What a Week!

Twitter and Facebook has really killed my blogging! Does anyone write posts in their head, then send a tweet and forget about blogging?

Well, I had an eventful week worth sharing…

Last Friday, I was driving my kids home from school, singing show tunes, having a good time and actually going the speed limit when I look in my rear view mirror to see flashing red and blue lights. I waited a few seconds, but when the police car didn’t move around me, I knew I had to pull over on the highway. Last time I was pulled over was about 6 months ago and I was speeding and felt the guilt of my heartbeat in my chest. This time, nothing. No visceral response and no clue what I had done. The cop peeked in the back side window and saw three well behaved and speechless kids… What a surprise to me. Maybe that’s the trick to getting them to behave.

He gave his license and registration spiel and my heart jumped because on the counter at home sat my NEW car insurance card. Great! I didn’t even know why I was being pulled over and now he probably had a reason to write a ticket. I mumbled some lame excuse like “my insurance is on the counter at home.” Like how many times has he heard that one? Luckily he said I had two more days on the insurance, but “did I know my tags had expired…in July?”

I had no clue and looked like a complete helpless female when I mumbled…”my husband usually takes care of that.” I’m sure that was an original line! He passed the ticket thingy past my teen in the passenger seat and told me it was a warning ticket and that if I showed proof of paid tags it COULD be dismissed. If not, I’d have to pay $100. Have a nice day!

Well, I called hubby and told him about my little adventure then went about my business driving kids to and from and switching out cars with my hubby when two hours later, driving home alone on a different road I see flashing red and blue lights in my rear view mirror.

I started to laugh. I actually chuckled outloud and was still giggling when the officer (thankfully a different one) asked for my license and registration. I mumbled about having been just pulled over in my other vehicle and he asked if I knew my tag had expired in June. I hadn’t  a clue, but wasn’t surprised until he said “I’m really suppose to impound/tow your car, but I’ll let you go if you wait to drive off until I leave.” I thanked him and signed the ticket and said I’d go straight home. I waited until he left and then drove paranoid all the way to Sam’s. Okay, well technically I didn’t promise to go straight home and I was going to go straight home until my husband encouraged me to go shopping for some desperately needed food. I did, and felt the visceral beating of my heart all the way to Sam’s and back home.

I was just waiting to be pulled over again, in fact I kinda hoped I would because then it would have been a hilarious ending to this crazy day that left me thinking what were the chances of getting pulled over in two different vehicles on the same day after driving with expired tags for MONTHS?

We think we figured out what happened. When we moved, the DMV probably had our old address and we didn’t get those little reminder cards. I thought the next day everything would be cleared up when we paid for our tags, but nope. I still need to make a trip down to the court house. Like I don’t have enough to do…

This post has gotten way too long. Guess the turkey story will have to wait.

They say copying is the greatest form of flattery, or something like that. And I’m copying Georgiana’s post.  After you finish here and leave your comment/list, go check hers out!

Top 5 things I’ve learned about writing NaNo…

5. That I still have to do some amount of research or I shut down, the story stalls and it’s better to do the little bit of research to satisfy that then to dry up.

4. That I can write more than I thought I could and write badly enough to get the words down

3. That I prefer to edit as I go (perfectionist in me) and it takes real discipline not to stop and show the emotion…

2. That my characters all have heart problems! LOL! But I’m okay with it now and use it as my standard response to go back and fill in a real visceral emotion later.

1. That I still don’t have as much time to write as I’d like and when I do have time I can crank out the words BUT I need a huge chunk of time to do that and it’s probably a good idea to schedule several writing weekends instead of trying to write every day and come up with 500 words of junk in 2 hours!

What have YOU learned?

I used to dread the holidays. Sometimes I still do. I grew up in a NY Italian family that celebrated every holiday together. Then I got married and moved away and holidays weren’t something I looked forward to anymore.

At first it was me and hubby. I tried doing the festive thing for Thanksgiving and Christmas and kept some of the traditions and even dressed up at times. Then kids came a long and I bought those cute suits for the kids, several years in a row, but realized we’d always be dressed up with no place to go.

Some years we went to see family, but when the kids got older and our family grew it was much easier to stay home. Soon the holidays came and went, and we barely made it out of our pajamas. Often it became just another day and each year I’d grieve inside. I’d grieve not having family around, but most of all I grieved the fact that even though I belonged to a church and a Christian community, no one, I mean no one except for two Easters, invited us over for the holidays and many knew we had no family in town.

Many years we invited others over with us (one year we had a dozen college students) and those were the best times, but deep inside I still grieved the lack of community, of true family and fellowship. The last couple of years since my family moved to town we’ve had small intimate holidays with friends joining us as well. This year it will just be our family and my mom who’s living with us.

Still, I wish we could share the holiday with someone. Maybe someone who once felt like us, though we’re not sure who that person or family might be. I’d happily clean off my dining room table (which is covered in Christmas decor at the moment) and make room for them.

Here are some past thoughts about community and holidays:

Finding Community: Is God Enough?

Ho Hum Holidays 2006

Thanksgiving: Now That’s More Like It 2008

My daughter’s been listening to Christmas music for weeks now. She wrote her Christmas list even before that and she can’t wait for snow because that means it will be Christmas. Do you thinks she’s a little excited? Here’s her Christmas list as she wrote it. Think you can decipher it?

Barbie and the three muscuters the moves. (pretty easy, wait it gets harder)

a Barbie doll the three muscaters the blond one. (she drew a picture of this!)

a ariall dress up costume.

DSI uv many trad my DS for a DSI not a lot (like that’s going to happen )

Tumble Dog that locs like Jety (our dog, Jedi) and mymabe soot wus Peeck (pink) and

Style Lrab Jewelry

Desigin and crazcookn’ and

Barbie glamour

and a byoot ful nekulis so prity (I can read this, can you?)

and a we litlist Pet Shop Gam for we cyoot

and miny baby bel cees

Alvin and the Chipmunks the squeakauel

What a list! It might take me to next Christmas just to translate it!

I just happened to notice tomorrow is the day to post on this and since I have a stack of books I need to write reviews for, I thought I’d use this as a reminder. Most of the books I already read, so here’s a preview of future post.

The Silent Gift by Michael Landon Jr, and Cindy Kelley
I’ll be giving two copies away of this book and interviewing Michael Landon Jr. I’m still putting my questions together so if you have something you want to ask him, let me know.

The story started off with a bang and me literally holding my breath and the end left me teary eyed in the Landon tradition. The middle I’m still mulling over…definitely an interesting twist to the woman in jeopardy story and worth the read.

Guardian of the Flame: A Seven Wonders Novel by TL Higley
I loved Higley’s City of the Dead (Seven Wonders Series #2) and absolutely love the concept of the Seven Wonders series and was intrigued with the history of the Alexandria lighthouse and how Higley wove ancient history into a wonderful story of love and redemption. At times I could see myself in Sophia the protagonist.

A Mother’s Search for Meaning by Roberta Bandy was a touching story of a young mom’s life raising a special needs child and how that child drew her to God. The true story of this remarkable young man teaches a profound lesson about hope and faith and value of life. I’d love to pass this book on to someone with a special needs child! Just leave me a comment. 

The Bartered Bride by Erica Vetsch

I’m not a big romance reader, but I’m finding I do enjoy historical romance and this one by Erica is a fun read. I like to read it right before bed. Helps me wind down from a hectic day.

Head Games by Tims Downs
I need a story that moves while I’m on the elliptical and this one delivers. Mystery, fast paced, and when I look at the time I’ve spent on the elliptical 30 minutes feels like 5! Gotta love it!

Check out what everyone else is reading at http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/

Yes, I know, I’m on a no sugar kick mostly to tame my sweet tooth during the holidays, and I confess, I have slipped a bit, but I’m back on track and sure glad I’m not pregnant. Why? Aside from the obvious, one of my favorites chocolates, dark chocolate, is said to be beneficial to pregnant women and if I was pregnant that just might give me a license to eat it!!!

Dr. Triche and researchers from Yale studied 2,291 pregnant women who gave birth between 1996 and 2000 and asked the moms-to-be how much chocolate they ate in their first and second trimesters. Their studies included testing blood from their umbilical cords for theobromine, a telltale component of chocolate. Women who ate the most chocolate were about 70 percent less likely to develop preeclampsia than those who eat the least, the researchers report in this month’s issue of the journal Epidemiology.

Great news for pregnant women, though I’d like to see the study on how much weight these women gained during their pregnancy.

Dark chocolate is not only beneficial for pregnant women but Intentional Chocolateâ„¢ is said to decrease stress, increase energy, greater calmness, and enhanced focus. Maybe that’s why many women reach for chocolate when they’re stressed out! Intentional Chocolate believes in their chocolate and providing the best product for health, well-being and satisfaction.  “Whoever consumes this chocolate will manifest optimal health and functioning at physical, emotional and mental levels, and in particular will enjoy an increased sense of energy, vigor and well-being for the benefit of all beings.” That’s enough to make me break my sugar fast for a while!

Intentional chocolate received the following benefits:

• Decreased stress
• Increased energy
• Less fatigue
• Greater calmness
• Enhanced focus
• Improved general well-being

So indulge in dark chocolate for pregnancy and lose the guilt! But with chocolate this yummy, you better be prepared to lose the weight as well!

Intentional Chocolate has some wonderful news about the benefits of dark chocolate! Did you know it is incredibly beneficial for pregnant women? The fantastic news about chocolate comes from Elizabeth Triche of Yale University and her colleagues. The researchers studied 2,291 pregnant women who …

I’ve already posted on how we’re making up stories that go along with Alphabet Island to help us remember spelling words with EE and EA. Well, here’s my seven and nine year old’s story about the TOWN:  My comments are in (parentheses)

Grace’s (7) EE Story: The Town

There once was a QUEEN. People would CHEER for QUEEN Elizabeth the third. (care of Phineas and Ferb. Who ever said cartoons weren’t educational?) And people would help each other a lot and while some CREEP on each other. It was a okay place to be, but QUEEN Elizabeth the third wasn’t happy with her people and her husband died a long time ago.

The End

And Timothy’s (9) EE story: The Town

Once upon a time there was a MEEK QUEEN that everyone would GREET her. One day a TEEN was about to CREEP on the QUEEN and she saw him and told her guards to chase them, but they got away. The bad guys were full of GLEE. The QUEEN was sad so the people CHEERED for her and she was happy.

The End

In the town there are cars. If you SPEED, you will get pulled over by a cop. On the cars there are WHEELS that drive on the STREET.  A JEEP can drive up a STEEP hill. You have to use your FEET and your HEEL to press the pedal. Your KNEE is cramped.

The End

They’re working on EA stories about the BEACH and other EE stories I’ll post another day!

Why couldn’t I have discovered it early? No boring rules to memorize like K comes before and E, I, Y! Instead, rules are learned through FUN stories and songs! My kids are really taking to it and after struggling to learn these phonics and spelling rules, it’s really sinking in!

My kids have no problem with the C,K rules and my six year old can even tell you if KELLOG is spelled with a C or K and knows CITY is spelled with a C.

I strayed from the Alpahbet Island to the land of Saxon 1 (for my 2nd grader) and Christ Centered Curriculum (for my 4th) and while it was good at reinforcing things we learned on the Island, when it came to spelling words with EE, EA and IE, I found my kids drowning in a sea without a life raft to hold on to. There was nothing for them to grasp out at Saxon and CC sea, so we swam back to the Island and continued where we left off which was at spelling with EE! God is so cool how he makes my hodge podge homeschool all line up!

So we’re having a great time on the Island learning that EE song and the EE words on the FARM. I even made up my own little song. I bet it sounds familiar. “Old MacDonald had a farm, EE Double E. And on his farm he had a SHEEP, TREE, CHEEP, GREEN grass, BEET, BEE, DEER, WEEDs, SEEDs.” Get it! These double EE words are all on the farm!

But I realized some words that should be on the farm like PEACH and LEAF weren’t DOUBLE EEs. So I made up a story, complete with pictures.  “My DEAR was at the BEACH drinking TEA and eating a PEACH with a LEAF when a bird with a BEACH tried to eat it!” The kids got in the story making act and we added to it, “The MEAN boys came and BEATed on a pail with shovel…”

Then we went over to the TOWN to MEET the QUEEN, who was MEEK, and GLEEful, but there was this CREEPY TEEN there…and over to the GYM where the WEAK people go and people who play on a TEAM.

My kids are writing their own versions of these stories and drawing pictures, but I’m so excited because this is perfect for my visual learners and they’re actually having fun. Next we’re going to talk about the CARS in the town that drive on the STREET… There’s so much fun and learning left to be done!

It’s been 11 days since I started my no sugar challenge and except for that darn cheesecake at the banquet Friday night, I’m pretty proud of myself.

After binging on Halloween candy the evening of October 31st, I knew I needed a change. You see, it’s not like I binge all day long on sweets, but I do like my 2 and a half teaspoons of sugar in my coffee and the occasional afternoon mini chocolate or two or three in the afternoon for a pick me up or stress relief.

It’s not that I always order a sonic Reseese’s blast, it’s just that I didn’t deny myself either if I really wanted it. And of course I’d always order a lite Java Chip, and sugar free ice coffee. It’s not like I was 100 lbs. over weight, just those pesky 20 that never seemed to come off. Okay, 25 with the five I gained the last couple of months. But I knew if I kept it up, my weight would go up. What I was lacking was self control!

So I decided to go cold turkey with the no sugar. Now, I’m not religious about it, I don’t check the ingredients on every package. I still have two tablespoons of cream in my coffee, and will indulge in a 150 calorie cereal bar if I’m on the go, but I’ve gone 11 days WITHOUT eating leftover candy and WITHOUT sugar in my coffee and I’m fine with the taste.  Did you read that people? For someone who LOVES a super sweet drink, I’m okay with NO sugar in my coffee! But I’m not ready to give up my cream!! Don’t even ask…maybe some day, but not now. Baby steps!

I’m also making baby steps in exercising again.  I was on a great summer schedule, but once homeschooling and teaching school started, it was hard to find a consistent plan. I’m working towards that and sweating more! I plan to cheat with the sugar thing on Friday or Saturday (hopefully not both days) and then try and go again with no sugar until Thanksgiving.

Do you think I can do it? Wanna join me?

It only takes 10 seconds to show your appreciation!

At www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier currently serving in Iraq. Best of all it’s FREE!

Sounds like a great Veteran’s Day project, don’t you think?

Caution: If you have a weak stomach or succumb to dizziness and nausea easily, and/or are pregnant…read at your own risk! The following posts contain sudden twists, up expected turns, repeated highs and lows, but guarantee a thrill and insight to this writer’s journey to publication.

Here’s just a peak into my writing journey…

September 25, 2006 ACFW in a Word

September 25, 2006 Why?

September 27, 2006 Pride, Can You Relate?

September 28, 2006 Humble

October 3, 2006 Patience

October 7, 2006 I’m Writing Again

October 31, 2006 My Book’s Here

November 14, 2006 Embracing My Destiny

December 19, 2006 In Due Time

December 23, 2006 Blogger or Writer?

How’s your ride going?

Post from the Past, March 12, 2007

Tonight I went to see Broadway’s Don Quixote. Though I vaguely knew the story of the crazed man who fought windmills, I didn’t know God would use this story to speak to my heart. Filled with interesting and wreched characters (which completely contrast with Don Quixote’s virtues of honor, love and valiancy), the story took me to a place I didn’t expect to go.

The harsh character of Aldonza, a self-proclaimed whore, touched my heart. She wore her pain and self-hate on her sleeve, her heart hardened to everyone including herself. At first she made fun of Don Quixote, like the others. His vision of her as Dulcinea, the virtuous virgin, perplexed her, but also intrigued her. She couldn’t stay away from him. Why couldn’t Don Quixote see her for who she really was, a wretched whore born on a dung heap and would die on a dung heap?

Yet, he insisted she was Dulcinea, the most beautiful and virtous woman he’d ever met. His lady, the one he’d fight for on his quests.That’s when it hit me. I’m Aldonza, a wretched sinner in the eyes of everyone except my Don Quixote. My God.

Aldonza couldn’t accept Don Quixote’s vision of her. But when things got bad enough, when she had enough of Aldonza, she sought out Don Quixote and wanted to be his Dulcinea. She needed to be his Dulcinea.

We’re all Dulcinea’s in the eyes of God, but like Aldonza we can’t see it and those around us can’t see it also. Yet, someone saw past her sin to the person she was really meant to be. Dulcinea.

How I wish someone here on earth would see the Dulcinea in me, but mostly they see Aldonza. Yet, I can’t let that stop me from believing I am who God made me to be.

I am Dulcinea.

God’s beloved.

Post from the Past, September 13, 2007

Sing with me!

I must be a little loopy after so much synopsis rewriting. I think I could probably rewrite it forever. But during a break that old song “5o ways to Leave your Lover” came floating back into my head, except with different lyrics. So indulge me while I let loose before I dive back in to my real work!

There’s gotta be 50 ways to edit your WIP

“The problem is all inside your WIP”, my editor told me
“The answer is easy if you want to write for me
I’d like to help you in your struggle to be free
There must be fifty ways to edit your WIP.”

See, it’s really my editor’s habit to intrude
Furthermore, with dozens of pages of edits his meaning can’t be misconstrued
So I’ll repeat his words at the risk of being rude
“There must be fifty ways to edit your WIP
Fifty ways to edit your WIP.”

“Just hit the delete, Pete
Get a new plot, Scott
You don’t need the backstory
Just get your WIP free

“Shore up the mid, Sid
Clean up the end, Ken
You don’t need to rewrite much
Just kill off the man, Stan
And set your WIP free

“Ooo hit the delete, Pete
Get a new plot, Scott
You don’t need the backstory
Just listen to me

“Shore up the mid, Sid
Clean up the end, Ken
You don’t need to rewrite much
Just kill off the man, Stan
And set your WIP free”

He said, “it grieves me so to see you in such pain
I wish there was something I could do, but your WIP is just lame.”
I said, “I appreciate that, but would you please explain
About the fifty ways to edit my WIP.”

He said, “why don’t we both just go our own way
I’ll just rip up your contract, and I won’t have to pay
And then he sent me to spam, and I cried all through the night
Remembering… fifty ways to edit my WIP
Fifty ways to edit my WIP

So I’ll hit the delete, Pete
Get a new plot, Scott
I’ll cut out the backstory
and set my WIP free…
Okay, I’m done!

Okay, I succumbed to cyber peer pressure and joined. Do I think I’ll write 50,000 words in a month? Noooo! I don’t even think I’m going to write 5,000 words in a month, but at least I’ll be a little more motivated to sit down and write something.

My goal  is not to crank out as many words as I can, but just to get my BIC (Butt in chair) writing! And I think I’ll reach my goal!

So if you’re crazy enough to do NaNo please buddy me: Portraitwriter If you’re doing NaNo, leave your NaNo name in the comment section! NaNo’s website been a bit difficult tonight so it might take some effort to find each other.

I do have a competitive spirit and think the healthy competition will spur me along! Other than that, I’m not really going to sweat it (she says as she wipes her brow.) Really!

Post from the Past

This book totally changed the way I viewed each of my children. In fact, I think it’s time I read through it again.

When my oldest was two, he drove me crazy with his bossiness and his involvement in everyone’s business. He was demanding, confrontational with other children, and often had trouble in social situations. He never obeyed and often ran off on his own. Now he’s twelve, nothing much had changed, except that I read this book and realized he’s just who God made him to be.

And there’s a profile in this book that fits him like a glove. It helped me to understand the places in where my son would soar and excel. Here’s a glimpse of the table of contents.

Helping Your Child Fly

Finding Places Where Your Child Soars

Unleashing the Power that Keeps Your Child Soaring

Understanding How Fast and How long your Child Can Fly

Understanding How Your Child Works with Others

Dusting Off Discipline and Helping Your Child Find the Right Skies

Helping Your Child Navigate Treacherous Skies

Putting Your Child in the Best Possible Position to Learn

Wow! After reading those great chapters, I really DO need to go read this again. And maybe this time I’ll pick up the workbook.

One downside to this book is that it’s out of print and you have to search around on ebay or Amazon. I was lucky enough to discover this on a discount book table!