Today I got my kids out of school early to go watch High School Musical 3.  This isn't something I normally do, but my sister-in-law homeschools her kids and they drove to town to attend the movie, so we decided to join them.  It was very fun.  My sister-in-law brought a whole crew of girls, and we pretty much had the whole theatre to ourselves.

I have to say that the movie is very similar to my own high school experience--except for the part about being a beautiful genius who could sing like an angel and dated the hot, basketball star.  Oh, and my house wasn't a mansion either.  But other than that...

Anyway it was a fun surprise for my kids.  When I picked them up from school they thought we were headed for the dentist.  Jordan did wish that I was taking him to more of a macho movie.  We even thought of a great title for something he would want to see: Sweaty Armpit Man.  Maybe next time.

Last night I read to my son Jordan from my book coming out in 2011.  I love to hear him laugh at the characters I created.  He rates my book as one of his favorites.  "Mom, that was better than THE KID WHO RAN FOR PRESIDENT.  But just barely."  The funny thing is he's really into nonfiction, so he thinks I should write THE REAL WATER FIGHT PROFESSIONAL and make it a biography about him.

Jordan might become an author himself someday.  As it is, he's a walking thesaurus.  I showed him a baby picture from when I was three months old and frowning.  This was his response: "You look evil.  You look ominous.  You look sinister."  Yeah, that was me--a sinister baby.

We had newlywed friends over last night.  I showed them my dated (already) wedding album, and they showed us wedding photos from their laptop.  The coolest thing is that after they got back from their honeymoon they did a trash the dress photo shoot.  Rachel got dressed back up in her wedding dress and they splashed (and rolled) around in the ocean.  The pictures were gorgeous.  The coolest thing is that Rachel said some couples do the photo shoot on their ten year anniversary.

My ten year anniversary is in January.  Guess what I'll be doing.  ;-)  We don't have an ocean here in Idaho, so I'm thinking Dan and I will go up to McCall and do photos in the snow and forrest.  Unless, of course, my husband decides to take me to Cancun for our anniversary.  Then I'd get to trash my dress on the beach.  Either way, I need to lose ten pounds... and increase a cup size.

I remember hearing Rosie O'Donnell and Meg Ryan talk about how doing yoga made them cry.  I'd never experienced it before today.  During the relaxation section of my Body Flow class, a woman laid and cried on the studio floor.  She was fine afterwards.  It was simply a release of emotion.  I feel privileged to be a part of it.

I went to my first ball ever this weekend.  It was for women only--part of the Sisters Ync. women's conference my friend Tracey put together.  The purpose of the ball was to simply celebrate being a women.  We were all crowned as daughters of the King, and I danced so hard I broke my necklace.  (My girl's were jealous of the tiara when I finally came home.)

Besides the ball, Tracey performed the monologues I wrote, I taught a class called Eyes Wide Shut: What Keeps You From the "Great" in Your Life, I taught a yoga/pilates class, and I taught a writing class.  During my writing session there were classes on dance, singing, modeling, etc.  Women were given the chance to pursue a dream that may have died then demonstrate what they learned in a talent show of sorts.  We also had a rocking time of music and prayer.  (We are family...I got all my sisters with me!)

It was a girls night out that lasted all weekend long.  Basically, we all had a ball.

Siri Mitchell has always been a favorite author of mine, so I was excited to read her latest book--A Constant Heart.  Here's the blurb from the back:

In the court of Queen Elizabeth...

LOVE is a curse,

FRIENDSHIP is bought and sold, and

TRUE LOVE is the unpardonable sin.

Will Marget risk everything for the man who's captured her heart?

This book is truly unique.  It's written from his and her perspective, both in first person, and it's a love story not a romance.  As for the history--it's all news to me.  The three words I would use to describe it are: unexpected, haunting, and powerful.

My interview with Siri can be found at www.shoutlife.com/angelameuser.  Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this beautiful book.  I'll pick the winner on Friday.  And even if you don't win, you'll still definitely want to get your own copy.