How was your week? And Mother's Day? I hope everyone had a peaceful, joyous, and love-filled week. As a mom of six kids, I always think I deserve like, a new car or something but all I ever get is flowers.
Kidding! I loved my flowers! It was sort of a half bouquet from the store, half from the neighbor's garden. (Seriously, it was. They moved and the house has been empty/for sale for a year. We're okay with stealing the flowers that grow in their alley.)
Most of the day was spent on getting everyone prepared for our state tests on Tuesday. (Shoot me NOW.) As home schoolers, we have state testing just like regular school peeps. Just as much stress, or maybe a little more, since we have to whip these test results out to wave around when people start saying home home schoolers are behind in regular subjects. (True, my kids do have some crazy hobbies that take a lot of their time, but we also keep up on the state standards.) So, if you see us and we're all looking a little wigged out, that's why.
But this week we also had an awesome experience that we couldn't have done if everyone was in school. We got to be the ground crew for our local balloon festival, the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede! Being a crew member meant learning which ropes to hold, which way to fold the fabric, how to be a human sandbag and most of all, HOW TO GET YOUR BODY OUT OF BED AT FOUR AM. Ugh. Can you tell I hated that part?
Here's my second-oldest child holding down the gondola (basket) while they get prepared for passengers. It's about 6AM here so she's only been up a few hours, but she's tiiiiired. Me? I knew there was no way I was getting out of bed at 4AM, so I just stayed up. It was fun, writing all night... until about ten AM and I realized that I didn't get to go to bed until that evening. Ha! All those late nighters I pulled in college at the age of 20 could NOT prepare me for how it felt at almost 40. Ugh.
But it was great to see items close up, that we usually only see at a distance.
It was neat to see how fast the balloons inflate... just a few minutes.
I like how this one peeked over the tree line.
And this one. Almost like a circus balloon!
Watching the fire so close was a bit weird, but we have nerves of steel in the family! LOL
We also participated in the "night glow" evening, where the pilots stand up the balloons and then light the burners in unison or in rhythm with music. It's fun, and sort of silly, since nobody is GOING ANYWHERE in the dark. But the crowd loves it and we had a good time being ballast again for when they just needed the basket to hover. (Wait, I sense a theme. *gets on the scale*)
So, now that we've talked all about me (isn't that why we're all here? no?) I've got some WINNERS to announce!!
Bonnie R., Rafflecopter loves YOU and wants you to have some awesome Austen earrings!
Dianne D., Rafflecopter love YOU and wants you to have the Emma Fridge Lit magnet set! (I'm seriously jealous... I think I need to order some of these for my fridge. What a great way to wait for my water to heat up when I'm making tea!)
And finally, Christy M. Rafflecopter loves YOU and wants you to have Pride and Prejudice Ear Grey Tea and Lavender soap! This arrived a few days ago and it smells amazing! Super yum... I maye have to order some for Christmas presents.
(CONTACT me at my facebook page with your mailing address so I can send these onward! )
Ok everybody! My editor sent me a pic of the final paper copies of Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits... and I AM IN LOVE. Seriously. My baby is all grown up! So glossy and bright, such straight lines and crisp pages. I can't wait to start sending out signed copies for review (or as a gift for a special someone). But before then... we'll have to tide ourselves over with a few more giveaway. I still have a small mountain of fan art here on my desk and I vowed to be a good Jane Austen team member and not to HOARD THE GOODIES.
So, this next giveaway is a Jane Austen bonnet. Admit it, you want your own Jane Austen bonnet to wear around the house as you sip Earl Grey tea and write letters with your quill pen! I know, I know... it's a tough world we live in when every girl isn't given her own lovely bonnet as soon as she comes of age.
But that's what I'm here for- to help you become as crazily-obsessed with Miss Jane as I am!
And if you're not convince a bonnet is just what you need, remember this line from Jane's letter to her sister Cassandra:
"Next week [I] shall begin my operations on my hat, on which you know my principal hopes of happiness depend."
October 27, 1798
(You see? Some might say Jane was being a wee bit sarcastic, but there's a little part of me that truly believes a bonnet has everything to do with one's happiness.)
Not sure I'd wear it to the grocery store but knowing me I'd probably wear it somewhere. :-)
ReplyDeletehaha! I really don't think I could wear this in public. I'm the shy type. But I would applaud anybody I saw wearing this... and go up and introduce myself because I would know they were beyond awesome!
DeleteI would wear it around the house and possibly to a Jane Austen Festival I want to go to.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I wish there was anything like that round here. Hmmm... I could have a book club meeting and wear one then...?
DeleteI'm not brave enough to wear it out shopping for groceries. Perhaps I might wear it for my friend's Christmas party.
ReplyDeleteOr Halloween! Agreed on the shopping. :D I'd be afraid they'd call the police to report a crazy person.
DeleteWell, I don't celebrate Halloween or get invited to Halloween parties.
DeleteHm, neither do I. I guess that puts a damper on that plan!
DeleteI'd probably wear it anywhere I went, around the house and even to church and yes even to grocery shop. :)
ReplyDeleteChurch! That's a good one! I wonder if my kids would insist on their own pew if I did that...
DeleteI dreamed last night that I was wearing an ivory Civil War era gown. Perfect way to give my profile some color!
ReplyDeleteOooooh, I bet that was gorgeous! And I'm jealous. I never have great dreams like that!
DeleteNot sure about the grocery store, but I'd definitely have to throw a tea party or two.
ReplyDeleteOk, that is another excellent idea! I had a tea party a few months ago and it occurs to me that I need to throw another! Otherwise all those little china cups get sad, stuck up in the cupboard week after week. :(
DeleteI'd wear this.
ReplyDeleteMaybe not to the grocery store, though. LOL!
I'm working on a dress to wear someday, somewhere. I call it research - sewing an 1840's era day dress is research, right? (Oh, and complete with period undergarments!)
Jan, that is very cool! My mother sewed my girls medieval dresses one year and they (being 8 and 9 years old) wore them everywhere. We had so many people come up to us in public and ask about the dresses. They were similar in style, but both were very unique. It was amazing how much detail she put into these miniature, historical dresses. I was too sad when they outgrew them but I have them stored away!
DeleteSaw your post about this delightful creation on Facebook! Our church has contemplated an old-fashioned day. That bonnet would be LOVELY to wear. :))
ReplyDeleteOhhhh, wouldn't that be amazing? I think I would get chills, wearing an old fashioned gown and singing one of the old hymns. It might be almost like time travel!
DeleteIf I win this, I will post a pic of me wearing it while grocery shopping! I'm a hat wearer anyway so it's not out of character. I will definitely wear it to the WSR's next tea!
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to be anonymous! Drat!
DeleteYAY!!! Yes, we must have pictures! I have a few hats I really love, but no bonnets. I was looking in the seller's etsy shop and I'm VERRRRY tempted to get a straw bonnet just so I can choose the ribbon like they always do in the Jane Austen novels!
DeleteA very pretty bonnet. I was trying to follow on Twitter, but the link doesn't seem to ne working. Your first book is on my TBR
ReplyDeleteOh no! I'll check that right away. Probably something I put in wrong. Thanks for letting me know!
DeleteI have always wanted to throw a period ball, complete with clothing from the regal eras! I guess you could it a "bucket list" item, if I had one. We have a local historical society that recently held a doll tea party, and my daughter and I attended. It was such an amazing experience, and we love to attend tea parties. I don't know if I am brave enough to waltz around everywhere in a bonnet, but I would have a lot of opportunities to wear it...And would do so with joy! Thank you again for hosting these wonderful giveaways!
ReplyDeleteA doll tea party? How fun! One of my daughter's friends once invited her to a fancy tea party held in a local tea room. It was amazing! Lots of wonderful cookies and delicious tea.
DeleteI'd love this bonnet! It'd be the perfect excuse to sew a regency dress for a Jane Austen tea.
ReplyDeleteI'm so tempted to a get a Regency dress.... but would have nowhere to wear it! Maybe if I tried to sew one, it would give me the incentive to wear it because I wouldn't want to let all that hard work go to waste!
DeleteWhat a unique giveaway. Enjoy your writing. I would certainly wear the bonnet ant time I would need to irritate my husband.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHA! That made me laugh out loud! I have to admit, my husband would give a big eye-roll if I wrote this around the house. I would definitely do it to annoy my kids, though.
DeleteO' a gorgeous bonnet indeed! Now, what period of gown to create for this bonnet?! And then what silk flowers to pin to said bonnet!? Or birds maybe berries!
ReplyDeleteOr all of the above? Actually, no birds! Unless they were fake. I'm sure you know they used to put on real birds. EWWWW. And the bonnet maker's site has a few pages that show what could be put on there and how.
DeleteMe? I think a really pale cream or mint green ribbon would be LOVELY.
I would wear it around and to church
ReplyDeleteBrave woman! I think I might wear it walking the dog. I have some neighbors who have Chinese straw hats (they're Chinese but have lived here for many years). I'm wondering if they would enjoy my bonnet or just think I'm weird.
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ReplyDeleteHave read Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits'; very much looking forward to reading 'Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs' and 'Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin' Cornbread'. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kerri! Good luck in the give away!
DeleteOh i love it. yes I would wear it about anywhere
ReplyDeleteHeehee! You're a brave soul!
DeleteI don't think I'd generally wear it around in public, but perhaps if there was a theme-specific event! Or any Halloween.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you! Unless I wanted to torture my kids... :D
DeleteI would definatly wear it around the house and maybe to the store if my hubby dared me enough lol.
ReplyDeleteHAHA! So true! I'm always good for a dare. But I can never keep a straight face, which is half the fun of doing something like this. You have to pretend that you have NO IDEA that your bonnet is odd at all.
DeleteI probably wouldn't wear it to the grocery store (I hate going there anyway) but definitely at home. I'd REALLY love to win it so I could wear it at the JASNA AGM next year!
ReplyDeleteOhhhh, I'm jealous!! I'm so far from any JASNA groups. *sniff* I'm all out here by my lonesome!
DeleteMe too! I would love to dress for, and go to this years JASNA festival in KY!
Delete