Nora Roberts: Northern Lights

For those of you who have had your head buried in the sand, don't read Nora, or don't watch Lifetime Movies for Women... My all time favorite author, one that I have read consistently over the last 15 years, Nora Roberts has done it again. She teamed up with Lifetime movies and made movies out of some of my favorite books. The first one Northern Lights premieres Saturday March 21 at 9 pm Eastern . Leanne Rhimes is staring beside Eddie Cibrian

We all know who Leanne Rhimes is (reason for no picture... that and I am technically challenged), but I didn't know this hunk by name... but I have definitely seen him in several things!

I have to say that I was a little disappointed in Blue Smoke when I watched the premiere, but the other three were pretty decent... they at least rated right up there with the rest of the Lifetime movies. I had not read the other books before watching the movies, maybe that is why I wasn't disappointed in them. I am giving it another chance. I plan on making my best friend, who has never read a Nora book, watch it with me Saturday.

I will unfortunately have to catch a rerun of the second movie, the one I am most looking forward to, Midnight Bayou. I am really kicking myself in the you know what for letting my husband talk me into getting rid of my DVR! Oh well I will make him suffer, he will either have to hibernate in the bedroom or watch these movies with me in the living room...I'm NOT going to give up my TV!!!

I tried to share the video, but for some reason it didn't work...I'm sure it was user error!

Midieval Professions

I found this little quiz on Beth's blog and had to find out what my Medieval profession is. Here it is:

You Are a Cartographer

You have a wide range of knowledge and you're very detail oriented. You have a photographic memory, and you remember places very well. Like a middle ages cartographer, you're also very adventurous and curious about the world. In modern times, you would make a good non-fiction writer or scientist.

What's Your Medieval Profession?

I WON!!

I WON! I WON!

My friend Baraba, over at Happily Forever After, recently ran a contest featuring Charlotte Featherstone

and I am the lucky winner of not only an autographed copy of Addicted but also

a copy of the anthology, Lords Of Desire!

Thank You so much Baraba!!!

Ms. Featherstone, I look forward to reading Addicted and Thank You for such a wonderful prize!!

Before I Was A Mom!

A friend of mine sent this to me in an email and I thought I should share it with all Moms.

Before I was a Mom ,

I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom ,

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom ,

I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom ,

I never held a sleeping baby

just because I didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small

could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom .

Before I was a Mom ,

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body..

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small

could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom ,

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night

every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth,

the joy,

the love,

the heartache,

the wonderment

or the satisfaction of being a Mom .

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom .

My Rant on Women in the Military

This morning I was watching Fox and Friends. They were talking about a woman who has been out of the military for four years and has been recently recalled to duty. This woman is a married mother of two. From the pictures I would guess that her children are any where from 3 to 6 years old. I could be way off the mark with the ages but it doesn't really matter. I am probably going to anger a few people here with my opinions. This story really disturbed me!

This woman joined the military of her own free will, signed the contract knowing all that it entailed, and now that she is a mother has issues with the details. Before I go any farther in my rant I am going to tell a little about myself...

I am a mother and a wife! I had my daughter at 19 yrs old. I was a single mother, never married her dad, which in my way of thinking now was probably the best thing I could have done for my daughter. My biological father was in the Army, my Dad (my first stepfather) served in the Vietnam war, my second stepfather was in the National Guard, I grew up near two Army bases (Hunter Army Airforce Base and Ft. Stewart), I married a man who served in the Army, and to top all of this off I almost joined myself. I was a single mom when I was looking at joining a branch of the military. I was well informed at the time that if I joined that I had to have a family plan in tact. If I were to ever be called into action or had to leave for any length of time I had to have someone that would step in and take care of my child. I knew before I even started looking into the military that it wasn't for me for several reasons but the biggest was I was a single mom and my daughter came first. That being said let me get back to my rant.

Women for as long as I can remember have been screaming about equal rights, I agree we need equal rights...we are just as smart as men if not smarter. Women wanted equal rights in the military as well. They want to be allowed in combat, carry a gun, etc. However women have a different set of standards that they have to meet when in the military because we are women and we are not as strong nor as fast as a man. Women have children, men father them. So when it comes to active duty or being activated to go overseas what ever you want to call it, why does it seem there is a different standard for women.

If there are children involved in a military family, a family readiness plan has to be in effect. This is basically saying that if you are a mother or father you must have someone willing and capable fo taking care of your child(ren) in the event that you are called to war or shipped overseas. A married couple would assume that the parent not in the military would become the caregiver and if that parent will need help then there would be someone else called in to help out (ie grandparents).

This mother is receiving a discharge from her active duty status because she brought her two kids in tow. She complained that her husband travels for work and is unable to take care of the kids if she has to leave and that if her husband could loose his job if he doesn't travel. I get it and I understand it. She is the parent that takes care of the kids, but there are two parents here. Why does it seem that she is getting special treatment here? If it were reveresed and the man was the parent that cared for the kids while the wife was the main money earner and work called her away, the man would still be expected to do his duty. I applaud this woman for her service and the duty she has performed to her country but I have a real issue with this latest occurance. No one expects to get called up after they have finished their active duty portion of the contract, but everyone that signs that paper knows that there is always a possibility that they can be called back for up to certain amount of years. I believe it varies depending on what kind of contract and how many active years you serve. I don't agree with the decision that has been made to allow this woman a discharge because they did not take the precaution needed during the time she was still able to be called back to active duty.

Something that was not mentioned is what kind of discharge this woman received, they only stated that there would be no legal actions taken against the woman.

I remember watching a movie, Courage Under Fire, with Meg Ryan and Denzel Washington. Meg Ryan played the part of a woman in the Army. She was single mother, she was sent to a war zone, I believe she was a helicopter pilot. She dies... DW is investigating the circumstances of her death. I don't know whether or not this is a true story, probably isn't... but this movie is to the point. She was a single mother who had to have a family plan in case she was ever sent to war.

This only touches base on my thoughts on women in the military. I loved the movie GI Jane and when it came out I thought holy crap can I be her. But ultimately I think there should be some rights when it comes to the military that women should not have and others that women should have.

I feel like this makes no sense at all...

Wicked Burn by Beth Kerry

Wicked Burn was my first choice to kick off my reading list for the Readers of Romance Spring Challenge. This book came highly recommended by one of the fellow members, Cindy W.

Niall has a very troubled past and has been a member of the "walking dead" for the past three and half years. When accosted by her date in the hallway outside of her apartment her HOT neighbor comes to her defense. Vic and Niall go to his apartment for a drink one thing leads to another and you are faced with some really hot sex scenes.

Vic has awakened Niall's body, heart, and soul with the mix of his rough and gentle touches and bossy ways. She is still struggling with the tragedy of her past and a present that could ultimately destroy this erotic world that Niall and Vic have created around them. Vic has been burned once and now doesn't trust women enough to become emotionally involved, however there is something about the sadness in Niall's eyes that reaches towards him. Can Vic get over his past hurts in time to see just how much he and Niall need each other?

Wicked Burn started at high speed and maintained it throughout the entire story. Ms Kerry weaved passion and love between these two characters while pulling you in deeper and deeper. I really sympathized with Niall and everything that she endured only to come out of a cocoon and shine. It is a real page turner that will keep you sweating! I am going out and buying myself a copy to put on my keeper shelf for future reading. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading Wicked Burn, I highly recommend you Run, don't walk, out right now and buy it!!