Wordful Wednesday: Because I Refuse To Make My Own Birthday Cake

I love making fantastic cakes for other people. The look on their face when they see the cake…well, it's my drug. Love that feeling. But make my own birthday cake? No way.

So when we have the family dinner on the Sunday during my birthday week, Aunt Denise brings a chocolate cake, frosting, plenty of sprinkles, candies, etc., then turns the kids loose on it. I love this tradition! (But for the past couple of years? I've insisted on making the frosting. I'm kinda a snob that way.)

This year, the cake was divided into three portions (so there wouldn't be any tears over who's art got covered up by who's craziness with the sprinkles). Baby had the far side, Boo in the middle, and the Boy's portion is buried under sprinkles and candy.

And just because I know you're dying to ask…I'm 29.95 plus shipping and handling.

Teaser Tuesday: Mistborn

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give away too much. You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

I still haven't finished the book from last week (it's been a busy week) so I'm reaching back to one I finished before joining Teaser Tuesday.

In Mistborn, Brandon Sanderson creates a world where the Lord Ruler is a tyrannical ruler, oppressing the common people for the past 1,000 years. Think of it as a sort of medieval period with extremes in the classes and rebellion but add in powerful abilities fueled by metals and one ruthless king that's ruled for the past millennium. And really, I just can't do the storyline justice so please find a copy (or borrow mine) and read it for yourself. 

Here's the Teaser: 

"Only high noblemen could be Mistborn; they were said to be a secret sect of assassins who served him, only going out at night. Reen had always taught her that they were a myth, and Vin had assumed he was right." 

- pg. 65, "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson

What are you reading?

The Smells of Caramel Apples and Swap Packages are in the Air!

I love Halloween. It's just FUN!

Are you going to dress up this year? I will (of course) but the Man won't (of course). Boo wants to be a witch and Baby wants to be a kitty. The Boy wants to be Spiderman. Or a red Lego. Or Superman. Or a blue Lego. Hey, at least he's it narrowed down to four. I'm still thinking.

Also? It's my Birthday week next week. I've started the celebration a little early by making an appointment with my dentist Thursday afternoon because nothing says "Party time!" like sharp, metallic objects jabbing your gumline. Woot.

So to make myself feel a little more in the party spirit, I signed up for another swap!




Two lovely ladies that I met through swapping are hosting one of their own. Angie from My So-Called Chaos and Beth from Living a Goddess Life put together a Halloween swap. Perfect. I love this time of year (and not just because it's my birthday). So march on over and get yourself signed up!

And while you're at it…got any ideas for costumes?

Wordful Wednesday: Maybe the Chemistry Set was a Bad Idea

Boo is in her "sign making" phase, where she's always changing/adding to the signs on her bedroom door. Since Baby switched places with the Boy and now the girls are sharing a room, her notes have take on a decidedly feminist tone.

If you can't read her sign, it reads: "Keep Out!! Only Girls allowed inside. We are making dangerous things. Warning: dangerous Girls."

I think the skull and crossbones presents her message well, but nothing says "dangerous" like a flaming skull. Or she's drawing the face that Baby makes whenever I try to fix her hair.

Teaser Tuesday: Grass for His Pillow

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give away too much. You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

The Tales of the Otori is a trilogy set in an alternate Japan. While very much like the Japan we learn about in the history books, the people in this series tend to believe in myth and magic a little more. And there's a hidden tribe of assassins that totally reminds me of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I started reading the second book in the series and very much appreciated the listing of characters in the beginning of the book so I could refresh my memory on just who was the bad guy, who was the good guy, and who was yet-to-be-determined. Takeo, adopted son of an Otori lord, now finds himself an orphan as he is taken to join his rightful family among the secretive and deadly Tribe. Worst of all is the separation from his love, Kaede, the beautiful heiress with a deadly reputation of her own: every man who desired her ends up dead.


Here's Teaser:

" 'Men die easily.' Kaede's voice was flat. 'From the prick of a needle, the thrust of a knife. You taught me that.' "- pg. 7, Grass for His Pillow: Tales of the Otori, Book Two by Lian Hearn.

What are you reading?