Family Funnies...

I don't usually do personal family-type posts here, but I posted this on my "family blog" and since I've got a few book-related things here I thought I'd share the whole kaboodle:


My 4-year-old grabbed my hand the other night and says, "Mommy, come see, come see!!" and shows me this:

Me: Oh how cute! It's a king cake!!
Molly: *looks at me like she's saddened by my lack of intelligence and blows out a sigh*
No, Mommy. It's a paper plate, and we cut it out and put paint and glitter and glued a crown on it.

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Last night we went out to dinner, and on the way home, my 10-year-old was telling us about a vampire book she's reading. Somehow the conversation got side-tracked, because the next thing I know, she's asking, "Vampires can't be gay, can they?" To which hubs answers, "Of course they can, read one of your mother's books. Oh wait, don't."

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This is why I love springtime:

I took this picture standing in my back doorway. By the end of this week that bush will be a huge pink puff of color. Love it!!! (Yes, we have a "cajun chandelier" hanging at the top of that picture - we are high-klass. Hubs and the girls made azalea necklaces this morning.

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I'm thinking about taking the kids to Houston my birthday weekend so I can go see Charlaine Harris. I went out there over Mardi Gras to see Patricia Briggs/Kim Harrison and had a great time with my brother and his wife (my BFF). I'd make it a 3 or 4 day weekend I think (surprise brother and BFF, lol), since we're not doing a "real" vacation this year. Of course, I still want to visit for our traditional 4th of July weekend visit too ;)

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I'm super-excited about the "super moon" tonight. I love all things celestial and I've already been outside twice to look :)

Hope you're having a great weekend!

August Wrap-Up (It's a doozy!)

Ever since I came back from vacation, I've been feeling like I'm behind in my reading. I don't know why, I just feel off. I did get some great reads in though:

1. Alpha - Rachel Vincent (5 stars!) - will be posting this review soon :)
2. Awakened by a Kiss - Lila DiPasqua (3.5 stars)
3. White Heat - Brenda Novak (3 stars)
4. Georgia's Kitchen - Jenny Nelson (3 stars)
5. Bring on the Night - Jeri Smith-Ready (5 stars!)
6. Deceived by Desire - Larissa Lyons (3 stars)
7. Comfort Food - Kitty Thomas (5 stars!)
8. Ecstasy Unveiled - Larissa Ione (4 stars)
9. Sin Undone - Larissa Ione (5 stars!)
10. Dangerous Desires - Dee Davis (4 stars)
11. Seduced by a Highlander (4 stars)
12. The Satin Sash - Red Garnier (2 1/2 stars)
13. Never a Bride - Ava Grey ( 2 1/2 stars)

I'd say I had a pretty eclectic month!

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I had a personal milestone this month - my baby started Big Girl School: Pre-K 4, next year is Kindergarten. She's been so excited all summer to start school where her big sister goes. Another milestone, my oldest is a senior in high school this year (he didn't want his picture taken). Here's the Littlest Book Addict in her school uniform:

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August 29 marks the 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As much as I don't want to think about it, it seeps into my mind this time of year. I couldn't figure out why I was thinking so much about it recently and then I looked at a calendar and realized why. I wasn't going to write a post about Katrina this year, I want to forget. I purposely did not write about it on my personal blog either. But I started thinking, and couldn't stop. If you're interested - here's my post about my survivor's guilt.

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This weekend is the Writers for New Orleans author event and multi-author book signing - a few of us are getting together Sat night for drinks and Sunday for brunch at The Court of Two Sisters for brunch before the signing. If you think you'd be interested in either, contact me at bookaddictpatti at cox dot net - we'd love to meet you!!!

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And, totally random but I love it so much I have to show it off - my new purse and wallet:

I did buy it in August so technically it can go with this post :) I love Mexican sugar skull and Dia de los Muertos art, so when I saw this in a shop in the French Quarter I had to have it. It's a small messenger bag - holds my kindle or a book (not both), wallet, checkbook and sunglasses - not too big at all...

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Torn over whether to let my son read JR Ward

So, back in October, my son surprised me by asking if he could read Dark Lover. Apparently his girlfriend recommended it. I automatically said no.

But now I'm rethinking my position. He's going to be 17 next month. He watches R-rated movies that are full of sex and violence. He's read the Sookie Stackhouse books, which I was hesitant about at first (thank you Shower Scene in Book 4), but we didn't let him watch True Blood until this season.

I'd like to think we've raised him right so far, and I remind him A LOT that the relationships he sees on TV and the movies are not necessarily true-to-life and I expect him to respect women and not view them as sex objects.

And, from what I read in the blogosphere, many of you started reading romance in your teens (I only started less than two years ago), so am I pulling a double-standard because he 's a boy? I know it sounds weird, but I don't want him to view Dark Lover as a sex manual, if that makes sense.

I know there was some sort of kerfluffle recently about a teen reviewing an erotic book for a site, but I think that was mainly over the fact that he wasn't presented as a teen when he did the review? Or that it wasn't his parents that gave him the book?

I've decided to let him read it, but I'm curious about what other romance readers think or what you've done if your teen expresses interest in reading romance. And, is it different because he's a boy, or is it just different because for me it's not a hypothetical kid?

Family Time and Grown Up Time

I got home from work this afternoon, and my 3yo runs up and hugs me and tells me she has to go to the bathroom. I escort her to the bathroom, where she's going to "be awhile", so I head into the kitchen to help hubs with dinner. A few minutes later we hear this:

"I NEED MY BOOKMARK! I NEED MY BOOKMAAAAAAARK!"

Yes, she reads (okay, looks at pictures, really) on the pot and had dropped her bookmark. It was really very cute.

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I always assume no one is paying attention to what I read. Well, apparently hubs has been paying attention to what I've been reading, because when I walked into the bedroom after helping the Littlest Book Addict find her bookmark, I found this:


Yup, that's what it is. Not sure it will ever do anything besides grace my bookshelf, but you never know..... *winks*

I don't normally put up family stuff on this blog but...

...these pics were too cute not to post!

I did a bit of Spring Cleaning this weekend, and on Sunday hubs and I took Bridget (kid 2) and Molly (kid 3) to breakfast where Ian (kid 1) works, then hubs took the girls to the Zoo while Ian was at work. I had the whole house to myself to clean (and maybe do a bit of reading? I'll never tell!! If I did it was Danielle's fault!).

Molly is obviously feeling better after her pneumonia (Dr. visit was Saturday, all is well and weather was around 65 yesterday and she only got her feet wet here so this is okay!):




Bridget and Molly climbing up Monkey Hill:

How was your weekend?