Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my blog! It turns a year old today!

To celebrate, and reward all my faithful readers, I would like to do a giveaway.

The first lucky reader to comment on this post will receive this:

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/derby-day-pie/

Oh, wait, I already ate that.

I mean, the first reader to post a comment will be the lucky recipient of this:

Oh, wait, Mr. Brown Eyes might have a problem with that.

I mean, you'll get this:


Danielle Bright Photography

Ok, some days, after long nights of her jumping onto my face when I'm trying to sleep, I am inclined to give her away. But not today.

All right, I have a dilemma. I want to do a giveaway, but what on earth does someone give away on their blog's first birthday? If you happen to be my sister, I can just make you cookies, but what about my dear readers who don't live in Arizona? Would you mind if your cookies arrived in crumbs? I certainly would. It's hard to sink your teeth into a bunch of crumbs.

So, give me a shout. What would make an awesome giveaway? If I like your suggestion, I just might get it for myself...er...for you. If I don't get any comments, well, then, I'll just celebrate my blog's birthday alone in my kitchen, blowing out the one candle on my cupcake all by myself.

Happy One Year!

Who wants a cat?
The Brown-Eyed Girl

Belated Halloween Pictures

This year we took Baby Brown Eyes trick-or-treating for the very first time. He was the world's cutest dragon with his little wagging tail and fearsome roar.

 

Everyone loved him. Some people gave him extra candy for being so cute. Others gave him extra for having cool parents who dressed up, too.

I love Halloween. I think as the years pass I will probably enjoy dressing up for it more than my kids. They will probably just look at me and roll their eyes. And ask me to walk ten feet behind them. 

Anyway, Baby Brown Eyes' adorableness got him quite a bit of candy. Way too much for a little eighteen month-old. So I helped him eat it.

It's what mothers do.

Sincerely,

The Brown-Eyed Girl

P.S. Doesn't Mr. Brown Eyes look good in his kilt?

I Came, I Wrote, I Conquered

Whew! 50,264 words and one complete novel later, I have conquered National Novel Writing Month. Hooray!

It was a frustrating and amazing experience. I'll tell you more about it later.

I've missed you so much, little blog.

I'm glad to be back!

Love,
The Brown-Eyed Girl

25,000 Words

Halfway there!

The Brown-Eyed Girl

Taking a Break

My dear (few but faithful) readers:

Starting tomorrow, I am plunging headfist into National Novel Writing Month, in which I will write 50,000 words (or 100 pages) of novel in thirty days. Alas, this means I will not have any words to spare for my blog during the month of November. Which makes me sad because this month will mark my blog's one-year birthday. I promise we will celebrate in December.

In the meantime, cheer me on! In thirty days I will have a complete first draft of a new novel. And a really big headache.

Oh, and Happy Halloween.

Love,
The Brown-Eyed Girl

Six Years of Halloween Bliss

I've always loved Halloween. As a little kid, it was probably the pillowcase full of candy that swayed my heart, but as I got older--too old for trick-or-treating, according to some people--I still loved Halloween for the opportunity it gave me to play dress up--another childhood tradition I never grew out of.

Mr. Brown Eyes has been a good sport and always played along:

2007 - Indiana Jones and his heroine. These costumes won us a prize at the Singles Ward Halloween Party.

2008 - Popeye and Olive Oyl

2009 - Woody and Little Bo Peep

Last year, Baby Brown Eyes got to join in on the fun:



2010 - Doctor and Nurse and the Little Monkey Who Fell Off the Bed and Bumped His Head

 Our Annual Halloween Party takes place tomorrow. This is year six. It started off simple enough, me and my sisters making some food, throwing together a few games, and maybe putting up some decorations. But the last few years the party has been held at our house, and my dear husband is a pathological overachiever. His ideas are always amazing and elaborate and take a lot of time to execute. Which wouldn't be so bad. If we started on them months before instead of, say, last week.

This year Mr. Brown Eyes wanted to build a haunted house in our garage. It will be amazing.

If it's done in time.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Still looking forward to the candy,
The Brown-Eyed Girl

The Haunted House

Today's Prompt (in the spirit of Halloween): Using all the senses--sight, sound, smell, taste, touch--and specific detail--describe a haunted house.
(Reprinted by permission all rights reserved (c) C.M. Mayo "Giant Golden Buddha and 364 More 5 Minute Writing Exercises"  www.cmmayo.com/d5mwe.html)

The house is shrouded by overgrown trees, their branches scraping against the windows and blocking the sunlight. But no birds sing. The decorative windows on the french doors are broken; only jagged fragments, like rows of sharp teeth, remain. Inside, the air is stale and musty, so thick with foul smells it makes you gag. As your eyes adjust to the darkness, you manuever down the front hallway. Spiderwebs cling to your face and arms, making you jump. You reach out to steady yourself against the wall and brush your fingers against something damp and slimy. You recoil in horror and walk faster.

At first glance the house almost appears to still be inhabited: books lay scattered on the coffee table, some open as if they were still being read; rotted fruit is piled in a basket on the kitchen counter; beds are unmade; laundry is left unfolded. But a thick layer of dust coats the shelves, tables, the old grandfather clock, still slowly ticking. No one living has been here for a very long time.

Everywhere there is that sensation of being watched--as if a pair of eyes lurked behind every sofa, every rail of the banister, every closed door, but a glance reveals nothing. The only sounds are the screeching of the trees against the windows, anxious to get in, the slow tick of the grandfather clock, and the uneasy rattle of your own breath.

***

Anyone have any real-life haunted house stories to share? Growing up, I was sure my parents' house was haunted, but that's a story for another day.

Happy Halloween!
The Brown-Eyed Girl