Behind the toddler-proof gate of Santa Monica’s exclusive Garden of Happiness, it’s the grown-ups who are getting schooled.When new preschool parent Justine discovers that the man who broke her heart back in grad school is a dad in her daughter’s class, she tells herself she’s immune to the superficial charms of the ex she calls “the crapwizard.” But when his presence opens a time tunnel of potent memories from her life before motherhood, she must find a way to defuse her old attraction to him before it undermines her marriage.Then there’s Ruben, rookie stay-at-home dad and standup comic who quits his day job to pursue his TV-writing dream on his wife’s condition that he take her place among the “power mommies” on the school committees.And ruling the sand box with an iron fist is Margaret, whose ongoing divorce from her dentist-turned-New Age-surfer husband forces her to rely on her dubious people skills in order to keep the school that has become the cornerstone of her identity.When the new school year kicks off with a flight-risk rabbit named Ozone, a school secretary in desperate need of a social filter, and some double-barreled committee recruiting tactics, it’s not all juice and cookies for Justine, Ruben, and Margaret as they struggle to play nice.

    draws on personal stories infused with humor and wisdom to extract impactful life lessons. He walks us through some of his most career-defining moments to emphasize the importance of living life with the punchline in mind. With a comedian's cadence and a dependable friend's outstretched hand, Michael Jr. addresses provocative issues including race, policing in America, forgiveness, socio-economics, and faith with gritty familiarity. While you will find yourself laughing out loud, at its core, FUNNY HOW LIFE WORKS reveals that if you pay close attention, the obstacles you face day to day are part of a much bigger plan that can help you realize and fulfill your life's mission. Like many of us, Michael Jr. wrestled with several moments of uncertainty, from living in his car to being held up by officers, but he never lost sight of the bigger picture. In this inspiring and self-reflective book, he implores us to do the same.

    

    He leaves no inheritance or home for his unmarried daughter, so when Melody sees an advertisement for a mail-order bride who can play the piano for church services, she believes it is a sign from God. She takes the stagecoach from Missouri to the Colorado silver mining area, where she expects to marry the minister and serve the local congregation with him.But when Preacher Todd answers her knock on the door, he proclaims his innocence in placing an ad for a bride, sending letters of encouragement, paying for her fare west, and asking her to marry him.Melody must rethink her future. Now, she’s stranded in Colorado with the same problems she had in Missouri, no home, no husband, no vocation, and no money. Should she stay in this western state or devise a plan to return to familiar surroundings?

    

     Grab a cocktail, sit back, relax and Escape to the Islands... Life is sweet for Joanna Nelson until the day she gets a call from a lawyer in Greece that knocks her for six. Her father, whom Joanna has never met, has died. Her mum was always reticent to discuss her brief holiday romance many years before on a tiny Greek Island called Skiathos, and all her life Joanna’s tried to fill in the blanks. It seems her dad ran a small hotel on the island, and according to the lawyer, has left the property to her. Her boyfriend immediately advises Joanna to sell the place but it seems things aren't so simple. The persuasive lawyer tells her that though now worn and run-down, the hotel is the heart and soul of a small seaside community in Skiathos and it would break her father's heart to see it sold. Could Joanna perhaps come and see for herself? Intrigued by the idea of visiting the Greek island and discovering more about her heritage and her parents’ romance, Joanna agrees to visit Skiathos in early spring. Upon arrival she is very quickly seduced by the soft sand, blue skies and tumbling bougainvillaea, as well as the welcoming Greek community, who are only too happy to impart information about the father she never knew, teach her all about their beloved island and most importantly, reveal the truth about her parents' romance. And all too soon, Joanna begins to wonder if her mother made a huge mistake in leaving beautiful Skiathos so many years before… Escape to the Islands SPRING IN SKIATHOS SUMMER IN SANTORINI AUTUMN IN CRETE WINTER IN RHODES

    From the high chair to a vinyl restaurant booth on date night, Lela Davidson has captured life on the cul-de-sac with a husband, two kids, and the occasional pet. Whether failing at cloth diaper origami or smug in knowledge that her children have never consumed a PopTart, Lela assures parents they are not alone, and that it's okay to laugh—at yourself, and at your kids. These are the stories of every parent—even if we don't always tell them out loud. Each of these 62 essays can be read in under five minutes for a quick laugh—either with or at the author.As a CPA on the mommy track, all Lela wanted to do was sit on the driveway and drink wine out of a box with the neighbors. Luckily, she started writing down her stories instead. Whether tackling PTA meetings, neighborhood politics, or inflation-by-Tooth Fairy, Lela exposes the humor in every awkward moment and maternal meltdown. From a trendy Seattle condo, to a tidy Arkansas subdivision, Lela shares the comic side of family life. She takes you to Mexican bars, the hockey rinks of St. Louis, ski slopes near Santa Fe, shopping in Dallas, and even introduces you to a few strippers—the novices on the playgrounds of New York City, and the pros in Vegas. Lela says what the rest of us are thinking. Her hilarious observations and subtle satire are always spot on. She's not afraid to reveal her screw-ups, along with fleeting delusional moments of wherein she honestly believes she is the best mom ever.

    Whether you're carving evil messages into your coworker's banana peel or telling your kids that, yes, raisins are actually dehydrated people, there's a certain, sinister-yet-fun draw to really messing with people. In Perhaps I’ve Said Too Much (the much anticipated follow-up to the heralded, award-winning Things Go Wrong For Me), Rodney Lacroix gives the reader some insight on what it's like to live the prankster life. No one is safe, including Rodney himself as not all of his antics go entirely as planned. Join him as he spins some yarns, gives you some new ideas and lets you relive the catastrophic consequences of jokes gone terribly wrong. Complete with original hand-drawn artwork and graphics, one-two punch Brain Nuggets, and the ever-popular Draw Something Files, Perhaps will not disappoint.* (Assumes you are an immature child who enjoys potty humor and making fart noises with your armpits.)