Vicki Batman's Blog, page 59

Do Birthday Wishes Come True? #Europetravels #handbag #MFRWorg

For my unmentionably big number birthday, I asked Handsome for a Rhine River cruise--yes, the same commercials you see on Downton Abbey. 

I love cruises. Here's why:

1. Only unpack one time.
2. Only pack one time.
3. Good meals.
4. Entertainment.
5. Mostly nice people.
6. Great stops. 
7. Very relaxing.

So yes, Handsome and I went to the Rhine River where we stopped at places I'd read about. We ate good food. Enjoyed meeting many new folks.

And partied!

There was only one hitch: no handbag. 

Not to worry. When I returned home, I went shopping to my favorite store and found this little treasure:

It's a Kate Spade and looks like a travel trunk. I was a little worried about having a zipper and would it open wide enough without scraping my hand. 

Worried for nothing. 

So to celebrate my b'day, I'm giving away a handbag. If you want to be included in the drawing, just leave your email address in the comments. 

Flying the Red, White, and Blue! #GodblessAmerica #USA #MFRWorg

Rejoice! for today we celebrate Labor Day!!!


When I celebrate Labor Day, I go on a trip, or barbecue in my backyard. A big must have for the barbecue is Ice Cream!!
Growing up, my family made lots of homemade ice cream. Vanilla, peach, and strawberry were favorites. We would sit on top of the maker and crank and crank until the paddle wouldn't move any more. And I couldn't wait to taste it fresh while Mom spooned the container into one to set in the freezer.
Do you make homemade ice cream? What is your favorite flavor?
And P.S. God Bless us all.!

I Married a Superhero #happyanniversary #wedding #popthebubbly #MFRWorg #RssosSisters

Pop the bubbly 'cause Handsome and I are celebrating an anniversary (I'd say but that would reveal a huge number which might give some of you a coronary).

We've hit many milestones:

3 houses
2 sons
cancer
funerals
pets
job changes
started a company

And the one person I could really talk to, the one I can make laugh is Handsome. He's tall, strong, gives great hugs, smells good, and has the sure to reel me in eye twinkle.

I may not say this enough, but you're the best. A good man.



From me to you: every second, every minute, every hour of every day.

#Handbag Monday author Nancy Haddock has a love for a 1950 vintage treasure #fashion #accessories #shoes #MFRWorg

Nancy Haddock is sharing a vintage treasure on

...Handbag Monday  

I inherited this precious vintage bag from my mother. I don’t have a more exact date than the 1950s, but I have a photo of my mom holding the purse somewhere, and I’d guess the picture is circa mid-1950s.
This is a Dorset Rex 5th Avenue NY purse. The aluminum woven basket oval body is topped with a black Lucite lid and handle. The lining is salmon; the closure is a flap-and-hook type – also aluminum. The bag is 5 ½” high, and the oval is 8 x 3¾”.

I don’t carry the purse because I fear ripping the lining, but I love having this tangible memory of Mom!
OMG, Nancy, I have been looking for my mom's version--it's a rectangle. 
About Nancy: Nancy Haddock is an award-winning, national bestselling author. Basket Case is the first book in the Silver Six Crafting mysteries with Berkley Prime Crime. Her earlier books are La Vida Vampire , Last Vampire Standing, and Always The Vampire.
The trouble Nixy expects in little Lilyvale, Arkansas is not the kind of trouble she finds.
Find Basket Case at:  Amazon Find Nancy at: Website

I'm officially a sob sister: Hippo Birdie Two Ewe, #1 son #happybirthday #allgrownup #MFRWorg #RssosSisters

I'm officially a sob sister.
Yep, while I'm writing this post about #1 son's birthday, I'm crying. For his big momentous birthday is Sunday. 

So I have to share his birthday story. 

He was two weeks late. I ballooned to beach ball size. The day he decided to be born, I did a load of laundry and bought stamps for his birth announcements, all the while doing that crazy breathing sound. I'd called Handsome and he said he was on his way. It took him a few hours. LOL

Once in the hospital, the drug which was supposed to help gave me violent chills. The nurses piled hot blankets on top. Handsome brought a hamburger and had the nerve to eat in front of starving me. Who knew all the commercials on television after seven pm were mostly about food? I got ice chips. 

By midnight, nothing. I fell asleep. 

Then lo and behold, I woke to me being rolled down the hall to delivery. I asked if I was having a C section as nothing was going very well. They said, "No." 

The contractions were so strong. #1 son rocked and rolled, but wasn't coming. The nurses pressed on my belly to help him and presto, my baby boy!

Cord cut, baby analyzed, Handsome holding up ten fingers and ten again. #1 son was almost 9 pounds, around 22 inches long, big and looked exactly like me. 

This is probably my favorite baby pix of him:



Happy birthday, #1! I love you and am very proud of you. Ox Mom

19 Authors, 19 Great Stories-- Cover Reveal of Mischief Under the Mistletoe featuring Kathy Ivan

Cover reveal for Mischief Under The Mistletoe, featuring 19 stories by NYT, USA Today, Amazon Bestselling and Award-Winning authors.  It's available for preorder, so you'll want to grab your copy of Mischief Under The Mistletoe right now for only 99 cents.  This set of 19 brand-new, never before seen holiday stories is sure to warm your heart and light your fire.  Release date is 11/17/15, so don't wait – preorder your copy today.  Kristin Miller - The Bad Boy Meets his Match. When lingerie-store owner Cora Brennan plans a getaway at a quaint mountain retreat, she never expects to reunite with the playboy she spent a memorable night with in college. Can they finally admit their true feelings for each other before love is lost to them again?Claudy Conn - Collide & Burn. Charlie knows when she first sees Wade Devon that he is trouble. Wade likes to win. It is what he does and he wants her…no strings attached. She has to ask herself, should she, or shouldn’t she.Melanie James - Snowflakes, Exes, and Ohs. With two men vying for her affection, Abbie's heart is torn between the two. One has always been there for her, no matter what. The other left when she needed him the most. Mindy Klasky – Fly Me to the Moon. Lexi thinks she’s recovered from the fire that burned her years ago. But when she falls for PTSD-ridden army veteran Finn, she learns how deep some scars can be.Holly S. Roberts - Ruck. Van, one of the best players in rugby and the hottest player between the sheets is looking for a holiday miracle. His brother won the girl and Van’s heart is broken. Could the gift of a lifetime be his for the taking or will this bad boy ruck it up again. Stephanie Rowe - Wrapped Up In You. Can the Christmas magic of a coastal Maine island heal two broken souls when a winter storm strands them together? Diane Rinella - It's A Marshmallow World. One Christmas, Darla was given a mystical gift, along with an ominous message. Years later, meeting Chris puts her head in a spin. Could it be that gift from long ago holds the key to their happiness?Kate Angell - Snow One Like You. A Vermont Christmas Eve blizzard forces Allie to close Hartley's  General Store. Her best friend Rhys arrives by snowmobile, not wanting her  to endure the snowstorm alone. A playful kiss under the mistletoe warms more  than their hearts.Kimberly Kincaid - Play Me. Sophie Drayton has seen enough of the wild life to know that Emilio Barrett is bad news. But the sexy stripper has secrets of his own. Will Sophie’s past come back to haunt her, or will Emilio prove that a bad boy can be also be a good man?J.D.Tyler - One Last Miracle. After a case gone horribly wrong, FBI Agent Mark McClendon retreats to his late grandfather’s isolated cabin, determined to escape his pain. He’s completely unprepared to find himself falling for his pretty new neighbor—but when the past comes gunning for him, Mark’s newfound love may mean the difference between a second tragedy and a holiday miracle. Robin Covington - When You Open Your Eyes. War tore Gabe and Ellie apart and three years later, he's almost given up any hope that she'll come back to him. When she returns just before the holidays, he wants nothing more for the damaged, stubborn woman he loves to stay forever but she's ready to run as soon as the gifts are opened. Chased by her nightmares, Gabe’s only hope of keeping Ellie is to convince her that he’ll be there when she opens her eyes.Suzanne Ferrell- Close To The Mistletoe. When teacher Holly Murphy walks into Westen’s only bar to help her friend celebrate a divorce, she doesn’t expect hot carpenter Nick Fisher to save her from an embarrassing situation. His heated kisses awakens something deep inside her, but when someone sets his sights on Holly, will Nick be the one to protect her close to the mistletoe?Kathy Ivan – Yours For The Holidays. At her hospital's annual Bachelor Auction, event organizer, Dr. Alanna Reeves, is blindsided when the tables are turned and Blake Donovan offers a huge donation—for her! Can a trip to Florida for the holidays help them discover their true feelings or drive them apart forever?  Selena Laurence - Prince of the Press. Marcus Ambrose, the newest face in political media, is one hot ticket. But when he meets his brother's down-to-earth secretary Renee, his own heart takes a knock. Can Marcus's famous 'full-court press' convince the woman of his dreams to take a shot at love?Jennie Marts – Worth the  Shot. Addison Cavanaugh had one rule: Do not date hockey players. So kissing the newest trade to her dad’s team should have been off-limits—even if he is hot enough to melt the ice. Is the new player worth the shot or is she is risking her heart in a game she can’t possibly  win?Teri Riggs - Finding True’s Love. Six months after True’s last boss viciously attacked her, she’s ready to take her therapist’s advice and go back into the work force. She wants her life to be normal again and working for another man will be a giant step towards that goal.  Nick has been betrayed by a pretty face for the last time and has sworn off relationships. Or so he thought until the day his new assistant, True Kelly, walked into his office.Jennifer Theriot - Unwrapping Noel. Noel Calabrese hates Christmas as much as she hates her life. While in the Napa Valley on a business trip, she meets Leon Hallas. Could this sexy, silver fox be her ticket to happiness? MJ Fredrick - Bluestone Christmas. Come back to Bluestone, Minnesota for Christmas, where single mom Willow Branson has moved from Texas to make a home with her daughter. But moving from a Texas winter to a Minnesota one is more challenging than she expected, and handsome handyman Chase Granzer is more than happy to help her adapt…and keep her warm.Deb Julienne - All I Want For Christmas. Rafe Donnelly hates everything to do with the holidays. Ali Sanders is a single mother, juggling two jobs and missing most of her son’s childhood. Who knew a little boy's Santa wish could change so many lives?

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Mischief-Under-Mistletoe…/…/B0147H31BG
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mischief-Under-Mistlet…/…/B0147H31BG
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0147H31BG…
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0147H31BG…
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/…/…/mischief-under-the-mistletoe
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1032562884
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mischief-under-…/1122559499…  

How much fun is this? A #newcover Season of Surprises coming in October #boxedset #anthology #romance #MFRWorg

With great rejoicing...
I am happy to announce my story, "Holiday Handbag Extravaganza," will be a part of the Season of Surprises boxed set. 

Last year, our Season of Magic boxed set received great reviews and was on Amazon's Bestseller list for 19 weeks. 

So without further ado, here's: 


Isn't this adorable? And preorders will begin September 1 at lots of e-retailers.

Here's a tiny blurb from "Holiday Handbag Extravaganza:" 

Christmas Countdown is on! Hunk-a-licious customer, Jack Treadaway, pesters boutique owner, Callie Woods, to locate a vintage handbag for his mother. Too bad the wedge between them is his sister, the meanest girl in town.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

.@VickiBatman - My first Lipstick #makeup #fashion #cosmetics #beautysupplies

Once upon a time...

I was very young--Big Surprise! 

Seriously, when I was younger, I was extremely shy. Painfully shy. My mom always said she could send my six year-old sister to buy milk in the convenience store over sending me. 

Thankfully, in my high school years, I grew out of that mess.

Around age ten, a new girl came to my elementary school. Her name was Joann and she seemed quite sophisticated to me. I was all skinny, ugly glasses, and --remember the shy thing?-- shy. Joann wore lipstick. One day after lunch, I said
it looked pretty on her and she passed me the tube. The lipstick was sorta purply pale colored. But I didn't care. By putting some on, I, too, would be cool and sophisticated like my new friend.


I passed it back; however, she told me to keep it. My insides went yipee!!!

After I walked home from school that day, my mom noticed the lipstick I wore. She asked me where I got it and being the obedient child I was, I showed her my gift. She took it away from me. Tears flooded my eyes. I wouldn't be cool any more. What would I tell Joann when I didn't wear it? Mom didn't care. No ten year old of hers would be wearing lipstick. 

I ceased being cool. 

In high school, I was able to wear some lipstick, a bit of colored eye liner. And by college, I delved into more. I modeled in college and learned from fashion shows what suited me best. 

As the years rolled on, I continued to put makeup on every day. Even when sick because my aunt said she always felt better with her hair and face done. She was right, but I'm thinking the good shower played the biggest part. 

The past five years, I've cut back my routine. I fix my hair and put on some eyeliner, mascara. Sometimes, I add a swipe of blush and powder to my brows. I save the warpaint for the special occasions.

So what was your first big makeup item?




“Look, I don’t know what you’re thinking. The only worms I know about are for fishing.”
Temporarily Employed can be found at: Amazon

#Movie Mom : Had lots of fun watching The Man From U.N.C.L.E. #spyfilm #coldwarmovie #sixtiesvibe #MFRWorg

Movie Mom
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. directed by Guy Ritchie is a fun, spy film set in an international backdrop with fast cars, great chases and interesting women. It's 1963, East Berlin, when an ex-con turned CIA agent named Napoleon Solo has to track down Gabby Teller, a mechanic, whose father was a Nazi scientist and had worked for the U.S. government. He teams with a almost indestructable Russian Agent, Illya Kuryakin to get her to lead them to her missing parent.

Henry Cavill is the suave and debonair Napoleon Solo, Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin, and Hugh Grant makes a guest appearance as their British boss.

My thoughts: I liked this movie. Sometimes, critics pick apart films and forget they are about entertainment. Not every movie is Oscar-worthy. 

UNCLE wasn't boring. Moved quickly. Great costuming and witty banter. Fabulous touches which only could be found in a Guy Ritchie movie. We moviegoers are transported to the sixties.

I enjoyed this one more that MI:Rogue Nation (except for Simon Pegg). 

FMI: Wikipedia


Now for the honest-to-God confession: Have you seen the television show? (VB raising her hand here).

#Handbag Monday - the perfect #summer bag #MFRWorg #accessories #fashion #shoes #RLFBlog

Handbag MondayI've been meaning to show this one off for a long time. Many years ago, Handsome and I took the boys on a cruise around Hawaii. (FYI-with cruises you don't have to unpack. Feed you. Make friends. Have lots of stops and entertainment.) I began noticing these adorable handbags and since that is what I prefer to buy when traveling, I went hunting for the perfect specimen. 

Alas, it was harder than I thought. All the cruise stuff didn't allow me to shop at roadside stands until one day, and I found this...


The man and woman I bought this from said it was from the Phillipines and all of his were handmade by his wife's family. Everything about it said "Vicki!"
Inside is a drawstring cloth bag sewn into the handbag to hold valuables. I don't really use that as I carry this one on special occasions. I've already glued one place back. 
But it is perfect for summer. So I'll carry it for a few days and bask in my fun treasure. 
Do you have a perfect summer bag? 





"So you want to show me your Mr. Wiggly Worm?" 

Temporarily Employed can be found at: Amazon