Ah, the voice of it all

I’ve always said that Chuck is the right man for me

….but he’d be the “perfect man” if he had an accent.

See, I’m a sucker for men with accents. Especially British, Irish or, in a pinch, Australian would do. I wonder sometimes if American men going overseas have the same type of allure that foreigners do here. Because there is something about an accent that makes me go weak in the knees and my tummy do a little flip-flop.

So, when a co-worker suggested I listen to this unabridged book on CD (the ONLY way to listen to them!) by Nora Roberts and told me that the gentlman who read it by the name of Fiacre Douglas had a fabulous Irish brogue, I was more than a little intrigued.

I put in the first CD of Born in Fire and fell in love with the readers voice, but honestly had a little difficulty getting into the story. But by CD 2, not only was I in love with the voice but all of the characters.

So much so, that I had to bring the last cd home that night to see how the story ended because I just could not wait till the next morning to finish it!

I love good books like that. The ones that leave you folded in their story…sometimes long after the book is finished. And I honestly had forgotten how much I enjoy a good, honest-to-goodness romance story.

The following morning I started book 2 of the series by Nora Roberts entitled “Born in Ice”. It was spoken by the same Irish bloke who made me weak in the knees during the first book and since I already knew and loved all the characters I had absolutely no problem getting into it.

And oh, how I got into it. I brought the 10 cd’s home and listened to them Friday night while I cooked dinner (yes, I cooked!) and then finished them all on Saturday.

And my heart was filled with romance and I had stars in my eyes. And unfortunately, no husband to help me out in that area (he was in Chicago watching the USA v. Honduras soccer game).

The books took me back to when we were first dating. To when that first kiss literally stole your breath away…..*sigh* oh, how I miss the new-ness of all that.

The stories revolve around the Concannon sisters and their lives. Born in Fire is about Margaret Mary Concannon, a firey red-headed artist, with a stubborn, arrogant streak to boot (I kinda felt some sisterly companionship to her). Born in Ice focuses on Brianna Concannon who is the cool, level-headed, practical thinker of the sisters who feels fiercly loyal to her family even if there are reasons not to. Set in "the west counties" of Ireland there are a lot of references to Irish scenes, history, and of course, dialect. Both books are about the inner turmoil they have and must face in order to fall in love.

If you’re looking for a fabulously romantic read and interesting characters, I highly recommend Nora Robert’s Born in Ice and Born in Fire

If you’re looking for an experience that will leave you breathless with want and romance….listen to it!

Welcome One and All!

To the world inside my head!

Just wanted to put out a shout out to all the readers and followers of Love, Actually! Stop, relax, take a look around. I’m so glad you’re here! If you’d like to know more about me....click on my about tab up there. If you’re interested in ordering Pure Romance products (for yet another chance to win Cher’s giveaway), click on my Contact tab and you’ll be instantly able to contact me.

AND….If you’re not a loyal follower of Love Actually you should be! Why? Because Cher has a wonderful imagination and comes up with some of the neatest date nights on a budget! AND if you become a follower of her, you’ll be entered for a HOT-HOT-HOT giveaway! Go check it out and enter to win some Pure Romance products!!

And remember to follow me as well (over there---> just click on follow!)....I'll be letting all my loyal readers know of specials as they come up!!

To Eat Organic - Or Not?

Eating 5-9 servings of vegetables and fruits are an important aspect of healthy living. Vegetables and fruits provide nutrients and fiber that are not available from other food sources. Today, many crops are grown in massive quantities where toxic pesticides are used. Choosing organic (produce grown free of pesticides) is more important for some rather than others.


Best to Eat Organic:

1. Apples
2. Peaches
3. Bell Peppers
4. Pears
5. Celery
6. Potatoes
7. Cherries
8. Raspberries
9. Imported Grapes
10. Spinach
11. Nectarines
12. Strawberries


Not Necessary to Eat Organic:
1. Asparagus
2. Kiwi
3. Avocados
4. Mangos
5. Bananas
6. Onions
7. Broccoli
8. Papaya
9. Cauliflower
10. Pineapples
11. Corn (sweet, frozen)
12. Peas (sweet, frozen)

Would you? Could you?

If you dared?

The topic of starting new adventures has come up twice in the last couple weeks with 2 different friends and it really has me thinking.

Would I, Could I if I had the chance? Would I change anything of how it is now?

Let me preface this by saying that I love my children dearly. I would lay down my life any day of the week for any of them. My love and devotion to them has nothing at all to do with my thoughts. This is more so about me. About who I am or who I could be.

I asked Chuck last night if he felt trapped in a loveless marriage…only hanging onto the illusion of a family for the “sake of the children”. I was pretty sure I knew the answer, and I was right. No, a loveless marriage is not something that we share. But we do share the burden. The burden of responsibility.

And sometimes that burden can be really overwhelming.

It’s ironic…I was in the middle of writing this and thinking about all this when I get a message from Chuck that Zachary had a “bad spell” and went off on the sitter. He threw a box and then a picture frame from our wall at Eric. Why? Because Eric told him he had to clean his room before soccer. Which I had already instructed him about this morning; however, Zachary’s concrete thinking is that he only cleans his room after dinner. Funny how those rules always work only to his advantage.

But this is just an example of the responsibilities and challenges that we face. And sometimes, as parents, we feel like we’ve lost ourselves as adults.

We wake up, go to work, come home, deal with a multitude of things that need to be dealt with related to the kids (laundry, cooking, soccer practices, homework, baths, etc) and then it’s bedtime. And we wake up and do it all over again. We do what we have to do because it has to be done.

It makes me wonder if anyone is truly happy simply doing those things day in and day out with nothing for themselves. I wonder if someone out there is cleaning their child’s laundry and thinking “I’m so very lucky to be able to do this. I love cleaning.” Me thinks there is…and in some ways that makes me sadder. Sadder that I’m not completely content with my family, which is wonderful, but yet still yearn for something for me.

It’s one of the reasons I have my blog. Because I truly enjoy writing. (and love the comments!)

It’s one of the reasons I started my Pure Romance business. Because I wanted to get out of the house and let go of the sexual side of myself and help others do the same.

I blame PMS for my mood today. Damn that wicked witch of Aunt Flo anyways. She always gets my emotions in an uproar....and my need for chocolate and ice cream.

If I could go back and do my life over, would I? Nope. I wouldn’t. I feel fortunate to have 3 healthy, super cool kids, a loving husband, a home, a job and a hobby that I love. But there are days, I’d like a break from reality for a while.

**UPDATE: As I hit the "Publish Post" button, Chuck called. Elizabeth was screaming from spraying sunblock in her eyes. Seriously, Calgon take me away!!!

6 Ways to De-Stress Your Home

From Andrew Weil's Tip of the Day

Your home - whether big, small, or somewhere in between - should be your sanctuary, a place where stress is left at the door and your soul is nurtured. For a more comforting environment, gradually implement the following changes into your home:

1. Bring the outdoors in. Green plants, cut flowers and blooming bulbs, or pieces of wood, rocks and other organic elements can create a feeling of nature indoors.
2. Paint a room to suggest a mood. For instance, blue and green promote a relaxed feeling and may be good choices for the bedroom, while warm colors (maroon, coral, burgundy) suggest a cozy environment and may be inviting in a family room.
3. Surround your senses with beauty. Artwork, fragrance, smooth textures and calming sounds all provide a pleasant environment in which to relax.
4. Set aside a room or area for peace and calm. A place for spiritual reflection and meditation can provide shelter from noise and distraction.
5. Clean out clutter. A low-maintenance home is refreshing after a day of hectic meetings, errands and chores. Fewer items can mean less frustration.
6. Create an atmosphere of love. Display handmade or meaningful gifts from loved ones and photos of family and friends.

Insecure No More

As a teen, I was incredibly insecure.

Overweight, kinda geeky, in all the “smart” classes, part of the Color Guard, I never felt like I fully fit in anywhere. I surely didn’t feel pretty or even worthy of being in the “in” crowd.

As I hit college, things changed a little bit for me. Not so much because I was any prettier (I wasn’t) or any skinnier (I definitely put on the freshman 20), it was just a matter of being able to be ME. There wasn’t the pressure of conformity in college…or at least I didn’t feel it. I was surrounded by a group of people who had no idea of my past. They hadn’t known me since I was in kindergarten sitting right next to them eating paste (true thing). I was able to be the outgoing person who spoke my mind about anything and everything and be real; and somehow people found that refreshing and funny.

Then I started dating my husband, and a lot of the insecurities resurfaced for a time. I was so concerned about what he thought about me, how he saw me, how skinny (or not) I was. I wasn’t entirely a very happy person those first few years as I questioned myself a lot as I’m sure he can attest to. I remember nights of laying on the bed sobbing because “I have nothing to wear” as he rolled his eyes and said I looked hot in anything. After a few years, I began to believe him. And understand that he truly loved me.

And then along comes mommy-dom in which your biggest critics are so often the other moms. You didn’t do this or that or the other thing “according to the book”. Damn the book, anyway. Who wrote that god-forsaken book that we’re all supposed to follow? It took me about 6 years to become comfortable in my mommy-role to where I can say that someone telling me that I’m a bad mom doesn’t phase me much. Instead, I’m more likely to think and wonder if they can do any better given the situations that we’ve been dealt. The answer to that question is usually a resounding NO.

But then we get to blogging.

I know, right?

Blogging shouldn’t make me insecure! But alas, there’s all sets of rules here too. Your blog should somehow look professional. You can’t speak your mind unless it’s sunshine and rainbows (god forbid that you suggest you don’t get along with someone). You should have a general theme to your blog. Make sure that you post regularly so that you get more page hits. Don’t post on the weekend because it’s deader than a doornail.

I’ve thought hard about restructuring my blog. I did change my layout because I wanted a three column blog (and I love it). But I really considered changing my blog content and creating a cohesive theme.

But I’m not going to.

Nope. The blogs name is The Insider….Inside Lisa. I started this blog, not so much to keep up with friends and family, but to get out my thoughts. My feelings.

Happy or not so happy.

I love looking back on my old blog posts and seeing what I was thinking when I found out I was pregnant for Elizabeth, or her birth, or when Lucas started using the potty, or even when we found out the diagnoses for Zachary.

I enjoy being able to relive moments through words…the good, bad and ugly moments. It’s all part of who I am.

So, I’m not changing it. And if you don’t like something that you read, you can leave me a nicely worded comment (I won’t tolerate nastiness) and I’ll respond in kind.

I’m just glad I'm not that insecure teen, or even twenty year old, anymore.

There are good people.....

Today is the last day to get entered for my FREE May Giveaway. Get entered now if you haven't already. I'll be drawing the winner and posting it on the blog tomorrow!

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Dealing with the public, hearing my mom talk about the people that she serves at the court, seeing some of the parents at Zachary's school really makes me question the goodness of human nature. Really makes me question whether there are actually good people out there at all.

But then, just when I feel that all hope is lost for people in America, someone steps up and re-establishes my faith in the human race.

Yesterday, the family and I went to Hometown Days: the festival in my hometown that is complete with parade, carnival, games, pony rides, etc. We usually try to make it to the parade on a yearly basis, and this year was no different. (although we arrived late and surprised the heck out of my parents who thought we weren't coming!) The kids enjoyed the parade and some gentleman came walking back down the parade route and saw that the kids didn't have very much candy...and opened his backpack of leftover candy and told them to each take a handful. Zachary grabbed some...Lucas just one. "That's all, thank you!" The guy was a little surprised and even asked a couple times..."is that all you boys want?" Yep. They were just excited to have a few more pieces.

We went, as a family, to the car show (super cool!) where Chuck won a gift certificate for a free ice cream cone.

Then, we all headed down to the rides where mom and I each got the kids some tickets. Elizabeth had her first major ride (Oh, so cute on the carousel! She just grinned and grinned!) The boys were riding the bumper cars, so all of us were standing at the end waiting for them. After they got off, we took them aside and explained that they had ONE more ride to choose. After that one ride they were done. Chuck walked away for a minute while I was talking to the boys and came back and handed me money..$30 to be exact.

I thought it was from my parents and was just about to tell him to give it back to them when he explained that the guy over there gave it to him, stating that he "was out doing the Lord's work, and they were a blessed family and wanted to give something to another family."

I literally teared up. What an amazing man and family (his wife and teen daughter was sitting there with him). Not only did he allow us to give the kids another extra ride, a game, an elephant ear and pizza for my whole family, he restored my faith in the human race.

The news is inundated with bad news, bad people, murder and mayhem, it's so refreshing to see that there is still good people out there.

It also makes me want to do good for someone else; you know "pay it forward". I was laying in bed last night thinking about what I could do, how I could pay it forward when I remembered that last Monday I mowed the neighbors lawn because they hadn't had a chance to do it and his kids are all very allergic to the dust and pollen and such that happens with lawn mowing.

It made me wonder if this money was some sort of payment for my own good deeds. Made me think about how everything in this world is somehow interconnected. That even though you may not see it at that moment, you do get "payment" for good deeds. Not always in the form of money, maybe in the form of someone mowing your own lawn, bringing over a weeks worth of meals when you have a baby, or maybe just helping you out in a crunch.

Now, that doesn't mean that I don't want to still find a new way to pay it forward, but simply makes me consider that we are all interconnected in a way that maybe I've never considered before.

Thank you to the man in the black shirt at Hometown Days. My kids thank you. My parents thank you. And I thank you for helping to restore my faith.