Author Archives: amberbatdorf

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A little shy of 3,000 words today. I am immensely proud of myself. It seems to be getting easier with time, which is good. I have so many notes and random scenes that need to be put into a flowing and coherent story.

I have started following some of my favorite authors on twitter and I believe that some of their words of wisdom may actually be rubbing off on me. I try to take their advice into account when working on my writing; I just cannot devote hours at a time to it like they suggest. I am lucky if all my little moments stolen here and there equal an hour. I would not give up my time with MJ for anything though 🙂

snow

snow

MJ got to play in the snow for the first time last week. He had a blast! We made a little snowman, which he promptly knocked over because he wanted to eat it. He rolled around, laughed a little, and then took an amazing nap for mommy 😀 I am so glad I get to spend so much time with him; I wish it could be more.

Writing

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Wow. I just realized I have not posted since Sunday. Presley is my excuse. Chasing around MJ all day plus trying to house train a puppy is near to impossible. She is the cutest little dog, but she is wearing me out.

I have made some progress on my writing this week and I am pretty proud of that fact. It is slow going with everything else that life has to offer, so at this point I see any progress with it as a major milestone.

ImageImage  This is probably the reason it goes so slow. Yes, that is right. I use an out-dated medium for my writing. I just cannot help it. My notebook and my pencil are my trusty sidekicks and I cannot seem to write without them. I then have to organize my thoughts and scribbles into some kind of sense while I type them out. It is not that I am a slow typist, but as I am sure you can guess, it gets kind of tedious to type out what I have already written – I feel like I am doing all my work twice and only on the first draft.

I know once I get to editing drafts, I will have to go over the same material time and again to make it right, but at this stage, it makes the writing process difficult and frustrating.

If anyone has any ideas, thoughts, anything that could help me move on from my need to use a pencil and paper, I would love to hear it. I desperately want to tell my story and feel driven to write it, but I need a more efficient and more up-to-date way to get it done.

 

 

Wish There Were More Time in the Day

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Perfect Scoundrels is the first book I have begun reading since MJ was born that I have been waiting a long time for. Most of these types of books, I would always finish within a day or two. However, now that is something I cannot do. It is taking me far longer to read this book than I wanted, as I have to sneak in a chapter or two here and there; most of the time before bed.

Even now, I am just wanting to read my book to find out what happens, but I am making myself work on my writing for just a little bit while I have some extra time. I understand now when I would reccomend a book for my sister and she would tell me she just did not have the time to read it. There really is not the time I used to have especially when there are more important things that I want to take care of after MJ goes to bed but before I do.

So far, my writing is going…shall we just say decent? I have some pretty detailed character bios. I have decided that since I cannot devote as much time as I would like to it, I should take notes at every opportunity so I do not lose any plot, info, etc. I am getting pretty excited about it.

Back to writing I go! Or maybe to my book 🙂

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I am currently rereading Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter. For my birthday, CJ got me Perfect Scoundrels and before beginning it, I felt compelled to read the book that came before it again.

When I get a new book, especially if I have waited a long time for it to come out, I have a bad habit of blowing through it as fast as I can because I just cannot wait to see what the ending is. I did this with Uncommon Criminals when it first came out and after having read the first few chapters of Perfect Scoundrels, I realized that I really needed to remind myself of what had happened.

I remembered liking the book a lot, but I could not recall exactly how it ended. When the new book reference how the main characters were now a couple, I did not know how that had happened, and I am fairly certain that it will be important in the new book.

I had planned on just skimming the parts I remembered and therefore taking a short time to read it so I could get to the book I really wanted to read. However, this has not happened as there is an awful lot that I cannot skim…and all I really want is to read my new book.

It is hard to read as much as I like, but after all the reviews I have heard about Perfect Scoundrels I cannot wait no read it.

New puppy

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While we were staying with my grandparents, our chocolate lab, Marley, got used to there always being someone home. Even though she is home alone for less than four hours on average, we could tell that it was starting to get to her. For our birthday, CJ and I decided to spend some birthday money on a friend for Marley.

CJ started doing some research and found a litter of puppies on the Open Arms Rescue website. Their adoption fee was more than reasonable and included everything. We went to an adoption event and were able to play with all the dogs they had there and make our selection.

The puppy we chose was not yet ready to leave her mother, so they had us write our name on her collar. We then had to provide the phone number for our vet as a reference to being responsible pet owners. Also, the OAR does home visits. As we live about an hour away from their headquarters and the weather was bad that weekend, we were allowed to send in pictures of our home.

We picked up the new puppy this past weekend and brought her home; named her Presley. MJ absolutely adores her. This is great because once she is house trained, we want her to sleep in with him. Marley already sleeps with us and we cannot fit another dog in our bad.

MJ seems to be the only “child” who likes her so far. Marley seems to not care for Presley at all. We are trying to constantly reassure her that she is still our girlie and we love her. Hopefully, she quickly gets over her shyness and will start playing with Presley. Marley needed a friend and I do not want her to act weird around her sister forever.

Presley already adores Marley and attempts to follow her around, when Marley will let her that is. I think MJ will be the one to finally get the girls to the place were they are okay with each other and play with one another.

MJ and Presley - sibling love :)

MJ and Presley – sibling love 🙂

Surprised…NOT

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A few years ago, when I first began this blog and then abandoned it, I had written about the child care I worked at. If was affliated with a hospital. The higher-ups at said hospital decided that the child care was no longer making the amount of money they wanted it to, so they closed it. The kicker – other local child cares knew what was happening before we did because they had been informed of a possible influx of children.

I am now employed at the same hospital on a part-time basis and really rely on this position.

Yesterday, CJ called me from work. His co-worker had come into his office with the newspaper. She wanted to know why he had not told her that the hospital where his wife worked is closing. He had no idea what she was talking about. He looked up the article himself and then called me. This is how I found out that I am most likely going to lose my job if the hospital cannot restructure into an urgent care. Even then, the evening shift would not be the same, if it even was eight hours.

Lots of my other co-workers found out about the closure on the news. Absolutely none of the “average” staff were told ahead of time. Doctors, nurses, registrars, NO ONE. The only people informed ahead of time were the members of the board who sat in and made this decision.

Back to the drawing board to find new employment. I do not think I will be able to find anything that is so flexible with finding a sitter for MJ before CJ gets home and is so close to our house.

I was schocked about the closure, but not really about the way the hospital handled it. I mean, that was the same way that they had handled closing the child care, so…

Here is to speedily finding something to help with the fact that we just bought our home and really need to be able to make our mortgage payments :/

My Thursday

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Thursday, I entered work and was approached by my supervisor. She informed me that she had offered out my services to a friend saying I would not charge them. I was upset, not because she said I would do it free of charge, but because of what it entailed. She wanted me to tutor an autistic girl to help her pass her GED exam. I was schocked that I would not be allowed to make my own assessment to see if this was something that I felt was actually achievable. Later in my shift, she told me that I needed to start running a fire drill with the kids, but I had to wait and do it when she was in the building so there would be an adult there. I was a little offened since as a wife, mother, and homeowner I assumed I was an adult. I guess I was wrong. Maybe that is why she felt she could dictate what I did with my free time.

My sister called me during my shift, and as she was watching MJ, I panicked and answered my phone. Since she knew I was at work, she made it short and sweet. She said she had to go out and would be taking MJ with her; not to worry, they would be home before I got off work. She had not texted to say they were home and it was nearing the end of my shift. I tried to text her; no reply. Obviously, I freaked out. I tried to call her and it went straight to voicemail. Next, I tried calling her husband. He responded and said not to worry, they would just bring MJ to me at my work.

When they finally arrived, I was walking out to my car to put MJ’s car seat back in it and my sister pulled the door of my work closed behind her. It was locked and my keys were still on the desk. At least my sister was kind enough to let me sit in her car while I figured out what we were going to do. I had the phone number for one of the volunteers who lived close, so I called her. She said another one of the volunteers who lived close had a key and she would get ahold of them for me. We waited about fifteen minutes and then I was able to get back into the building, get my keys, and go home – which I was more than ready to do by that point.

Once I arrived at home, I was attcked by the dog, who is always beyond happy when someone comes home. I took her out with MJ still in my arms (which is a process all in itself) and then went inside with the intent of starting dinner. As I was walking through the dining room, I noticed something strange on the floor. I turned on the light and realized that when CJ had changed the trash bag in the morning, he had not taken the old bag outside and so the dog (who we cannot really blame) got into the trash and my kitchen and dining room were a mess. It was extremely difficult to clean the mess while keeping MJ out of it so it did not become any bigger. Then I still needed to get dinner going for when CJ came home.

By this point, after everything that had happened, I had had enough so I called my mother acting more upset than I probably should have been. She talked me down (she has a knack for that) and as soon as she could hear my tears had stopped, she started laughing at me! She said I needed to lighten up and realize that it was pretty hilarious I managed to accomplish all those things in only one day – thanks, Mom. I do not know how she did it, but of course I started laughing too. That women truly has a gift.

Of course, now the whole thing sounds extremly ridiculous and I laugh thinking about how crazy that day was. I too am impressed by the amount of havoc that I can cause/be a part of all in one day.

:-)

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I already knew CJ was a great guy, but a few days ago was one of those days where you can really see what you have and be so unbelievably amazed by it.

While we were out shopping, MJ and I had drifted off and when I rounded the corner to the aisle, CJ looked up and saw us. As he looked our that direction, he saw a woman struggling to put a large bag of dog food into her cart. With no hesitation, he walked over to her and said, “Ma’am (yes, he said ma’am!), can I help you?”

She looked completely relieved, as no one else had stopped to help her. He proceeded to help her load two large bags into her cart and then we went on our way, finished our shopping, and went home.

When we got home, I pulled the pork out of the crockpot and began to shred it for dinner. MJ puttered his way over to me and stood between my legs while I was working. I heard CJ ask, “Where’s my baby boy?” MJ stuck his head out from between my legs, looked at his dad, and laughed. He laughed so hard – I adore baby giggles.

CJ continued asking where MJ was and MJ continued popping his head out and laughing. As all babies do, MJ played this game way past the point where it was actually fun, but CJ continued right along without sounding frustrated or tired of it.

He constantly surprises me with how he has seamlessly transitioned into being a dad from having never been around small children before. He is just absolutely amazing and I hope he knows that I realize how lucky I am to have him.

Boundless

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Yesterday I finished Boundless by Cynthia Hand. It is the last in a series of three books and one novella.

When I was in Denver and working at Barnes & Noble, one of my managers reccomended the first book of the series Unearthly. She had read the advanced reading copy and had nothing but wonderful things to say about it. Shortly after I purchased my Nook, I found that Unearthly was only a few dollars so I gave it a whirl.

It is definitely a teen series complete with love triangles and too must angst. When I was in my YA Lit class, my professor told us that when we finally became teachers, to read what our kids would be reading so we could stay in tune with them and also be able to talk about what they are interested in. Thus sparked my foray into YA fiction and the fact that at my age I read more of it than I probably should 🙂 (at least that is my excuse).

I was actually impressed with the series because it was the first of its kind that I had read. It deals with the nephilim and the author’s ideas of how they came to be on Earth, multiplied, and what they do now. All that are still on Earth have a “purpose” that they must complete before the end of the 120 years they will live. The series dealt with the “purpose” of Clara Gardner.

I had high hopes for the last book, as anyone does with the last book of a series. After I first finished it, I was a little disappointed, but the ending has grown on me a bit. Clara struggles through all three books and the novella with a love triangle she cannot seem to dissolve. She ended up with the guy I wanted her to be with, but the epilogue did not give me the information I was craving. The more I think about it, the more I think I should just be happy with the information I was given and let that be the end of it however, it was hard to be okay with the way things were. The guy Clara did not choose was left “out in the cold.” He did not show up at the family gathering at the end. He no longer talked to Clara or wanted anything to do with her. That is understandable, broken heart and all, but that left the reader with no closure as to whether he would ever be happy with another in his life. I would have felt better if the poor guy had found someone wonderful that he could love instead.

I see more and more YA novels that have epilogues where marriage is involved, just like this one. It is so rare to marry the BOY you date in high school. I think it gives a false perception and makes girls think this is the “norm.” High school is a time about finding yourself and discovering who you are; it is not about finding a boy and discovering how to keep him forever. We need more heroines who do not necessarily end up with the boy at the end. They work their way through the novel finding themselves and becoming happy with who that person is. You cannot truly love someone until you love yourself. If you never take the time to find out who you are, how can you ever hope to have a mature and functioning relationship? Slow down. Grow up. Enjoy your friends. Be yourself. You are a complete person all on your own.

YCN

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Today marks my first day as a published writer on the Yahoo Contributor Network. I know it is not a lot; CJ tells me all the time that anyone can publish stuff on there, but it is a step in the right direction for me. Anything that furthers my writing career is okay in my book. It is not a very big article, there was only a 400 word limit after all, but I am proud of it anyway.

There are still far too many boxes to be unpacked and MJ is having a field day trying to get into every single one. It is really hard to unpack around children; I am glad we only have one at the moment 🙂

CJ tried with all his might to get the wireless working so I could be up and running on here, but for all his efforts, he just could not seem to make it work. He is normally such an IT wizard that we were both shocked he could not make it work. Surprisingly enough, I am the one who got it to work although if you asked me I could not tell you how I did it.

MJ has been taking four or five steps only for the most part, but I just saw him walk across an entire room! He is only 10 months old!! Where did the time go? It really needs to slow down and it can happen at any time now.

Nap time for the little guy now, so time to get some unpacking done. All but one room that we wanted painted is done so no more pink! Will post a few pictures once there are less boxes to mar the view.