Summer Reading Contest (Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card)

I don't know about you, but I have TONS of books on my To Be Read list and I'm just itching to jump right in. I've already had a little taste of reading by the pool, although the weather here in Utah has been a bit confused (Mother Nature seems to think that we live in the Northwest instead of the desert, but there's no changing her mind). Even though we're a bit soggy now, I'm predicting warm days soon and I can't wait until the kids are out of school so that we can spend every day poolside.

In honor of a summer full of reading I thought I'd have a little contest to get you all on your way. How does a $20 Gift Certificate to Amazon sound?

To win all you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what book you can't wait to read this summer. I'd love to have you follow my blog, but you don't have to be a follower to enter (although if you follow you'll also be entered to win one of my original paintings. Yipee!)

In case you're wondering what I can't wait to read this summer, here's just a few of the titles on my TBR list.

• Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
• What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
• Where She Went by Gayle Forman
• Hereafter by Tara Hudson
• Possesion by Elana Johnson 
• The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
• Stay by Deb Caletti

I could go on and on, but I can't wait to hear what your recommendations are.

Happy Reading!!!

And in honor of summer vacation this contest will end on
June 8th (a.k.a. the last day of school)

Ode to Boy

It's my son's 12th birthday tomorrow. Last year I started a tradition to write him a poem for his birthday as a way to celebrate the person he is during this moment in time.

Here's this year's poem:

12

I have almost forgotten that little boy

who I used to hold in my lap.

He’s grown.

Feet and hands as big as mine.

Soon those few inches between us will close

and it will be your eyes

that are looking down into mine.

Promise me that you’ll still hold my hand

the way you do now,

grabbing it without a thought

as we stroll down the sidewalk together.

Promise me that you’ll still ask for goodnight kisses,

that you’ll still hold on to me,

not ready to let me go

when we turn off the light.

Promise me that I’ll be the one

you want to tell your stories to,

that I’ll be the one you complain to,

about friends who smell funny,

or girls who talk too much,

or teachers who just don’t listen.

Promise me that you’ll never be too grown up

to hug me in public

and tell me that you love me.

I won’t mind

If you simply want to whisper it

Into my ear

Just so long as I can hear you say it out loud.

Promise me that you’ll always want

to snuggle next to me as you read,

just to feel the closeness between us.

I don’t want to forget

your teeth, the way they are right now,

still big in your mouth,

untouched by braces.

I don’t want to forget

the way you shoot your basketball,

tossing it gleefully behind your head,

or the way you bowl,

balancing between pure show off

and downtrodden Eeyore.

I don’t want to forget

the way you look right after you’ve told a joke

that has made everyone laugh.

The way a pleased smile forms on your lips

And you look at me

to make sure that I’ve noticed.

Don’t let me forget these things.

Imprint them on my skin.

Engrave them in my bones

So that I always remember

what it feels like

to be the center of your universe.

Tick Tock: My Best Friend Sally

Let me introduce you to one of my best friends. Some people think she’s annoying because she nags… a lot (and in a very loud, screeching voice I might add), but without her I’m basically a lazy blob stuck unmoving under a warm blanket on the couch.

Maybe I just don’t know how to motivate myself or use my time wisely, but without my handy dandy oven timer (we’ll just call her Sally) I’m pretty lost.

I wish that I was a person who could face the day with sword wielded, armor flashing and tackle every task on my “to do” list, but I’m not. In fact, big lists overwhelm me, which is ironic because of my almost obscene love for lists. And I do love them. I love writing them, and crossing the items off in really dark pen.

But the key to tackling a list (for me) is Sally. Maybe I’m a bit like a Kindergartener, but I just accomplish things better when they’re broken down into nice little manageable chunks of time. You’d be amazed what can get done in 15 minutes.

Here’s how Sally serves me best. On those days when I really just want to sit in my big cozy chair in my front room under my down comforter and read the next book on my list, Sally is there to make sure that three o’clock doesn’t roll around with me still sporting my pajamas. Sally can be set for a half an hour, during which time I get to read and read and read. Then when she beeps I know it’s time to get something done, for instance getting dressed.

I’m still not totally fair with my time. The things I like to do: reading, writing, painting, get big chunks of time to work with, while things like housework usually get relegated to 15 minute bursts (and how I love to hear that beeping that sets me free from cleaning.)

I heard Sally’s cousin Ally lives at your house. Aren’t you lucky?

The Super-Gigantic-Knock-Your-Socks-Off Contest...Again

Sorry folks, lets try this again. Blogger had some sort of huge failure yesterday and wiped out the past posts for a few days so I'm relisting my contest. Please comment again so I don't forget you.


Incase you didn't see the posting for the last contest, here are the details again:


You can win a full sized original painting like the one pictured above (valued at $800). If you're not crazy about that one I have a half dozen others for you to choose from in many colors and sizes.


It's easy to ENTER. All you have to do is make sure you're a follower and then blog, tweet, facebook or email about my contest, anything to spread the word. Then just write me a message letting me know how you did it.


I'm adding an extra way to get entries this time around. If some one comments that they were referred to my site from you, you'll get an extra entry. So be sure to tell your friends to say you sent them.


All new followers will automatically be entered twice (Please let me know in the comment section that you are new so that I can keep track of you). And like always, the more ways you spread the word, the more times you'll be entered.**
The contest will end on my birthday, June 6th. 

 ** Don't forget to leave a message to enter. Otherwise I won't know to put you in the drawing. You can leave a message here or send me an email.

Cruising (Some Random Thoughts on Driving)

·       Sometimes if I’m listening to music while riding in a car I wonder whether, if I got in an accident and died, someone would figure out what song had been playing the moment I was killed.

·       I never want to annoy other drivers. I’m always worried about going too slow or not paying attention at stop signs. I don’t know why  I care what these people think, but I do. I DO.

·       When I’m singing to a really good song in the car, especially if I’m alone, I get embarrassed thinking that someone in another car might have seen me and thinks I’m dumb.

·       I failed parallel parking on my driver’s test and to this day I’ve never successfully parallel parked.

·       My best friend, Jenny, taught me how to drive a stick shift in a church parking lot when I was sixteen.

·       Sometimes I think that I was a dog in a past life because I love driving around in cars (although I can do without sticking my head out of the window).

·       When Bryan and I were first married we liked to go for drives around different neighborhoods. I liked envisioning what it would be like to live in all of those different homes. (I still love to do this)

·       I love driving around at night and staring into people’s lighted homes. It feels a little like spying and a little like peeking inside a doll house.

·       My first car was a white Subaru hatchback which I was far too ungrateful to own.

·       If I could own any car it would be a cherry red 1965 porsche spyder convertible.

·        This isn’t really car related as much as transportation related, but when I was in elementary school I wished, wished, wished, that I had a horse that I could ride to school. I imagined that I would just tie it up out front while I was inside.

·       Once when I was 16 I was going 35 in a 25 mph area and a cop saw me and waved for me to slow down. I was so stupid that I thought he was just waving hello and it took me a while to realize that he was pulling me over for speeding. Needless to say, I haven’t been pulled over for speeding since.

·       I hate driving in the snow more than just about anything else. I’d rather do the laundry AND the dishes, that’s how much I hate it.

New Paintings

I've been busy painting some new work for my publishers. Here's a kind of funky little number that I'm digging at the moment. It might go along with the other painting that I posted a few weeks ago.

So, I'm thinking of having a gigantic-humongous-knock-your-socks-off-amazingly-fantastic-once-in-a-lifetime contest coming up in the next few weeks. How would you like to win a full sized original painting valued at $700???

I'll keep you posted.

The Next Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered. Don't worry, if you didn't win this time there will be another contest soon.

And the winner of the "It's Time For Another Giveaway" contest is:

Erica (aka Michele)

Congratulations!

Michele, if you'll email me at kebirch@hotmail.com letting me know which prints you'd like I'll get them to you ASAP.

And Stephen Colbert Can Serve Dessert

Do you have a list of people that you’re really good friends with… in your imaginary world? I know I do. Stephen Colbert doesn’t know it, but we hang out ALL the time: dinner dates, trips to the movies, gallery hopping. I’m pretty sure that he even has a little crush on me, which could be kind of embarrassing if my husband ever found out.

Oh, and I guess I should mention Will.i.am. After all, I decided last week that he and I would make great BFFs. He's so funny and smart and I'm hoping I can even get him to humor me and write a theme song for my life. I really want a theme song.

So today I’m planning a guest list for my imaginary dinner party. Who do I want to come? Of course Stephen and Will are invited. I think the rest of my guest list might go something like this:

·       I know we already have a Stephen at the party and Mr. Colbert might be a little miffed, but I’d really like Mr. King to come too.

·       Since I’m definitely inviting my mom to my dinner party I will invite her idol (and dog’s namesake) Ms. Aretha Franklin. And if she feels better I hope she’ll sing for us.

·       Chuck Close seems like he might be a little bit shy, but I hope he’ll come anyway. I know he won’t have time to paint any of us, but maybe some of his genius will rub off on me.

·       Maybe it’s just because Sliding Doors and Duets are two of my favorite movies, but I think Gwyneth Paltrow would be a good addition to my party. She seems like the kind of person who would make sure everyone feels welcome (plus I really like the way her voice sounds).

·       After I read EAT, PRAY, LOVE, I already felt like Elizabeth Gilbert was one of my close friends, so she should certainly come. And I bet she could recommend some good Italian food.

·       If Katy Perry doesn’t mind, I’d really like Russell Brand to come to my party. I know he’s probably going to offend someone, but he’ll be sure to entertain.

·       I’ve always wanted to write a screenplay and even though Judd Apatow probably gets sick of talking about work, I bet he’d be happy to share a few tips with me while we’re eating our crème brulee.

·       Of course I don’t want Jon Stewart to get jealous. I hope he knows that I’ll always love him and he’s welcome at my house even if there isn’t a party going on.

So…who’s invited to your dinner party?