Snow Fun, A Book Release, and A Hair Experiment

Hello, folks! It's been a while since I've done an actual post because I'm helping promote my peeps Jess Calla and S. Usher Evans and their new books, The Love Square and The Island! For those that don't know, Jess is my intern at BookFish Books, and she also happens to be a brilliant, swoony romance writer. She has a book coming out soon called She Laughs In Pink, and I have a huge book crush on Chase! And S. Usher Evans is an indie author who is always there to lend a hand to other authors. She helped Deek and I a lot with the process portion of Birth. Great ladies with great books!

The Book Release 

As you probably know from my Twitter, Facebook, blog, and Instagram gushing, Birth of an American Gigolo is available for sale! <happy dance>

Here it is on release day--dropped right onto my Kindle app! Isn't technology grand?

I waited until Deek went to sleep, and then I snuck downstairs to make him this sign. I hung it over the coffee pot where I knew he'd see it. LOL!

That night, we celebrated the release at our favorite paleo friendly restaurant. 

And we lit our "Rhew power R."

A few days later, the proof for the print version arrived. Birth should be available in print on February 16!

I ADORE this look of happiness and pride on his face. There is nothing quite like holding your book in your hands for the first time. 

Even Trinna baby got into the action by giving her Daddy's book a look-see! 

In the midst of all this excitement, Deek and I went on a couple of adventures, and I agreed to be part of a hair experiment.

The Hair Experiment

So, you know I decided to go with gray streaks in my hair. Well...that was a fail. It lasted about one and a half weeks before it turned into a brassy gold. I really don't like brass gold. So, I texted my hair dresser and asked what we could do about it. She told me to come in next time Deek got his haircut because she had a proposition for me. At Deek's appointment, I showed up, and she said, "How do you feel about blue hair?" LOL! Blue IS my favorite color, so I agreed. She told me that this new product had come out where you get a small bit of dye put in at the salon then take home a bottle of creamy dye you apply every night in the shower. AND she said if I agreed to test it out and send her pics of my hair's progress, I could get it all done for free. Um, yes. I am always up for a hair experiment, and a free dye job at that? Double yes. 

So, we did the in-salon dye. It was a light powdery blue but appeared more gray, which I was fine with because I'd wanted gray.

Then things started to go downhill. The at-home color didn't take nearly as well as the salon color, and I ended up with a half brassy blonde, half powder blue, half pool green hair. Eep!

My funky colored head at the gym.

After a couple weeks of trying, the color never improved to the powder blue the company promised. So, my hairdresser said she'd gotten what she needed experiment-wise and asked if I could stop using the product and see how long it takes to wash out. I'm on day three, and it's still not completely faded.

And since I was such a good sport, I soon had an appointment to get my next hair idea implemented: Ombre. My hair has taken a bit of a beating these past two years with the blonde and purple fun I've been having, and the pieces that have been stripped of color over and over again are pretty wrecked. So, we're going to do the ombre look where the top of the head is dark and fades to a lighter color. That way, my hair on top can recover as it grows out, and we'll just cut off the damaged layers as they grow out. Win/win. I hope! I want dark on the top fading to a blonde. Fingers crossed it works! 

Fort Vancouver

Deek and I made plans to go to dinner with one of his friends up in Vancouver, Washington. And since I've never seen Vancouver, we decided to go up there early and explore before dinner. Well, when we asked a bunch of different people about the best places to go in Vancouver, every one of them scoffed and said, "It's no Portland." LOL! A little Pacific Northwest rivalry going on? Then, Deek remembered he'd gone to Fort Vancouver as a child and wanted to know if I'd be interested in seeing it. I'm interested in seeing everything, so we went.

Outhouse. Someone, please explain this to me. Is it a choose-your-own-butt-size situation or a tandem bathroom experience situation. Either way...gah!

This cannon was probably a lot bigger to Deek when he was a child. LOL!

Jailbird 1

Jailbird 2

This was the mural on the ceiling in the women's bathroom. I kid you not. I *may* have snuck into the men's bathroom to see if they had the same decor. Spoiler: they do.

I love all my adventures with Deek. He's my heart and soul in human form. <swoony eyes>

Snow Fun

As you know, I'm Southern. So, when the white, fluffy flakes of frozen precipitation fall from the sky, it shuts down our lives. People wreck all over the place, we're stuck inside with our bread and milk (running Southern joke--the stores sell out of these two items first), and we freeze. Seriously, it's like a terrible treasure hunt just to try and find a pair of non-knit gloves where I'm from.

So, when Deek suggested we go snow tubing, I admit to being less than enthused. But he promised me that the proper gear makes all the difference. Per his instructions to find thermals and waterproof boots (I've never owned a pair of waterproof boots), I took a trip to the thrift store ('cause Dave Ramsey) and found what we needed for next to nothing.

The day arrived, and I still dreaded the thought of being wet and cold in the snow. But I pulled up my big girl panties and decided to make the best of it.

Southern girl about to go in the snow. And of course I wore pigtails because that's what they always wear in ski movies. LOL! 

We arrived.

And you know what? Deek was right. The proper gear makes ALL the difference. With waterproof boots, my feet--which normally freeze so bad I can't stand it--stayed warm. The thermal layers kept me toasty, and I even got hot pulling the tube back up the mountain with each round. Guess what? I had a complete and total blast. I totally didn't expect to enjoy it, but I REALLY did. And while we were there, it started snowing. Rather than groan and grumble, I watched it in awe. It's so beautiful and elegant when you're not worried about being stuck in your house for days and freezing every time you step outside. What a difference...

He's so swoony!

I love snow adventures! Who would have thunk it?

OMG! Huckleberry Inn. 

Yes and yes. I so love Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone. 

"I'm your huckleberry, and that's just my game."

Date Night

Then one day, Deek and I got the chance to go on an unexpected middle-of-the-week date. As we do, we headed to our favorite big city and explored the nooks and crannies together. We walked hand-in-hand, talked, and laughed a lot. Our dates don't have to be anything big or expensive. I just want time with my one and only. Time with my best friend, lover, and life partner. People, he's the most amazing man, and I'm so honored to be his wife! 

Me and my love on our impromptu date

And before I sign off...

An adorable picture of Trinity...just because.

I can't stand the cutest! 

Until next time, live out loud. Try new things. Love your people with all your might. Thanks for reading!