A Mixed Bag of Stuff

Honestly, y'all, I do not have a clue on what I am blogging about today. :) But, I have committed to blog, so buckle up, cause this ride might be unpredictable and the topics a mixed bag of stuff.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. They were an hour behind in getting patients in. Needless to say, I had to practice some patience. I sat there for over an hour, and the conversations around me were interesting, to say the least. To give you an idea of what the conversations were about, let me add it was an OBGYN's office. lol Moms discussed pregnancy, labor and delivery, weight gain and weight loss, and everything in between. i kind of felt sorry for the lone dad in the room and the boy who sounded about twelve. Along with the conversations, there was a 14-month-old who cried because her mama wouldn't let her explore the trash can. Ha! The twelve-year-old boy and his brother were watching YouTube videos on their phones and blowing up the latex gloves someone had given them and making the baby laugh out loud.

Later on, I was at the hospital for some pre op testing, and the RN took my temperature by running the end of the thermometer over part of my forehead and the side of my neck. My temperature had been taken this way before, but I found myself thinking, "Wow, technology sure has come a long way." I mean, think about it, y'all; it wasn't all that long ago when doctors could only guess at our bodies' temperatures. I'm sure they knew what was too hot and what was all right, but still… With blood pressure cuffs hooked to machines that check the blood pressure of a patient at the touch of a button, thermometers that only need to touch a portion of the forehead to check body temperatures, and a machine that beeps to let the doctor know when he or she has successfully intubated, who said I couldn't be a brain surgeon? ;)

Later still, I went shopping and found lots of things I wanted to buy. There were shoes, sheets, blankets, halloween costumes for kids, and I'd better stop there. :) So much stuff in that store, and while there's nothing wrong with buying, as long as I had the money, what long-lasting purpose would that stuff have served? No doubt, the shoes would have fit me. I could have worn them to church and everywhere. No doubt 2 or more sets of sheets would have been nice. But, I only needed one set. No doubt the blankets would have been nice to curl up with on a cold day, but I have blankets…and heat for the winter months. No doubt those costumes would have looked beautiful on my little girls, but I'll find some less expensive ones, somewhere else. After all, they will only be able to wear them once.

The last stop for the day was at the new Walmart. We ate dinner at Subway while the pharmacy filled prescriptions. When the meds were ready, we got a couple of other things we needed, then left. Our new Walmart isn't as large as some, but you can still buy groceries, toilet paper, prescriptions, clothes and an already prepared dinner, all at the same time. To most folks, a Walmart store is the next best thing to sliced bread. They love it! One lady said, "I just love the idea of buying a package of panties, my medicine and a box of cereal, all without leaving the store." Hate to break it to y'all, but this idea is not a new one. REmember stories about those old general stores? Yep, you got it! Walmart might be wonderful, but all it is, is a modernized general store. Hmm, kind of makes me wonder in 50 years or so, if the world's still standing, if someone will say, "Gee, I think we need specialty shops. How about we market a new idea? Let's have a butchery, a bakery, and a store just for fresh produce." If that happens, someone will blog and say, "These aren't new ideas, after all." :)

So, that's what's on my mind, today. Told you it would be a nixed bag of stuff. If I had to sum it all up, guess I'd say that people are funny, technology is great but not perfect, stuff don't really matter even though we think it does, and very few ideas are as new as we think they are.

Any thoughts? Questions? Admissions? Confessions? Rebukes? Comments? Would love to hear from my readers, so please feel free to comment or drop me an email at
ShannonNicoleWells@suddenlink.net

Be sure and come back Friday! Not sure what I'll be doing, but planning something good!

Make Believe...No Matter How You Look At It

It's October, but it feels like November. Am I the only one who thinks that? :) Of course, if you do not live in WV, then you might not agree. I heard a couple of days ago that it was in the 90's in Arizona. Yikes! I'm not moving there. lol Of course, there's probably a place in Maine or Montana with temps colder than the 50's, too. But, around here, in the Kanawha valley it feels like late fall. I keep wanting to talk about what's for dinner on Thanksgiving. I keep thinking about buying a thermos so my coffee will not get cold so fast. I'm wishing there was a regular heater in my bathroom. In other words, my body thinks it's curling up time. :)

speaking of curling up, yesterday morning, around 6:20 AM, I was getting ready to pour some coffee, when my three-year-old gets up and wants to watch TV. Everyone else was asleep, of course, but I turned the TV down and let her watch, anyway.

"Pease, Mommy, watch TV wiff me!"

Who could resist? Not me. :) So, I brought my coffee in to the living room and went to get my MacBook. I sat down beside her and wrote on my book while she sat beside me, wrapped up in her Dora blanket watching Kai-Lan. For a time, it was quiet; I was back East somewhere in Virginia a year or so after the end of the Civil War and Kierstin was watching Kai-Lan and her friends play. Then, I hear through the writer's fog, "Mommy, here's my ballerina. You pay wiff me."

Ha! No more writing for me. lol I put the MacBook away and played barbies. Our dolls had a sleep over, they went to the movies and all their friends came over to play. We had barbies, Dora, Swiper, a couple of ballerinas, Rapunzal. Needless to say, the couch was full. :)

What a joy it is to see my children's imaginations develop. Honestly, even though it's hard to concentrate on my story and her make-believe, I think it is what keeps me writing.

How about you? What keeps you writers writing? What feeds your creative side?

One more question. How in the world do you spell the name of that character with hair long enough to hang from a tower and touch the ground? lol :D

Finally Friday

If you've been following this blog, you will remember Monday's post that dealt with how to begin the work week. I guess we were programed to look forward to Fridays; it's the end of the school week, and we had two full days ahead of us with nothing to do. At an early age we were taught what TGIF means, and I can remember I wasn't the only kid going around school, chanting "TGIF, thank goodness it's Friday!"

Then, I entered Junior High and those two full days of laziness were filled with homework, but still we all looked forward to Fridays. In High School, what time I wasn't doing homework, I remember sleeping the weekend away. :) After graduation, I went to college, and I still thought Fridays were the best thing since spread peanut butter. So, after a semester and a half of college, I met the man of the place, got married and for some crazy reason, still looked forward to Fridays. Now I homeschool, today is Friday, and I find myself glad of it. I heard somewhere that students in France go to school on Saturdays. When I first heard this, I remember thinking, "Those poor kids!"

Anyway, it is Friday, the end of my husband's work week, the end of the school week for the girls and I, and apparently the girls feel my anxiousness to be done with work for the day; the are fighting and very reluctant to get started. I don't have a lot planned for the day, but we need to get on the ball, or we won't get anything done.

As for me...well, I hate to admit it, but I found a book online that sounded good. I downloaded it and listened to about five minutes of it so far. I want to read on, but...you guest it; there's work to be done.

So, here's where putting God's instruction and others' needs above my own, come in to practice. God has called me to teach my children. If He hadn't, they would be in public school, and I'd be sitting back, enjoying a good book with no interruptions until two PM. Also, the girls need me. No one said I couldn't read all day. The Bible does not have a commandment that says, "Thou shalt not listen to thine audio book during school time." lol But, here's what the Bible does say...and it applies to many things in life: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Now, I didn't check to make sure all the punctuation was correct, but that's what the King James version says in Matthew chapter 6 verse 33.

Now, to put that verse in action. If I put my girls' needs and God's will above my own, I will get off this computer, put the book down, turn off the TV's and teach them. If I teach them about God's love, about His creation, how to read, write and..."do figgers" like this one old lady I knew called it... then God will give me time for me. In other words, when my work for today is over, I can get back to the book.

How about y'all? Any thoughts on this subject? Is there something God is calling you to do that is a struggle for you? Do you have a hard time putting God's will before your own?

Let me leave you with just a thought. The devil is a roaring lion, the Bible says, seeking whom he may devour. he is the enemy, no doubt about it. His job is to steal, kill and destroy, but there is another enemy that just might be harder to defeat. That enemy, is self. Many, many times throughout the day when things get hard, I find myself saying, "But, Lord, I want... "But, Lord, I don't like..." "But, Lord, I..."

See what i mean?

Hope y'all have a happy, enjoyable and short Friday! Pray for me, cause now I'm gonna go practice what I preach. :)

A Message From Yours Truly and Some Links You Might Want To Check Out

Wow! It's Thursday already. On Monday, I promised myself I would blog three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but as you can see for yourselves, Wednesday came and went and no entry from me. My excuse? I guess writing on a new book, homeschooling my three-year-old and six-year-old, and household chores just got the best of me. :) But, I am blogging this morning. Can't chat long; school starts soon, and I still have to print out coloring sheets to go with our Bible lesson, print out tracing worksheets for my youngest to work on while the eldest does her math, yatta yatta yatta. And, yeah, I know, I should have been prepared before I went to bed last night, but after our supper of WV hot dogs, all I seemed to have time for was a cup of half caff coffee, straightening up a mess and putting the girlies to bed. Oh, yeah, and I had to make time for the man of the place. Did y'all like that phrase, "the man of the place"? I stole it from Laura Ingalls Wilder, actually. In one of the books written about the girl from "Little House on the Prairie", there are some articles she wrote for local publications. In them, she refers to her husband as "the man of the place". I kind of like it, but then again, I'm strange. :)

So, since I have a full day ahead of me and still haven't had anything sweet to eat, let me share with y'all a few links.

Do you like stories about mail order brides? I'm actually working on one now, and in my search for info on the net, I came across this

http://bustlesandspurs.blogspot.com/2011/08/matchmakingcom-in-old-west.html

One of the blogs I follow is that of Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner of WordServe Literary. In one of her posts, she mentions an online readers' club called, "She Reads." It's a division of Proverbs 31 Ministries. They discuss twelve books a year, so if you like to read any type of Christian Fiction and want to connect with other like-minded women, go check it out at

http://www.shereads.org/

If you are a writer and want to follow Rachelle's blog, here's the link.

http://www.rachellegardner.com

Another blog I follow is

http://www.mybooktherapy.com

If you are a writer of Christian Fiction, go check it out. If you love Susan May Warren's books, go check it out. :)

As always, if you love me, my books, and everything you can think of about me, ;) you are more than welcome to check out my website

http://www.wildheartbook.com

Do you Tweet? Come follow me at

http://www.twitter.com/authorshannon

Do you FaceBook? Come be my friend at

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1826550903

What person or persons inspire you on your journey?

Until next time, keep on keepin' on. Let's help each other make it home. Remember that song?

"It'll be worth it after all, child. It'll be worth it after all. After all of these trials, we'll hear Jesus call. It'll be worth it after all, child. It'll be worth it after all. After all of this climbing, it'll be worth it after all." The Spensers

Monday Madness

Good morning to all! It's Monday, in case you haven't noticed, the first day of the work week for lots of us. Also, for many, it's too early for rational thought. So, grab your coffee, tea or soft drink of your choice, and let's get movin'! :)

Of course, you and I know, that is easier to say than do; take me, for instance. After the craziness of Sunday, the lazy side of me wants to chill out on monday morning. I want to enjoy my cup of caffeine, the quiet of my little office space and maybe do some reading. But, I have a three-year-old and a six-year-old, there are dirty dishes in my kitchen sink, we have school work to do, there's probably laundry I need to do, and there's writing to be done. Now, to those of you who get up early and head out to work an eight or ten our shift, this may not sound like a lot. After all, how hard could it be to be a stay-at-home mom. My answer, it's not hard. However, when you have issues with time management as I do, it can get confusing.

It took me a while to go to sleep last night. For some reason, I kept thinking about the characters in my newest book. It's a historical.

I kept asking my two main characters, "How do you feel about him," and "What do you think about her?" Just in case you are wondering, they aren't listening to me. lol

So, i managed to fall asleep, only to dream I was stuck at an unfamiliar house, my husband was somewhere dangerous, and no one i knew would text me. :)

After this weird dream, I woke up to a three-year-old in my bed, kicking me and wanting to prop her legs and feet on my back. Needless to say, I don't think anyone except the six-year-old slept well.

If you are a parent, you've had nights like that. You have also had to get up and get to work after nights like that.

I have a full day of home school planned, I have a certain amount of writing i want to accomplish, there are some household chores I need to complete, and there's only one way I'll make it through…trusting in God. I believe God has blessed me with a talent to write. I believe God has called me to be a stay-at-home mom and to home school. It is not such a great leap of faith to say that if I believe God has called, then He will equip me with the right tools and strength to do what He is calling me to do.

Now, here's your challenge…and don't be shy about joining in the discussion. What are some things you believe God has called you to do?

Baking and What-Not: An Update

So, it's Monday, it's the first day of August, it has almost been four months since I've written anything on here, and any faithful readers I once had are probably long gone. So, why keep on blogging? Well, guess I can't help it; writing's in me blood, you might say.

Not that I've been doing much writing, here of late, but when the urge to write hits, I do my best to obey it. If not, depression sets in, and I'm tired of going down that road.

What I have been doing a lot of, lately, is baking and reading. The reading is for entertainment, I suppose, and the baking, I reckon is how I have been expressing my creativity. Not that I've prepared anything that would impress Paula Deen or wow Rachal Ray, but I have tinkered with a few recipes and made them my own.

I found a recipe for a 100 year old blackberry cake from my own wild and wonderful state of WV. Intrigued, I wash some freshly picked blackberries from two days previously, and proceeded to mix up the ingredients, and to my amazement, I found myself singing. Singing while whipping up a cake, whose ingredients I had only memorized? Ok, so I never said I was sane. Anyway, the recipe, I discovered had a mistake in it. Near the end of the list of ingredients, it said to add a half (1/2) cup of cloves. I'm like, "There ain't no way!"

So, knowing I was smarter than that, I just added a half (1/2) teaspoon of ground cloves, which, in case you want to know, was too much, even then. I should have put only a fourth (1/4) in it. Still, the cake was good. I greased the bottom of my bunt pan with crisco, but instead of using flour, I used powdered sugar. I hoped it would sweeten the whole concoction. I think it worked. One thing I should have done and did not, was sweeten the berries before baking. the sweet cake made them sour as ever, even though they were sweet and ripe from off the vine.

A couple of weeks before the blackberry cake, I baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies and a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. I couldn't find my baking powder, so used self rising flour, instead. They turned out rather yummy, if I do say so, myself.

Just last week, I took a recipe for peach cobbler that I found online, and instead of canned peaches, I use 2 cans of fried apples. YUM! In this recipe, as well, I used self rising flour, the hudson Cream kind. The only thing lacking with the apple cobbler, was vanilla ice cream. lol

To end this latest frenzy, two days ago, I tried a new brownie recipe. Once again, all I can say is, "Yum!"

As for reading, well, I've been all over the place with that pass time. I read a Karen Kingsbury book called "Learning", the Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Jo Ann Fluke, a few culinary mysteries by Diane Mott Davidson, and a few others that I can't remember, now. I have also reviewed a friend's book. It's called, "Classified", and she is looking to publish it, hopefully some time this year. You can check out her family's website at
http://www.hoyfamily.net

And, writing, that hobby of mine that I said I wasn't doing much of? Well, I have tentatively started working on the third book in the Wild Heart series. I write something, though, find out I don't like it for one reason or another and write something else. Maybe, quite possibly, if I stop reading so many other books, I'd be able to concentrate on my own. :)

Now, here's something odd for me. There is one thing I have been writing. At least once a month since March, I've been writing letters to my grandmother who past away on February 20, 2011. Now, don't call the head doctor yet. lol I know how it sounds; weird, but it actually helps me get my thoughts and emotions under control. It's strange, but I find I can really open up and write what is on my heart, when I am writing to her. Of course, I know she can't hear me and will never read the letters. But, maybe, that is why it's easy to open up. Usually, I can't finish a letter without crying, but this last time, I did manage to get through an entire letter without tearing up. Call it therapy, call it crazy; I don't care. It makes me feel better. After all, each person grieves differently. Right? So, for now, whenever I feel I have to say something to her, or when I get to missing her real bad, I'll write her a letter. And, no, I will never publish them!

So, as for what all is happening with me, guess you have it. The summer's been hot…real hot, but I'm trying not to complain, 'cause I heard yesterday we're supposed to have another bad winter. I tell y'all, I'm awful thankful the Lord isn't calling me to go without my air conditioning. lol The family is well, and we're gearing up for another year of homeschool. Faith is in first grade, and Kierstin, I think, is ready to start some preschool stuff. How I'm going do buckle down and do it all, is something only the Lord knows.

Is that about it? Yep, I think so. I'll be posting again, soon, talking about my books that are available for purchase, and some up-coming good news concerning said books. Be sure to come back soon, for all the updates on that subject.

Until next time, keep on keeping' on, and don't be shy about dropping me a comment or an email at
ShannonNicoleWells@suddenlink.net
to let me know what you think of my blog. I also welcome comments/questions on the topics I write about on here. You have a question for me and want it answered on the blog, let me know. You tired of hearing me yap on and on? Tell me so. :D Love hearing from my reader friends!

Keeping y'all in my prayers and asking you to do the same for me.
Shannon

So sorry

Well, I am without internet, so no blogging until I am back online. Hang in there, cause I will be back soon.