A New Look

As you can see, I've changed the look of the blog.

There were things about the other look I never really quite liked. Some buttons that were there but never worked. *shrugs*

I love this look! The colors are perfect since I'm a red kind of girl.

What do ya'll think? Do you like the change?

Blood Promise

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead is finally out today!

If you haven't read Vampire Academy yet, you need to.

Stop what you're doing, go to your local bookstore and get it.

Do it!

Right now.

Enjoy ;)

Living Your Five

I'm excited about this project. I think it can and will do good things for many people.

Here's what the fabulous ladies that put it all together have posted on their blogs today.

LIVING YOUR FIVE IS HERE!

We know, we know… we’ve been hinting about it for weeks. The super secret project of Kay Cassidy, Tera Lynn Childs, Alyson Noel and Becca Fitzpatrick. The #fivers hashtag. The Founding Fiver badges. The huge top secret contest. So many secrets!

Good news. The secret’s out.

Join us for the worldwide launch of Living Your Five! Living Your Five is an online community dedicated to changing our world one person at a time. You don’t have to cure the world of cancer or banish world hunger in a single day. It’s about working together, each of us taking one more step every day. It’s about knowing what you care about–what you’re passionate about!–and stepping away from the sidelines of your life to make your mark on the world.

To celebrate the launch of the official Living Your Five web site, we’re even hosting a contest with awesome daily prizes and a MEGA grand prize all courtesy of our Founding Fivers! Find out all the details at www.livingyourfive.com.

We’re ready to change the world. Now it’s up to you. Will you watch from the sidelines or join us on the ride? (Come on, we know you want to!)

I've always been a big believer in that the things we focus on in our lives are the things that come to fruition. Whether they be good or bad.

Living Your Five is a good way to focus on the good things in your life.

Go check them out! ;)

Vampire Diaries

Way back in 1991 I picked up a book just out of curiosity, The Vampire Diaries, Volume I: The Awakening. My life was forever changed.

L.J. Smith opened my eyes to the world of paranormal.

A world, I might add, where the vampires aren't automatically the bad guys.

I fell completely in love with Stefan Salvitore.
*swoon*

And Damon...well, he has that bad boy front that all teenage girls are drawn to.
*fans face*

So, when I got the news that the CW will be airing a show based on The Vampire Dairies...I squealed like a teenage girl, then got out my old copies of the books and read them all again.

Yes, I still have all of the originals and yes, I'm buying them in the new format too. You see, my books in a series must match. They have to.

L.J. Smith has started releasing new Vampire Diaries books. The Return: Nightfall focuses more on Damon and doesn't disappoint.

I have to say, when I found out that they're changing some things in the show I was a wee bit upset. Honestly, it's spectacular just the way it is. But after seeing some of the trailers...*swoon*

Here's the trailer.

So, what do you think?

Branson USA

I've been going to Branson for, well, my entire life. I used to go with my parents every summer. We would stay at least a week, going to shows, playing mini-golf, playing at the pool; we used to do it all. Go carts, arcade, the Water Shute... and we can't forget Silver Dollar City.

There was a time when we'd seen every show there. Back when there were just a handful of shows to see. The originals. Back when all of Branson was located on one road, highway 76. It wasn't unusual for some of my aunts, uncles and cousins to come too. It was a real family vacation spot.

It still is, it's bigger and flashier. There are more shows, more attractions, more places to shop. To me it's kind of like a Vegas for the family minus the gambling. Whatever your vice is, you can probably find it in Branson.

While the boyos and I were back visiting, my parents took us to Branson so we could go to a water park called White Water.The slides you see here are the biggest in the park and the lines for these are the longest. We did not ride on these.

We did ride the tan one several times. In past years you could take a double-tube down almost all of the slides. This year there was only one that allowed the double-tube. For us it really cut down on what we could do. My boyos aren't strong enough swimmers for me to feel comfortable allowing them to go on slides alone.This is a fabulous place for the kiddos! They have their own kid sized slides and it's relatively cut off from the rest of the park (one way in and out) so I didn't have to constantly fret about someone running off with my boyos.

I do that a lot. Fret. I'm a worrier. It's my nature.

If you go to White Water be sure to rent a cabana. It's so worth it. In your cabana is a locker, table and chairs to come back to when your feet can't take any more, a t.v. and did I mention lounge chairs?

Another great place to visit is Branson Landing. Tons of shops, places to eat and live music. After a long day of playing in the water the Landing is a nice way to end the day with the trolley that will take you from one end to the other.

The first day there we went to play mini-golf at Greatest Adventures. It was perfect for my dragon crazy boyos. I took tons of pics, and if I can get my computer to work, I'll try to get some up. But for now...here's a pic of the dragon. No, that's not us in the picture.
We got to play through a castle and there was even a replica of Excalibur. What more could a boy want you ask...well, head to the gift shop and you'll find out. They have just about anything you could want pertaining to dragons. My oldest boyo was in dragon heaven.

The Branson of my youth and the Branson of today are two totally different places. Branson has grown unbelievably in the thirty or so years I've been going. Some of my best childhood memories are from Branson. It's really quite something being there with my parents and my boyos. ;)