, whatever happened to giving each holiday their individual time? 

I am a purist, I celebrate Halloween for the month of October, I clean it up and put it away. I celebrate Thanksgiving for the month of November, I clean it up and put it away. The only time two holidays should be promoted commercially side by side is when Chanukah runs through Christmas! I am sure there are a lot of people who like the sharing of aisles at the store, getting a jump start on holiday decorating and such, but that is just not me. So I will continue to be excited for turkey day this week and won't think a lick about Christmas until the day AFTER Black Friday.

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Let it Snow

I know, it has definitely been awhile and I must apologize. With getting ready for the holiday and an 8 year old that keeps me on my toes, I have not had 5 minutes to myself.

Last week my son accidentally burned the back of his calf on the exhaust pipe of a corvette. In his defense, he burned his leg before he had been told that the pipes were hot (who puts exhaust pipes flush with the bottom of the door?).

He was quite the trooper, he didn't say a thing until our guests had left and then he let out what sounded like a death howl. So we had to go to the doctor, the burn is 2nd degree and absolutely disgusting and to top it off his strep test cane back positive. I don't know how he is still standing, but he is bless his heart.

I am really excited for turkey day this year because.......it is not at my house! Woo Hoo! No dishes to clean, no extra chairs and tables to try and find. Only a two hour drive both ways and fairly sketchy weather to contend with. So what are your plans for turkey day, hosting the famy or getting hosted?

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

Conspiracy

Do you ever feel like the universe is conspiring against you? Do you ever feel like everyone that says they like you or says they are your friend are just saying that to shut you up? I mean, actions speak louder then words and when you stop at the end of the day and realize that you haven't spoken to one of these people in heck, you can't even remember how long it has been, it starts to eat away at you. Maybe I am just lonely, maybe I am depressed and don't want to admit it. My question is: when did I stop being valid, when did I no longer matter? I feel like I have "Obsolete" stamped across my forehead in big read letters.

Happy Veteran's Day

Nothing can be said except for "THANK YOU" to all the men and women who have sacrificed themselves for our freedoms. "THANK YOU" to all of the families of the service men and women who share their loved ones with us as they fight for our freedoms. We need to stop blaming this political party and that political party for what is wrong with our country, we need to stand up and be present and accounted for and we need to once again become "One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for ALL".

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Jack White and Conan Rock it Out!

For some reason I couldn't get this to show up properly in the other post

The Return of Coco

Tom Hanks on Conan 11/09/2010

I don't know about you but after Johnny Carson left the air, late night just wasn't the same for me. It was a treat when I was allowed to stay up late and watch Johnny's entire show. Most of the time I managed to hear Johnny's monologue through the wall as I fell asleep. When Johnny was gone I just couldn't get into Jay Leno. I would watch the Tonight Show on Fridays since I didn't have work the next morning or if there was a celebrity that I really wanted to see I would record the episode but that was it. Jay never did it for me, not like Johnny did and most certainly not like Conan O'Brien. 

Now I am sure you are wondering, if I didn't stay up late to watch Jay Leno, why would I stay up even later to watch Conan. Let me explain, when Conan first debuted, 17 years ago, he was a bit of a dork. Some of his humor unfortunately was quite lame but some of it was also quite funny. Like a fine wine though, Conan has gotten better with age and as much as I hate to say it, NBC canning him was the best thing that ever happened to him. I feel like Conan finally found himself, he has found his "Johnny". 

Monday night was the premier of Conan on TBS and I was so excited I couldn't stand it. At 9 o'clock MST, I was tucked into bed and watched as the opening credits for the Conan show began to flash across my screen. Conan looks good, he looks really really good and he looked excited. To have Conan and Andy back on the same stage (which by the way harkens back to the old Tonight Show stage) was fantastic. I now have a reason to be in bed at 9 every night so that I can actually get to bed on time (I fall asleep to George Lopez now but I DVR his show, love him!).

In a nutshell I am so happy that Conan is back and I had to share my favorite moment from last nights show was his interview with Tom Hanks (FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY BRILLS!).

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

Reluctant Alliance

Just another sneak peek at Tangled (in theaters November 24th), oh I am so EXCITED!

Happy Young Reader's Day!

Young Readers Day is celebrated on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. It was co-founded in 1989 by Pizza Hut and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. On this day, Grade Schools around the country take advantage of this day to promote the importance of reading. Some people refer to this as a "National" holiday but there is no record of a presidential proclamation or act of congress. Either way, it is nice to celebrate a "holiday" that is about enriching our minds instead of breaking our wallets:).

In honor of Young Readers Day (and readers of all ages), here are two books that are worth taking a gander at:

My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story by Jaime Lee Curtis

Unbearable Lightness by Portia De Rossi

(I am sure you have heard all about this book but EVERY woman of any age needs to read it)

If you have never read the Hannah Swensen mysteries, you MUST! This is an awesome series and each book comes filled with yummy recipes!

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Movies, Movies, Movies

I waited patiently, I didn't throw a fit, I knew that I was going to get to see this film and it finally happened. The hubs and I went and saw RED yesterday and let me tell you, this film DOES NOT DISAPPOINT! First of all, three of my childhood crushes (Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Richard Dreyfuss, Grrr BABY) in one film, STFU! Throw in the divine diva herself, Helen Mirren ( I want to be sexy hot like her when I grow up) and of course the incomparable Morgan Freeman, PERFECTION! 

This is just the actors, bring on the action and holy hell, it took everything I had plus the husband holding me down to keep me from coming out of my seat! The comedic timing of these seasoned professionals, hands down the BEST movie of the decade. I can't even believe that the director was going to cut scenes of Helen Mirren from the film. Thank god for Bruce Willis taking a stand because she was AMAZEBALLS! So if you haven't seen this movie, get a babysitter, get off your hiney and go see it because it is so worth it!

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Happy Cook Something Bold Day!

Nope, not kidding, today is actually Cook Something Bold Day. It is always celebrated on Novemeber 8th and it is an actual copyrighted holiday that was created and provided by the folks at Wellcat.com. The concept and design of this holiday was to encourage us to cook something bold and daring, something "Out of the Box" if you will to get us out of our regular "What are we going to have for dinner" rut. Something that will fill up the the house with warm and homey odors. So start Googling bold and daring, make that trip to the market and surprise your family with something warm and wonderful for dinner:).

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

Update: Girl, age 10 gives birth

Here is the link to the article that was posted in the Daily Mail today.....are you ready for this......the father of the baby is her 13 year old cousin and the families allowed them to live as man and wife! I am not even going to try and wrap my mind around this and I will continue to pray that this is a big joke.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1327151/Elena-Chiritescu-The-10-year-old-baby-13-year-old-cousin.html

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

Song of the Day! Never Shout Never - Can't Stand It (Video)

It's Saturday and it's also the day we roll those clocks back an hour (woo hoo, and extra hour of sleep!). I had to share this song as the song of the day because it is (as they say in the song) Super Duper cute and the beat is totally infectious. My brother-in-law showed up one day quite a few months ago and made me copy this album onto my computer and promise that I would listen. That was my first introduction too Never Shout Never and ever since then I have been completely addicted to their edgy, 60's pop influenced beats. I adore their writing and the way their music has been styled and composed. Never Shout Never is one of those bands that is on my list of "Happy"bands. I know that if I am down I can pull up their music and find a song, such as Can't Stand It or I Love You 5 and my mood changes immediately. So Happy Saturday my friends, enjoy your morning however you normally do and don't forget to "Fall Back" tonight before you go too bed:).

Cheers!

ACOCAACN 

Guy Fawkes Day

Surprised aren't you, I bet you thought I was going to blog about another totally obscure holiday that you have never heard of. I would never do such a thing....ahaha, yeah right, you know me so well. Guy Fawkes Day (also known as Gunpowder Day) is not an obscure holiday, well maybe it is outside of Great Britain. But to the Brits it is a day to set off fireworks, have huge bonfires and burn the likeness of a man who lived centuries ago in effigy (what more could you want from a holiday, right)?

A little background on Guy Fawkes, the man, the myth, the legend. Guy Fawkes lived from 1570 to 1606 ( long damn time ago) and was the man who helped plan the Gunpowder Plot (which literally blew up in his face). Guy was a converted Catholic and had fought on the side of Catholic Spain in the 80 years war against the Protestant Dutch, he even went to Spain to seek the countries support in a Catholic rebellion in England but Spain said "Hell to the N-O!". So Fawkes returned to England and was introduced to a man named Robert Catesby who wanted to kill King James the 1st and restore a Catholic Monarch to the throne (the Catholic Monarch being King James's daughter Princess Elizabeth who was 3rd in line for the throne)

The group of Catholic Plotters (two of whom were Robert and Guy) bought the lease to an undercroft (cellar or storage room, sometimes used as stores during the 16th and 17th centuries) directly beneath the House of Lords. They bought the undercroft to store gun powder, loads and loads of the stuff, enough to completely obliterate the House of Lords and most definitely anyone inside it. Of all the men in on the conspiracy, Guy Fawkes was the one chosen to light the fuse on the gun powder and then escape through a tunnel too the Thames. 

Here is where poor Guy gets completely screwed, some of the conspirators who were worried about their fellow Catholics that would be in the House of Lords on that night, wrote them anonymous letters warning them away from the building. One of the men who received a letter was Lord Monteagle, Monteagle in turn showed the letter too King James. King James ordered Sir Thomas Knyvet to search the cellars beneath Parliment, which he did and who should he find leaving the cellars on the night of November 5th, 1606? That's right, poor Guy Fawkes. Upon searching the cellar that Fawkes had left, they discovered a stockpile of Gunpowder hidden beneath piles of firewood.

Fawkes was taken into custody and interrogated, at first he gave the false name of "John Johnson" and stayed incredibly defiant. King James was not amused and on November 6th ordered "John Johnson" to be tortured "lightly at first but more severe if necessary, authorizing the use of the rack" to get Fawkes to give up his co-conspirators. Fawkes was transfered to the Tower of London and the room in which he was interrogated eventually became known as the Guy Fawkes room. Sir William Waad supervised "Johnson's" torture and eventually obtained his confession. On November 7th Fawkes revealed his true identity and told his interrogators that their were 5 people involved in the plot to kill the king. On November 8th he began to tell their names and how they planned to place Princess Elizabeth on the throne. 

Fawkes along with his fellow conspirators were brought to trial and all were found guilty. Their punishment: The condemned will be drawn backwards to his death, by a horse, his head near the ground.  They were to be put to death "halfway between heaven and earth as unworthy of both". Their genitals would be cut off and burnt before their eyes, and their bowels and heart removed. They would then be decapitated, and the dismembered parts of their bodies displayed so that they might become "prey for the fowls of the air". 

On January 31st, 1607 Fawkes was brought to the Old Palace Yard at Westminster and watched as his fellow conspirators were drawn and quartered. Fawkes was the last too stand, he asked forgiveness from the King and State and although weakened by torture, he managed to jump from the gallows and break his neck, avoiding the horrific death that was too befall him. 

The biggest question in regards to Guy Fawkes Day is this: Are we celebrating Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators, for attempting to eliminate religious persecution? Or, are we celebrating the government's successful discovery of the plot, saving many lives? Whose to say really, I do hope you enjoyed todays little history lesson. I'd like to thank Wikipedia for helping me in writing this and allowing me to quote certain parts and too all my mates across the pond, Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Utah Family Seeking Asylum Deported

ksl.com - Utah family seeking asylum deported

I couldn't watch the above video without crying, my heart broke for this family. They weren't a family of illegals hiding, working under the table or claiming benefits. They were a family that were here legally but when the time came were given bad advice. They were one month shy of being in the United States for 10 years, they have worked in our community, they have paid their taxes, they have volunteered in our community, they are our community. Most of all my heart breaks for their children who were four and seven years old when they came to Utah. They don't remember living in Argentina, as 17 year old Kevin put it, he doesn't speak the language as well as he should. These kids are American through and through and we have allowed them to be thrown to the wolves. If they fail in life it is because WE allowed it to happen. Something has to be done about immigration because children like Kevin and Maggie are the ones who are truly suffering. The courage that Kevin and Maggie have shown at facing a new life in a country they don't remember, a culture they don't remember and knowing the persecution that they will face for being LDS is mind boggling. Knowing that when they get off the plane in Argentina they will know no one, I can't even imagine having to do that. Below is the link to the original story that aired about this family, remember it is always easy to play the part of the one who is right when it isn't your family that is being targeted.

Problems with US Immigration Law Highlighted by Utah Family

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=12983097

Family Seeking Asylum will be Deported Thursday

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=13137356

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Raise Your Glass

Song of the day, Nuff Said:).

Cheers!
ACOCAACN

Girl, 10 Gives Birth In Spain

No my friends, that is not a typo.....that is the actual headline from the article in the Huffington Post. Of course I am completely flabbergasted not just by the fact that the mother is a year younger then my daughter, but that the father is all of 13 years old. It brings to the forefront the question, have we desensitized our children to the point that 10 years olds, who are of sexual maturity, can have sex and not grasp emotionally or psychologically the consequences of the sexual act. I can't help but keep thinking about what is going through the minds of this 10 year mother and 13 year old father. I mean, she will be 20 years old when her child is 10....I can't even wrap my mind around that. The mother of the 10 year old girl was quoted in a separate article as saying she is delighted over having a new Grandaughter and that she doesn't understand why the birth has shocked anyone let alone become an international sensation. Um, hello....I am pretty sure 10 year old Mothers are not the norm in your home country of Romania so why wouldn't it be an international story?Below is the article as posted in The Huffington Post and the link to the article with the mother is listed below:

MADRID — A 10-year-old girl has given birth in southern Spain and authorities are evaluating whether to let her and her family retain custody of the baby, an official said Tuesday. The baby was born last week in the city of Jerez de la Frontera, said Micaela Navarro, the Andalusia region's social affairs minister.

Navarro told reporters the father of the baby is also a minor, and both the mother and the baby were in good health. Her department declined to give details, including the sex of the baby, but said authorities do not consider this a case of rape and that no criminal investigation is under way.

Under Spanish law, having consensual sex with someone under age 13 is classified as child abuse, an official with the Spanish Justice Ministry in Madrid said. But this particular case is complicated by the fact that the father of the baby is also a minor and it is not clear if he could be charged, the official said.

Spanish newspapers said the mother is of Romanian origin.

The daily Diario de Jerez reported the girl was already pregnant when she arrived in Spain, but did not say when she came to this country. It is not clear if the father is in Spain.

Medical experts warn that because young girls are still growing, they are at higher risk during pregnancy. Studies have shown that teenage girls are more likely to give birth to premature babies and their infants have a higher chance of dying by age one.

Link to Grandmother's Article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/03/olimpia-mother-of-10yearo_n_778284.html

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

You Won't See This in the Big City

I love Huffington Post, I get all the news I need and with a much more broadminded view then a lot of the news outlets out there. I was absolutely blown away by the photographs in this video and had to share, check this out!

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/11/01/dnt.bison.bear.park.ktvq

Happy National CandyKingTut Day!

http://www.kidzworld.com/article/21249-national-candy-day-november-4

No I am not kidding, November 4th is National Candy Day! Like having Halloween, the biggest candy holiday of all on October 31st is not enough, they throw in a day like this! What is National Candy Day you may ask, I wondered the same thing but alas, all of my Google searches were for naught. I couldn't find one article that actually explained the inception of Candy Day or how it became a National Holiday. I did however find this article talking about National Candy Day that has a sweet vintage Tootsie Roll commercial at the end of it. So enjoy that Butterfinger, Milky Way, Tootsie Pop or Payday without the guilt, it is a National Holiday today so the calories don't count;).

http://www.kingtutone.com/tutankhamun/information/

November 4th is also King Tut Day, the day we celebrate the discovery of King Tutankhamen's Tomb. His nearly intact tomb was discovered on November 4th, 1922 in the Valley of the Kings. Most people that celebrate King Tut day do so by reading books about King Tut and Egypt. No one knows who created it or when it was first celebrated, but it gives us another excuse to PAR-TAY! So Happy King Tut day everyone, why not throw a Candy themed King Tut party and kill two birds with one stone;).

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Retro Housewife Day

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/November/housewifeday.htm

We come to the end of National Housewife Day or as it is also known "Retro Housewife Day". On November 3rd of every year, we celebrate all of those Stay-at-Home wives and mothers who keep the home fires burning and thanks to them keep the kids from burning down the house. Yes, this holiday does indeed set the women's movement back a few decades, but hey, who doesn't love a woman in an apron and pearls who keeps everything in impeccable condition? So before you lay your head on your perfectly fluffed pillow and shut your sleepy little eyes, take the time to thank and worship the goddess that is the housewife in your life. Because without her, you would just be another mismatched, disheveled, eat out of the container while standing over the sink schmuck who still thinks they have a shot at Angelina Jolie.

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Happy National Sandwich Day!

You heard me right, today is National Sandwich Day. The day we celebrate one of the nations favorite foods. For history of the sandwich, how it came about, a list of early American sandwiches and other fun sandwich facts, check out this link and read all about it: http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodsandwiches.html. Happy Eating!

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

Home Alone

Boy did I step in this time, let me explain. My daughter is home sick with a fever, her teacher from last year (who has become a good friend) posted on Facebook to just leave her home. I responded with a statement saying that where I live, no child under the age of 12 is allowed to be home alone. I honestly thought the state had this law on the books. I was wrong, therefor let me apologize for mistaking the age a child is allowed to babysit with the age a child is allowed to be home alone.

Below is a direct quote from an article about Latchkey Kid Age Limits:

(you can find the article here: http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm)

At what age can a child be legally left at home alone? See the chart below.

The National SAFEKIDS Campaign recommends that no child under the age of 12 be left at home alone.

However, consider a child's age and maturity level. For example, if a child is extremely impulsive, it might be best to wait until he or she is older than 12.

There appear to be very few states with specific regulations about the age of a child left at home alone. However, since the number of latchkey kids is growing significantly due to 2 income parents and single parents and guardians, there is a growing movement within state agencies to set guidelines.

Lynn Yaney, spokeswoman for the agency that handles child welfare in Contra Costa County, California, states:

"A general rule of thumb is that kids under age seven aren't capable of thinking logically and putting cause and effect together," Tanner said. "They are reliant on caregivers to structure their day." Children between ages 7 and 10 years aren't generally ready to self-supervise for an extended period, but in a routine and predictable environment, such as just after school, they can manage, Tanner said. Children 12 and 13 years old should be judged on a case- by-case basis but should not be left alone overnight.

My friends may not agree with me but I do not believe a child under the age of 12 should be home alone, ESPECIALLY when they have a fever. What if I am at work and her fever spikes, is she going to be smart enough to call me? I know when I feel like crap or have a high fever, the last thing I am doing is getting on the phone to call someone. What it comes down to in MY family is I don't trust my kids as far as I can throw them and I shouldn't have too. They are only 11 and 8, there should be no trust there whatsoever yet because they are still at the age of "Do something now that causes a big problem and then realize later that they screwed up and are going to get in trouble".

Let me clarify something, I trust my kids to take out the garbage, put their laundry in the hamper, let the dog out to go to the bathroom....but they still have trouble managing these simple things. So it is very hard for me to even begin to think about letting her be in the home alone without an adult. I have 8 months before my daughter turns 12, at this time I "hope" to have had several successful attempts at leaving her home alone for maybe half an hour possibly an hour, but that is still many months down the road. Am I wrong, am I just an overprotective mother who because of her past refuses to let go? Or am I a mom who realizes the dangers posed to our children by child predators and just wants to make sure that her kids are armed with all the information they need before they are left on their own.

Weigh in on the "Home Alone" debate and post your thoughts below.

(Remember this is a safe forum and all discriminatory or rude comments will be removed.)

Cheers!

ACOCAACN

First Posting

Wow, there are so many blogs out there with the opinions of random strangers that are funny, witty, informative and entertaining. I am not sure if this is going to be one of those blogs, I really would like it too be. I have a lot to say about a lot of things, some you may agree with and some you may not but that is what makes living in the United States great, right?

I have a brother-in-law, currently in jail, awaiting trial on a lot of charges (3 of which are felonies). He wrote me a letter, well it was more of a note written on the back of drawing he sent me. He asked that I write him, he said I am always honest and I have a way with words that he doesn't. This truly is the nicest thing that he has ever said too me. He has too know that I will be completely honest with him and that there is a 99% chance he isn't going to like what I say. But he still asked me to and that says a lot. It is because him that I started thinking about doing a blog like this. I have my personal blog for family so that those members out of state are able to stay caught up on the lives of my children. I have my business blog (www.twistedkiltphotography.blogspot.com) for my photography clients and also to just document the experience of going from professional hobbiest to professional. Neither of those are like this though, this is an experiment in the possibility that I am more then the sum of my parts....does that make sense?

So here we go, this isn't the Julie/Julia project (which was brilliant by the way) it is more of the Samantha/Sammee project...the person I am seen as vs. the person I really am. So come along for the ride if you would like, stay awhile, set up camp, leave your opinions (constructive criticism is welcome rude comments are not necessary) but most of all just enjoy. I promise to do my best to entertain you, inform you and most of all not bore you to death;). Until next time......

Cheers!

ACOCAACN