I'm book-published again!

Check this out. The columns I entered in America's Funniest Humor Writing Contest in 2005 that won recognition have been published in the "America's Funniest Humor" book! Yay!!

What great news to find in my email box on my return. Have you ordered your copy yet? Go to http://www.humorpress.com for all the details.

I'm baaaack!

Miss me?

I just had the most fantastic experience a writer can have. Nope. Not on the bestseller's list yet.

I went to the 2006 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. What a blast. If you're a writer and ever have the opportunity to go (especially if you are just starting out) - GO!

It's totally worth the cost, even more so.

Those who organized the event planned the every detail very well. THANK YOU, TIM BETE! The sessions were spot on and covered all the topics a writer needs info on. I bought a lot of books just for the fun of reading them (and got autographs, including Dave Barry's and W. Bruce Cameron's), but I also bought "The Frugal Book Promoter" by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and I am looking forward to putting her advice to work for me!

The hotel room at The Marriott and the meals that were served made me feel just like royalty. Not only was it great for my writing career it was a real treat for this mom. My husband is so good to me! He sent me and took care of the kids all by his lonesome. What a guy!

Momma, are you a princess?

That is what my Aiden just asked me (which makes him my favorite kiddo for the day!). He wanted to know if I was a princess because I am wearing a skirt.

I found some wonderful, casual long skirts at Walmart yesterday. (I wanted to give up wearing sweats around the house, plus, I've lost twenty pounds and needed some new clothes.) Well, these skirts are great because they have a drawstring. So I can lose another 40 pounds and still have something to wear.

Not only do I feel healthier, but thanks to my youngest son, I feel even prettier. ***BIG GRIN***

Bonus! These are peasant skirts, an old style that goes back to medieval times. LOVE IT! That's my favorite period in time.

A gift for you from me

Did you know that if you buy my book "Just Because Your Kids Drive You Insane...Doesn't Mean You Are A Bad Parent!" and you send me the receipt plus $4.00 for shipping and handling, I will send you a fantastic gift?

Check it out: http://www.jellymom.com/Books/JustBecause.php#Gift

Jelly Mom column up!

It's Friday eve...and there's a new Jelly Mom column posted....

>>HERE YOU GO!<<

Teletubbies and custard...

You should hear my two-year old son. The teletubbies are on and they are considering what it would be like to sit in a tub of custard. (Don't ask me, I don't write the script.)

Their response? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWW!

My son's response? EEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWW! YUCK! IIIIIICK!

Ah, the ever contagious gross reaction.

The sweetest sound...

...is listening to Boo who is behind me on the sofa, bouncing and giggling. Then she talks to me: "Huzzah! Zezzah! Hey-yah, hezzah, huzzah!" (More giggles.)

What a cutie. :)

Quiet me

Not much to post lately. I've been keeping busy with the websites I maintain, I've had a few more ads to write than usual, and I keep plugging away with Jelly Mom. After the Bombeck Workshop (in Dayton, Ohio) next week, I'll start rolling up my sleeves to do some serious book promotion.

I've also got another book to work on...so there is never a dull moment, but I am in a quiet mood lately.

Had a good weekend visiting my sister, BIL, nieces, nephew and parents. Always a good time.

And I've got spring fever. I'm looking forward to growing some tomatoes and strawberries this year (in pots so the cats and dog don't make them inedible).

Busy and quiet, that's me. I think it's because one friend nearly lost her baby to suffocation and another friend miscarried her baby. AND another friend lost her BIL in a terrible accident; a tractor fell on him while he was working on it. He leaves behind a wife and two kiddos, ages 6 & 4. Things like that really make you pause and savor life. Please lift them up in prayer.

I'm also still thinking of my grandmother who passed away recently. Please keep all the family in your prayers.

How do you like my Spongebob? Aren't you glad I'm a writer? :)

Happy Friday Eve!

Jelly Mom Column Up!

^^Click the above link^^

The weekend is here at last!!!! I'm outta here! I'm going to visit my sister, my wonderful brother-in-law and my favorite nieces and nephew! Dad gets a bit of a break here at home. He and Boo are just going to kick back and relax all weekend. The other four and I are trekking up to a more Northern part of California. And it looks like it will rain all the way--WOOO-HOOO!

Hope you all have a blessed weekend and enjoy that famly time. :)

A St. Paddy's Limmerick...

Lord Help Us All!

My son is a wee leprechaun
He's up at the first crack of dawn
Into mischief he gets
Terrorizing our pets
His first name should have been John.

But, no, we can thank his dear Mum (that's me)
For the name that she gave him is plumb (you'll see)
His mood it does fit
His antics won't quit
He's noisier than a bass drum. (Whoop-ee!)

When this dear and sweet bonnie mother
Gave the oldest kids a new brother
A name that means fire
It's the truth, I'm no liar
Is the name that I gave and no other.

Meet my dear little son he's named Aiden
Mind not the muddied clothes that he's played in
In the wink of an eye
He's off on the fly
And more trouble's the lot he'll be payin'.

Jelly Mom Up!

Check out this week's column...

http://www.jellymom.com

Have a great weekend!

World's Longest Mad Lib

ERMA BOMBECK WRITERS’ WORKSHOP CREATES WORLD’S LONGEST MAD LIB

Dayton, Ohio February 28, 2006 -- Call me Ishmael. Or Marsha Brady. Or, maybe, Mr. Potato Head.

Using the literary classic Moby Dick, nearly 200 writers registered for the upcoming University of Dayton's Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop (http://www.humorwriters.org/) have created the world's longest "Mad Lib." A Mad Lib is a story with blank spaces where words have been left out. The leader asks the other players to provide words to fill in the blanks but doesn’t tell them what the story is about. The result is humorous story with lines such as, "Call me Mr. Potato Head." Mad Libs is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Syndicated parenting humor columnist Lisa Barker, who writes the ever popular "Jelly Mom" column, took part in the mad lib and is looking forward to the upcoming workshop. "I'm excited to meet and listen to some top-notch writers. This is my first year attending the Erma Bombeck Writer's Workshop. I can't wait!"

>>Read More<<

Long time no blog

Hello my friends,

Well, everything happened at once.

The book is getting a great reception. My kids' teachers are reading, laughing out loud and passing the book around. One of the teachers is actually reading the book to the class and the kids are laughing. To me, that is worth more than gold.

The column was picked up by my hometown newspaper, The Salinas Californian, and another print publication with a large readership.

So the book and column business has kept me busy - all positive stress, of course. I placed well in the latest HumorPress.com humor writing contest and I won the Adding Wisdom Award for my book. I'm thrilled, but the winnings have kept me busy with writing press releases and updating my website. But I'm not complaining! Let the good rain down!

Then, my grandmother passed away so I have taken some time for myself. I guess I live at a certain stress level with Becca's illness and then one more thing just tips the scales to overwhelming and I need to retreat and make life very simple for a few days until I am ready to get back in the game and play again.

Yesterday we took Book to see a gastroenterologist at Stanford. We talked about feeding tube options. She doesn't need one now, but may by the end of the year.

This is stunning. I think I had envisioned a feeding tube when she was bedridden and near the end, but apparently she may require one while she's still a pretty active kiddo (crawling everywhere) and to the medical establishment it's no big deal. But it is to me. This is my BABY we're talking about and not an 'everyday procedure' for kiddos in her predicament.

I can't even imagine what it is like to never 'eat food.' It made me totally aware of how much I LOVE to eat...and how much I take it for granted.

I have to remind myself that she has a TERMINAL illness.

On the positive side, my husband is looking forward to 'expanding his horizons' at work. This is very good news for him as he's pretty much conquered the position he fulfills now. He's a smart guy and needs challenges and the opportunity to use all the skills he has and to apply his education.

The other kids are all doing very well in school. Poor Nicole has battled a sinus infection for two weeks, but she's back in school now almost fully recovered.

I'm looking for some local class/group I can take the older kids to that is designed to help siblings of terminally ill children. I think they could use something like this.

Tonight I go to the sleep clinic so they can test me for sleep apnea. I'm curious to see what they discover, if anything.

And WINTER has finally decided to grace us with its presence. We have cold and rain. Brrrrr is an understatement.

I hope sunshine finds you wherever you are and I wish you a rejuvenating weekend.

Warmest regards,
Lisa