Status: I survived! Birthday party/Trick-or-treating weekend! I'm still alive! We all are! Woo!
Thing One's party went very well. There was a lot of energy, and the High School Musical3 movie was OK. It wasn't as bad as the first two. Still fairly corny --and East High resembles typical high school like a ferret resembles an allligator, but eh, it was all good clean fun.
The girls stayed up until 4:30. I thought they went to bed at one am. Sneaky girls. They closed themselves in the theater room in the basement and stayed awake. Their moms were supposed to pick them up at 10:30 and they were still asleep at 9:45, when I finally woke them up to have breakfast.
Saturday night was Trick or Treating, and of course there was an icy wind blowing through. We all have the sniffles, now. And like dumb-dumbs, we set out a bowl of candy and put a sign that read "Out Trick-or-Treating, please take some!"
We got back and the bowl was EMPTY. And it was a big old bowl. Luckily I had enough candy to fill it three times. This morning I dumped all the leftover candy in a bag and sent it to work with Hubby. There's NO WAY I will have that stuff in the house.
Sunday was crazy too--but after I put the baby down for his morning nap, I crawled back into bed for a nap myself and woke up two hours later with Hubby next to me, reading a book. It was wonderful. I haven't had a Sunday nap in FOREVER, because our church is from 1-4, and usually I spend the morning running around getting everyone ready and getting my singing time stuff done.
So, I've recovered, somewhat, but this morning it's freezing, in the 30's, and the forecast is snow. Probably not enough to stick, and we're supposed to be sunny and 60 degrees the rest of the week, but today is reminding us that Winter is coming and we'd better do all the stuff we haven't done yet.
Time to tidy up from the weekend!
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
The writing was mostly stalled this weekend, I couldn't even get on the computer! But now that it's T Minus four days till NaNo, I really need to get my butt in high gear. I have pages and pages of notes, and I still need to iron out some plot. I may be "pantsing" on a few things, but hey, that's what NaNo is a good time for.
I've also had to become an excellent manager of time. Normally, I plan out 4-5 things and the rest of the day I just see what happens, but I am going to really have to PLAN to write 2000 words a day. Especially since Nov. 3rd, we'll be at the hospital all day for Hubby's tests, (thanks, all, for the well wishes) and I have family coming for the entire week of Thanksgiving. So I'm going to have to take up some slack and have heavier daily word counts at the beginning of the month, to make up for some of that.
I will have an hour and a half in the morning, from 5am to 6:30, then I will have an hour from 11-Noon, every day. That means going to bed on time. It will be hard, but I have to do it. I WILL do it. Hooray!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
I'm So Crafty...
Well, not that crafty, but I sure love my super-sized Xyron sticker maker. Thing One's "High School Musical Movie/Birthday Party/Sleepover is tonight, and it has an overall HSM theme. I even personalized the take home goody bags, above. It was a snap. Bought some plain red bags at Target for a dollar each, printed out the HSM3 logo and stuck it on. Voila! And if I didn't have the Xyron, I'd use double sided tape. Works just as well.I've made the cake, pristined the house, and bought soda and snacks for the sleepover part. We have the Ultra VIP seats for the movie tonight, so the girls will have fun.
Although *I* won't have so much fun. Naturally, being the mother, I will be the chaperone for all the girls. HOWEVER, I have an admission to make: I can't STAND HSM!! I couldn't make it through the first movie, I laughed through the second one (forced to watch it against my will) and I have a feeling this won't be any different. It's all sorts of corny, plastic, and that Efron kid wears too much makeup. I just can't like HSM, no matter what I do. Although you have to give them chops for their dancing.
So, am I the ONLY mom on earth who dislikes HSM??? Please tell me I'm not. This Disney Juggernaut was invented solely for the cash cow purpose of appealing to all those hormonal screaming tweens out there, I swear. My daughter eats it all up. She has a life-sized Zac Efron poster on her closet door. She has the soundtracks, and knows them all by heart.
Which is fine with me, but I'd rather not be subjected to it. Oh well. I'll try and have fun. The energy a group of 11-year olds puts out can be infectious!
Oh, and while I'm at it, I snapped a pic of the only two plants I have kept alive for more than a year in my whole life: My African Violet and my Aloe plant. (You can see I've snipped a few tips for sunburns.) I've kept the Aloe alive since 2006. Go me. I've had the African Violet since Mother's day, 2007. It's a miracle! (Well, that and repotting with MiracleGro!)
Check me out! I CAN keep things alive! (of course that's a fake plant next to the real ones. I LOVE greenery, just it has be be fake so it will stay alive!)
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I took a break from plotting last night, because I had to get some cleaning done. I have a lot of ideas percolating (I love that word!) in my head, and as soon as they're ready to spill out, I'll grab my notebook and start outlining. I am trying to figure out a major chunk of plot, and I'd better do it soon, or this story will only be 20K words. I want to do something that hasn't been done a lot, or cliched. I want something fresh. That takes a lot of mulling. Hopefully inspiration will hit. November is coming up!
Have a happy weekend, all!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
We have a Winner...
ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:
I didn't do much yesterday. I stayed close to home, and I only went out twice--once to Target (to get goodies for Thing One's birthday party goody bags) and then to pick Thing One up from her after school commitment. I even took a BATH, and just relaxed.
It was...nice. Thanks for all your well wishes. I needed a day of laziness. Now, it's back to cleaning for the party, and getting stuff done. I feel much better. Although I'm a little tired, because...
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I have a winner for NaNo! I have been struggling with the sequel to the story I wrote last month--the research is very tough and the plot has not come easy. I was frankly, getting nervous.
Then another story idea surged to the forefront the last few days--one I have been thinking about for the last year or so. It's a fun modern YA fantasy--with magic and adventure and a touch of romance--and it's been coming up and occupying my thoughts every now and then.
So I made the decision to go with THAT story idea, instead of the sequel. The easy part is, I get to make it up as I go, because I've created the world my characters exist in. Also, I don't have to stop and research, which ultimately would have happened had I gone with the sequel. That cuts into the writing time, AND the momentum.
It's like a weight has been lifted, and suddenly, I am bursting with energy! I watched a movie last night after the kids went to bed, then made my "writing file box" to hold my notes and thoughts and started plotting out the story, and it was after 1am when I finally realized how tired I was.
So, yeah, I'm a little sleep deprived this morning, but I'm very happy with my decision. NaNo isn't seeming as daunting as it was before. I am very much looking forward to it!
I didn't do much yesterday. I stayed close to home, and I only went out twice--once to Target (to get goodies for Thing One's birthday party goody bags) and then to pick Thing One up from her after school commitment. I even took a BATH, and just relaxed.
It was...nice. Thanks for all your well wishes. I needed a day of laziness. Now, it's back to cleaning for the party, and getting stuff done. I feel much better. Although I'm a little tired, because...
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I have a winner for NaNo! I have been struggling with the sequel to the story I wrote last month--the research is very tough and the plot has not come easy. I was frankly, getting nervous.
Then another story idea surged to the forefront the last few days--one I have been thinking about for the last year or so. It's a fun modern YA fantasy--with magic and adventure and a touch of romance--and it's been coming up and occupying my thoughts every now and then.
So I made the decision to go with THAT story idea, instead of the sequel. The easy part is, I get to make it up as I go, because I've created the world my characters exist in. Also, I don't have to stop and research, which ultimately would have happened had I gone with the sequel. That cuts into the writing time, AND the momentum.
It's like a weight has been lifted, and suddenly, I am bursting with energy! I watched a movie last night after the kids went to bed, then made my "writing file box" to hold my notes and thoughts and started plotting out the story, and it was after 1am when I finally realized how tired I was.
So, yeah, I'm a little sleep deprived this morning, but I'm very happy with my decision. NaNo isn't seeming as daunting as it was before. I am very much looking forward to it!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Um...Ooops?
ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:
Looks like I have found my limit. Unfortunately for me, (and Hubby) I had one of the balls I've been juggling lately break loose and bounce off down the street. I've been doing a little too much running around.
It happened yesterday. Innocently enough. I decided to look up how to get to a certain school my daughter's basketball team was playing, and when I mapquested the location, I started screaming, because her game was in 30 minutes and it said it took 29 minutes to GET THERE.
I piled all the kids, the stroller, the jackets and a bewildered Thing One in the car, and we were off. They had gotten home from school fifteen minutes earlier, and were still in Dazed Mode.
Luckily I had emergency snacks in the console of the Expedition, so I doled those out while I raced to the game.
Well, traffic being what it was, we got there five minutes late. I still had to put socks and shoes on the baby, and situate the stroller and diaper bag, and Thing One decided all of a sudden that her confidence was out the window and stubbornly refused to go inside the strange school and find the gym to join her teammates.
I finally told her through gritted teeth that she was GROUNDED if she didn't march in there right that moment, and luckily her younger (and apparently much braver) brother volunteered to go with her.
Five minutes later, I went in, and no sooner had I sat down then my sons began whining to me about how hungry they were and why couldn't I buy them concession nachos, pizza, etc. I curtly told them that they would survive the game, and we would go home to have a "real" dinner, not the crap that everyone else was eating.
The game was good, except one moment when Thing Three, whose friend had bought him a large grape Powerade, spilled most of it all over the gym floor. I had to run and get paper towels and wipe it up, because it was on the court. UGH.
Anyway, on the drive home, Hubby called with the results of his test and they weren't great, he needs more tests now and by then, I had had it. We got home, I gave the kids corndogs, and told them they were missing Cub Scouts. I just couldn't do it. I needed a break.
So I went downstairs, got on the computer to check email, and...LOOKED AT THE CLOCK. It was 6:59 pm. I SCREAMED. I ran upstairs, still screaming, ran out into the garage and got into the car, and sped off, leaving a shocked Thing One to watch the kids while I ran down the street.
My problem? Two days earlier I had taken all the clothes Hubby needed for his L.A. trip to the cleaners, and I had forgotten to pick them up, and they closed at 7pm.
Usually, our cleaners is open past 7--they are very busy. So as I raced at breakneck speed down the dark streets, cursing my forgetfulness, I prayed they'd be open for me.
Nope. I pulled up and the store was as dark as dark could be. I knocked on the glass windows, hoping someone would be in the back. It was 7:03 for Crud's sake--had they left EARLY?
Yep. I even, in my desperation, ran around the back, to try and catch them leaving. They were long gone, and everything was locked up and dark.
I started to panic. MAJOR panic. All of Hubby's nice shirts, pants and sweaters were locked up inside that building, and I wasn't going to get them. He needed to leave for his flight at 5:45 the next morning, and they didn't even open up until 7am.
I was screwed. So was Hubby.
I actually cried in the car on the way home. In nearly 13 years of marriage, I have NEVER forgotten the dry cleaning.
Clearly, I'm a little "too" busy. I guess that's the way it gets, when you have three older children in activities and sports, and a busy toddler, AND a husband who lives at work and travels often. Sometimes you drop a ball or two.
Hubby was remarkably understanding. Probably because I greeted him at the door in quite a state, my eyes red from crying.
He looked in his closet and figured it out, and everything was fine. Luckily he had some new clothes he could incorporate.
Today there isn't any basketball or craziness, only one after school club I need to pick Thing ONe up from. I could sit inside the house all day and not go anywhere, and I might just do that.
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I guess its inevitable. I have been researching and plotting this story for a few weeks now, and I have ANOTHER story that wants to get written, so much so that it's beginning to occupy my thoughts a LOT more than the other one. I wrote to a seasoned NaNoer for advice, and she said it happens. So I will make notes on both stories, and see which one "wins," by October 31st.
Ooops, better get the kids on the bus!
Looks like I have found my limit. Unfortunately for me, (and Hubby) I had one of the balls I've been juggling lately break loose and bounce off down the street. I've been doing a little too much running around.
It happened yesterday. Innocently enough. I decided to look up how to get to a certain school my daughter's basketball team was playing, and when I mapquested the location, I started screaming, because her game was in 30 minutes and it said it took 29 minutes to GET THERE.
I piled all the kids, the stroller, the jackets and a bewildered Thing One in the car, and we were off. They had gotten home from school fifteen minutes earlier, and were still in Dazed Mode.
Luckily I had emergency snacks in the console of the Expedition, so I doled those out while I raced to the game.
Well, traffic being what it was, we got there five minutes late. I still had to put socks and shoes on the baby, and situate the stroller and diaper bag, and Thing One decided all of a sudden that her confidence was out the window and stubbornly refused to go inside the strange school and find the gym to join her teammates.
I finally told her through gritted teeth that she was GROUNDED if she didn't march in there right that moment, and luckily her younger (and apparently much braver) brother volunteered to go with her.
Five minutes later, I went in, and no sooner had I sat down then my sons began whining to me about how hungry they were and why couldn't I buy them concession nachos, pizza, etc. I curtly told them that they would survive the game, and we would go home to have a "real" dinner, not the crap that everyone else was eating.
The game was good, except one moment when Thing Three, whose friend had bought him a large grape Powerade, spilled most of it all over the gym floor. I had to run and get paper towels and wipe it up, because it was on the court. UGH.
Anyway, on the drive home, Hubby called with the results of his test and they weren't great, he needs more tests now and by then, I had had it. We got home, I gave the kids corndogs, and told them they were missing Cub Scouts. I just couldn't do it. I needed a break.
So I went downstairs, got on the computer to check email, and...LOOKED AT THE CLOCK. It was 6:59 pm. I SCREAMED. I ran upstairs, still screaming, ran out into the garage and got into the car, and sped off, leaving a shocked Thing One to watch the kids while I ran down the street.
My problem? Two days earlier I had taken all the clothes Hubby needed for his L.A. trip to the cleaners, and I had forgotten to pick them up, and they closed at 7pm.
Usually, our cleaners is open past 7--they are very busy. So as I raced at breakneck speed down the dark streets, cursing my forgetfulness, I prayed they'd be open for me.
Nope. I pulled up and the store was as dark as dark could be. I knocked on the glass windows, hoping someone would be in the back. It was 7:03 for Crud's sake--had they left EARLY?
Yep. I even, in my desperation, ran around the back, to try and catch them leaving. They were long gone, and everything was locked up and dark.
I started to panic. MAJOR panic. All of Hubby's nice shirts, pants and sweaters were locked up inside that building, and I wasn't going to get them. He needed to leave for his flight at 5:45 the next morning, and they didn't even open up until 7am.
I was screwed. So was Hubby.
I actually cried in the car on the way home. In nearly 13 years of marriage, I have NEVER forgotten the dry cleaning.
Clearly, I'm a little "too" busy. I guess that's the way it gets, when you have three older children in activities and sports, and a busy toddler, AND a husband who lives at work and travels often. Sometimes you drop a ball or two.
Hubby was remarkably understanding. Probably because I greeted him at the door in quite a state, my eyes red from crying.
He looked in his closet and figured it out, and everything was fine. Luckily he had some new clothes he could incorporate.
Today there isn't any basketball or craziness, only one after school club I need to pick Thing ONe up from. I could sit inside the house all day and not go anywhere, and I might just do that.
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I guess its inevitable. I have been researching and plotting this story for a few weeks now, and I have ANOTHER story that wants to get written, so much so that it's beginning to occupy my thoughts a LOT more than the other one. I wrote to a seasoned NaNoer for advice, and she said it happens. So I will make notes on both stories, and see which one "wins," by October 31st.
Ooops, better get the kids on the bus!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
T-t-t-t-t-tuesday...
ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:
Today is going to suck. Why? Well, we've already been to the hospital (Hubby had to have a test done) and after the kids get home from school it's run run run to Thing One's away basketball game, and then we get home and run run run to the church 30 miles away for Cub Scouts and Activities.
We will be going from 3:30 to 8:30, with no time to do homework at all. I'm going to have to write a note to the teachers, or wake the kids up early tomorrow. Poor things. Tuesdays are always like this.
Other than that, I have to clean my sty of a house. Thing One has her birthday party/sleepover this Friday. We got reserved seating to the High School Musical movie, and we're taking all the girls. Then they'll come home for a bonfire and cider and cake. We have to omit scary stories, because Thing One gets nightmares. ;-)
I can't believe she's going to be 11. Well, I sort of can, because she's already as sassy as a 16-year old, the stinker. I'm always telling her to not be a smarty pants. But she usually only sasses when she's really mad at me. I remember being awful to my mom. I was a total brat. I think the fact that she loved me unconditionally is the only reason I'm still alive today, heh heh.
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I'm getting excited about my plot. I sat down yesterday and last night, late, and handwrote out tons of pages on the modern plot. I had to email some questions to the Neal A. Maxwell Insitute (formerly F.A.R.M.S) about timelines--and to my surprise they replied that there was "insufficient information" to answer my question. Which works to my advantage in the sense that I can fill in the holes with my own theories.
So I can proceed with my ancient-day plot, but I still have a TON of research to do, before I can proceed. So I'll stick with the modern plot for now. It's a little thin. I have a beginning, and a strong end, but the stuff in between is what I need to figure out.
Happy Tuesday Toast Day!
Today is going to suck. Why? Well, we've already been to the hospital (Hubby had to have a test done) and after the kids get home from school it's run run run to Thing One's away basketball game, and then we get home and run run run to the church 30 miles away for Cub Scouts and Activities.
We will be going from 3:30 to 8:30, with no time to do homework at all. I'm going to have to write a note to the teachers, or wake the kids up early tomorrow. Poor things. Tuesdays are always like this.
Other than that, I have to clean my sty of a house. Thing One has her birthday party/sleepover this Friday. We got reserved seating to the High School Musical movie, and we're taking all the girls. Then they'll come home for a bonfire and cider and cake. We have to omit scary stories, because Thing One gets nightmares. ;-)
I can't believe she's going to be 11. Well, I sort of can, because she's already as sassy as a 16-year old, the stinker. I'm always telling her to not be a smarty pants. But she usually only sasses when she's really mad at me. I remember being awful to my mom. I was a total brat. I think the fact that she loved me unconditionally is the only reason I'm still alive today, heh heh.
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I'm getting excited about my plot. I sat down yesterday and last night, late, and handwrote out tons of pages on the modern plot. I had to email some questions to the Neal A. Maxwell Insitute (formerly F.A.R.M.S) about timelines--and to my surprise they replied that there was "insufficient information" to answer my question. Which works to my advantage in the sense that I can fill in the holes with my own theories.
So I can proceed with my ancient-day plot, but I still have a TON of research to do, before I can proceed. So I'll stick with the modern plot for now. It's a little thin. I have a beginning, and a strong end, but the stuff in between is what I need to figure out.
Happy Tuesday Toast Day!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Need to...BREATHE...
ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:
What didn't happen this Saturday? We had to get up at 6am to go across town for Thing Three's last soccer game of the season--coach wanted him at the playing field by 7:30 since their practice last week got cancelled due to rain. The game started at 8. It was dismal. They played a SUPER good team, and lost 9-0. It was just plain embarrassing. Thing Three almost got a goal a few times, but the other team was just too good.
Then it was back across town to Thing One's soccer game, where they also lost, but it was only 3-2. Not horribly embarrassing. But a lot of girls were out due to injuries. (Don't get me started on that one--they played some dirty teams and the ref's weren't calling the blatant fouls--which resulted in the injuries. We're talking shoving, tripping, etc. I plan to email the head of the League about it, as do all the other parents. LAME.)
Then we headed to the new burger place that just opened up--Five Guys--and I don't think I've ever had a better burger in my life. I mean, these guys are better than In-N-Out, and you know how good THOSE burgers are. Hubby, who is usually very critical of food places (I call him the Walking Zagat) raved about the food. It was very funny.
Then we went home, mowed the lawn (TWENTY bags of grass and leaves, EGADS!!!!) and made a run to the mulch dump, then finished cleaning the yard and played basketball with the kids. Then we made them do their homework. UGH.
After that it was dinner time, and I was too physically tired to cook, so we ordered Mexican food in. After that it was popcorn and a showing of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. The kids loved it. By then it was nearly 11pm and we collapsed into bed, only to have to wake up for church the next morning early. Why? The annual Primary Program was happening and I happen to be the Chorister. I've been teaching the Primary kids songs all year and at the end of the year they take up the first hour of church and perform for the parents and congregation.
It went, I have to say, FABULOUSLY. And no, that's not sarcasm. The kids sang loud and clear, and we only had one case of giggles at the microphone during the performance. (The kid was FOUR, so I forgave him.)
I made a big sign that said "LOUDER!" on it, and I only had to hold it up twice. The teachers seemed to think it was a very funny sign, but the kids got it and sang accordingly. Lots of compliments and congratulations afterwards, so I was very happy about it. The kids did very well.
After church it was nearly dinntertime and of course Hubby and I had promised to make homemade pizza so we had to get started on that immediately--and after dinner we had to play with the kids and get them in bed and FINALLY got to veg on the sofa and stare at the TV for an hour before bed.
WHEW. TGIM. Thank Goodness It's Monday. Not that it's less busier, but it certainly is quieter. I've already driven the kids to school and dropped off clothes at the cleaners. I love this time of morning, because I play with the baby and he takes a nap, and I have a few hours of peace before he wakes up and we have to run errands again. I almost don't know what to do with myself. Sure, I have a few places in the house that are calling my name, but I'm ignoring them.
For now. ;-)
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
Nothing this weekend, naturally, but I got one of the two final books I ordered, and I should get the last one today. I am going to start plotting the divergent stories (and figure out how to finally make them converge) and I still have lots of research to do. But that's what I will do these last two weeks. Get READY TO WRITE it all out. Woo!
Oh, and I have a shout out to my friend Devon, of Ink In My Coffee. Hop on over to her blog and you can read her good news today. CONGRATS, DEV! WOO!
What didn't happen this Saturday? We had to get up at 6am to go across town for Thing Three's last soccer game of the season--coach wanted him at the playing field by 7:30 since their practice last week got cancelled due to rain. The game started at 8. It was dismal. They played a SUPER good team, and lost 9-0. It was just plain embarrassing. Thing Three almost got a goal a few times, but the other team was just too good.
Then it was back across town to Thing One's soccer game, where they also lost, but it was only 3-2. Not horribly embarrassing. But a lot of girls were out due to injuries. (Don't get me started on that one--they played some dirty teams and the ref's weren't calling the blatant fouls--which resulted in the injuries. We're talking shoving, tripping, etc. I plan to email the head of the League about it, as do all the other parents. LAME.)
Then we headed to the new burger place that just opened up--Five Guys--and I don't think I've ever had a better burger in my life. I mean, these guys are better than In-N-Out, and you know how good THOSE burgers are. Hubby, who is usually very critical of food places (I call him the Walking Zagat) raved about the food. It was very funny.
Then we went home, mowed the lawn (TWENTY bags of grass and leaves, EGADS!!!!) and made a run to the mulch dump, then finished cleaning the yard and played basketball with the kids. Then we made them do their homework. UGH.
After that it was dinner time, and I was too physically tired to cook, so we ordered Mexican food in. After that it was popcorn and a showing of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. The kids loved it. By then it was nearly 11pm and we collapsed into bed, only to have to wake up for church the next morning early. Why? The annual Primary Program was happening and I happen to be the Chorister. I've been teaching the Primary kids songs all year and at the end of the year they take up the first hour of church and perform for the parents and congregation.
It went, I have to say, FABULOUSLY. And no, that's not sarcasm. The kids sang loud and clear, and we only had one case of giggles at the microphone during the performance. (The kid was FOUR, so I forgave him.)
I made a big sign that said "LOUDER!" on it, and I only had to hold it up twice. The teachers seemed to think it was a very funny sign, but the kids got it and sang accordingly. Lots of compliments and congratulations afterwards, so I was very happy about it. The kids did very well.
After church it was nearly dinntertime and of course Hubby and I had promised to make homemade pizza so we had to get started on that immediately--and after dinner we had to play with the kids and get them in bed and FINALLY got to veg on the sofa and stare at the TV for an hour before bed.
WHEW. TGIM. Thank Goodness It's Monday. Not that it's less busier, but it certainly is quieter. I've already driven the kids to school and dropped off clothes at the cleaners. I love this time of morning, because I play with the baby and he takes a nap, and I have a few hours of peace before he wakes up and we have to run errands again. I almost don't know what to do with myself. Sure, I have a few places in the house that are calling my name, but I'm ignoring them.
For now. ;-)
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
Nothing this weekend, naturally, but I got one of the two final books I ordered, and I should get the last one today. I am going to start plotting the divergent stories (and figure out how to finally make them converge) and I still have lots of research to do. But that's what I will do these last two weeks. Get READY TO WRITE it all out. Woo!
Oh, and I have a shout out to my friend Devon, of Ink In My Coffee. Hop on over to her blog and you can read her good news today. CONGRATS, DEV! WOO!
Friday, October 17, 2008
I Survived.
ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:
I survived the long drive AND the Basketball game AND the drive home. The baby was an angel. I was smart this time and had lots of snacks and toys to keep him occupied. But mostly, he cheered for his sister! It was so cute!
Thing One's team had an early lead--8-0, but by the end of the game, with three minutes to go, it was 18-16. A real nail biter. ;-) Thing One scored the last hoop of the game, and it ended up being 22-18. They won! Of course we weren't on home turf, so the gym pretty much went silent when we won, but all the parents cheered pretty loudly to make up for it.
I am surprised at how well Thing One handles herself on the court. Then again, she inherited most of her dad's grace, and only SOME of my clumsiness. So she's pretty lucky.
The coaches decided to invite the team out for custard (here in Wisconsin it's all about frozen custard instead of icecream) which presented a problem, because it was 7:15 and my kids hadn't even eaten dinner. Luckily one of the moms volunteered to take Thing One so I could go home and feed the boys. It was so late I just picked up Quizno's on the way home.
Tomorrow is the last Soccer Saturday! Hurrah! I signed up Thing Three for indoor Winter soccer, because he loves it so much, but he only has games on Fridays, so it won't be too crazy. Thing One has her basketball practices and two games a week. I wish Thing Two was more athletically inclined. He's my "cerebral/fine arts" kid. He's just not into sports. They aren't his thing. :-( But he does like to swim. I need to enroll him in some classes.
I think the baby will be into sports. He can already give me a black eye with his bouncy ball from five feet, and he's extremely active. So we'll see.
I have kids coming over for playdates after school--fun fun fun. I bought Indiana Jones at the store and we'll watch it this weekend. The kids haven't seen it yet! I'm excited for them to watch it, because they love all the other Indy movies.
Happy Friday!
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
Nada. I wasn't able to do anything yesterday. I glanced at my stack of research books, but that was it. I am bad.
I survived the long drive AND the Basketball game AND the drive home. The baby was an angel. I was smart this time and had lots of snacks and toys to keep him occupied. But mostly, he cheered for his sister! It was so cute!
Thing One's team had an early lead--8-0, but by the end of the game, with three minutes to go, it was 18-16. A real nail biter. ;-) Thing One scored the last hoop of the game, and it ended up being 22-18. They won! Of course we weren't on home turf, so the gym pretty much went silent when we won, but all the parents cheered pretty loudly to make up for it.
I am surprised at how well Thing One handles herself on the court. Then again, she inherited most of her dad's grace, and only SOME of my clumsiness. So she's pretty lucky.
The coaches decided to invite the team out for custard (here in Wisconsin it's all about frozen custard instead of icecream) which presented a problem, because it was 7:15 and my kids hadn't even eaten dinner. Luckily one of the moms volunteered to take Thing One so I could go home and feed the boys. It was so late I just picked up Quizno's on the way home.
Tomorrow is the last Soccer Saturday! Hurrah! I signed up Thing Three for indoor Winter soccer, because he loves it so much, but he only has games on Fridays, so it won't be too crazy. Thing One has her basketball practices and two games a week. I wish Thing Two was more athletically inclined. He's my "cerebral/fine arts" kid. He's just not into sports. They aren't his thing. :-( But he does like to swim. I need to enroll him in some classes.
I think the baby will be into sports. He can already give me a black eye with his bouncy ball from five feet, and he's extremely active. So we'll see.
I have kids coming over for playdates after school--fun fun fun. I bought Indiana Jones at the store and we'll watch it this weekend. The kids haven't seen it yet! I'm excited for them to watch it, because they love all the other Indy movies.
Happy Friday!
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
Nada. I wasn't able to do anything yesterday. I glanced at my stack of research books, but that was it. I am bad.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
At Least Gas Prices Are Going Down...
ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:
Why in the heck would my daughter's school basketball team be playing a school that is a TWENTY-FIVE minute drive away? That's an hour round trip. Add in one 16-month old who will NOT want to sit in a carseat for half an hour only to transfer to a stroller for another hour (and then back to the carseat for a grand total of two and a half hours being strapped in, ugh), and two boys whose idea of watching a basketball game is to run up and down the bleachers and "tell" on each other about their assorted misbehaving deeds.
Can't I just lock all the kids in the basement with a dish of food and water and leave them while I go to the game?
No, because times like these are CHARACTER building. As in, what doesn't kill me will make me stronger. Right? Yeah, I just keep telling myself that.
It is COLD this morning. It was in the 30's. I am starting to think Winter, and getting the house ready. Gotta clean the garage. Gotta move the grill and patio furnture INTO the garage. Gotta get the sprinkler system blown out. Gotta whack down the ornamental grasses and perrenial shrubs. Gotta dump the pots. Gotta paint the trim around Back Door #2 because for some reason, even though the house is only three years old, it's decided to chip off and expose the wood.
Oh, and I bought bags of tulip bulbs, gotta plant those before the ground freezes. AND pound in the driveway stakes for the snow plowers...
*SIGH* I don't want Winter to get here, just yet. But it will. It will sneak up on us soon! How depressing.
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I need to sit down and let the Muse take over. I need to just sit in a quiet place, and plot. I will be able to starting next week. This week is craziness, the next two weeks will be all about NaNo prep.
I folded and bought an Archaeology coursebook. You know, the kind that basically should be titled "Archaeology for Dummies or Researching Writers" so that people like me can write stories about archaeologists and make them sound plausible. I should have bought it for the first book, but Google came to my rescue. This sequel is going to be a little more intensive on the technical terms. I need to keep it REAL, you know?
In a way, I'm living my dream vicariously through my characters. That's what I wanted to do when I was a kid. While all my other classmates, as early as second grade, were checking out school library books about trains and butterflies and spacemen, I was checking out the big books on Egyptology and reveling in my ability to shock kids by telling them how Egyptians removed the brain during the Mummification process. I was GOING TO BE AN EGYPTOLOGIST. Later I was GOING TO BE AN ARCHAEOLOGIST, like Indiana Jones.
Now I realize, I don't have the patience or brains for Archaeology, so I'm content to be an amateur historian, and let my characters live my dream. Living vicariously does do it for me, so I'm good.
I've made a big list of all the topics I need to research, and I'm knocking them out one by one, and what I can't find info on, I'll need to look for in a bookstore. Amazon usually has what I want. I've tried other bookstores, but for some reason, Amazon seems to triumph 90% of the time.
Well, the sun is out, and it's warming up! I'm going to get the car washed. It looks like a giant Dust Bunny. Cheers!
Why in the heck would my daughter's school basketball team be playing a school that is a TWENTY-FIVE minute drive away? That's an hour round trip. Add in one 16-month old who will NOT want to sit in a carseat for half an hour only to transfer to a stroller for another hour (and then back to the carseat for a grand total of two and a half hours being strapped in, ugh), and two boys whose idea of watching a basketball game is to run up and down the bleachers and "tell" on each other about their assorted misbehaving deeds.
Can't I just lock all the kids in the basement with a dish of food and water and leave them while I go to the game?
No, because times like these are CHARACTER building. As in, what doesn't kill me will make me stronger. Right? Yeah, I just keep telling myself that.
It is COLD this morning. It was in the 30's. I am starting to think Winter, and getting the house ready. Gotta clean the garage. Gotta move the grill and patio furnture INTO the garage. Gotta get the sprinkler system blown out. Gotta whack down the ornamental grasses and perrenial shrubs. Gotta dump the pots. Gotta paint the trim around Back Door #2 because for some reason, even though the house is only three years old, it's decided to chip off and expose the wood.
Oh, and I bought bags of tulip bulbs, gotta plant those before the ground freezes. AND pound in the driveway stakes for the snow plowers...
*SIGH* I don't want Winter to get here, just yet. But it will. It will sneak up on us soon! How depressing.
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I need to sit down and let the Muse take over. I need to just sit in a quiet place, and plot. I will be able to starting next week. This week is craziness, the next two weeks will be all about NaNo prep.
I folded and bought an Archaeology coursebook. You know, the kind that basically should be titled "Archaeology for Dummies or Researching Writers" so that people like me can write stories about archaeologists and make them sound plausible. I should have bought it for the first book, but Google came to my rescue. This sequel is going to be a little more intensive on the technical terms. I need to keep it REAL, you know?
In a way, I'm living my dream vicariously through my characters. That's what I wanted to do when I was a kid. While all my other classmates, as early as second grade, were checking out school library books about trains and butterflies and spacemen, I was checking out the big books on Egyptology and reveling in my ability to shock kids by telling them how Egyptians removed the brain during the Mummification process. I was GOING TO BE AN EGYPTOLOGIST. Later I was GOING TO BE AN ARCHAEOLOGIST, like Indiana Jones.
Now I realize, I don't have the patience or brains for Archaeology, so I'm content to be an amateur historian, and let my characters live my dream. Living vicariously does do it for me, so I'm good.
I've made a big list of all the topics I need to research, and I'm knocking them out one by one, and what I can't find info on, I'll need to look for in a bookstore. Amazon usually has what I want. I've tried other bookstores, but for some reason, Amazon seems to triumph 90% of the time.
Well, the sun is out, and it's warming up! I'm going to get the car washed. It looks like a giant Dust Bunny. Cheers!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
My Two Fronts.
I've decided since I will be participating in NaNo next month, I'll have to "section" my blog. I will have one part for my daily blog ("On the Suburban Front") and a section for NaNo. ("On the Writing Front"). That way, those who don't care to hear about my writing or word counts, but prefer to read my whining and complaining about everyday things, can just skip over the part they don't want to read.
I'm so efficient, aren't I? *wink*
So, here we go:
ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:
I never want to eat at McDonald's again. Yes, I was a bad mother, because Thing One had a soccer game across town at 5:30, and by the time she was finished it was 7pm and we were starving and I didn't want to waste another half hour banging something together once we got home, so I folded and took the brood to McDonald's.
URGH.
Hubby and I both woke up at 3:30 this morning, in desperate need of antacid. We vowed never to eat such toxic food again. At least for another month or so...
I swear, I don't want to know what they put in their food. I might as well take a big scoop of lard and put it between two slices of bread. Lesson learned. My kids are more excited about the Happy Meal toys, than the actual food, anyway. (Brilliant marketing on McDonald's part.)
I cleaned the basement yesterday. It's amazing how long it takes to clean, when you DEEP clean. And that I did. I scoured, vacuumed, wiped down, dusted, vacuumed again, and it looks so nice down there. I found enough empty granola bar/fruit snack wrappers to choke a goat, and had a lengthy discussion with the kids about how we DON'T eat food in the basement, unless we sit at the bar and throw it away when we're finished. Yeah. That will last about a week.
Have you ever noticed that when you get on your kids about something, they are reeeeeally good for about a week, and then they start to revert to their old ways? What is up with that?
I guess the fact that they're KIDS is the main reason. They need to be kicked in the rear ends by their mothers. Otherwise we'd be obsolete.
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I'm counting the days until Saturday. Then soccer season ends, and the craziness will officially be over. I can really get my teeth into the plotting aspect of my story. I've been researching every day, and I'm intimidated by the amount of research I need to still do. But I'm getting there. Can't write the plot until I have the facts. I'm currently researching the war patterns of a people we know very little about. So much is supposition. Since my topics aren't very "mainstream" I have to order books that are specialized. But even the one book I was really needing, is very thin.
I guess that's where my "poetic license" comes in--I get to fill in the blanks with fiction! But I need to be dignified about it, because this is very heavy subject material. LDS fiction can be that way. But I'm enjoying the journey. Building the scaffolding!
Time to run my errands before it rains! Happy Wednesday!
I'm so efficient, aren't I? *wink*
So, here we go:
ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:
I never want to eat at McDonald's again. Yes, I was a bad mother, because Thing One had a soccer game across town at 5:30, and by the time she was finished it was 7pm and we were starving and I didn't want to waste another half hour banging something together once we got home, so I folded and took the brood to McDonald's.
URGH.
Hubby and I both woke up at 3:30 this morning, in desperate need of antacid. We vowed never to eat such toxic food again. At least for another month or so...
I swear, I don't want to know what they put in their food. I might as well take a big scoop of lard and put it between two slices of bread. Lesson learned. My kids are more excited about the Happy Meal toys, than the actual food, anyway. (Brilliant marketing on McDonald's part.)
I cleaned the basement yesterday. It's amazing how long it takes to clean, when you DEEP clean. And that I did. I scoured, vacuumed, wiped down, dusted, vacuumed again, and it looks so nice down there. I found enough empty granola bar/fruit snack wrappers to choke a goat, and had a lengthy discussion with the kids about how we DON'T eat food in the basement, unless we sit at the bar and throw it away when we're finished. Yeah. That will last about a week.
Have you ever noticed that when you get on your kids about something, they are reeeeeally good for about a week, and then they start to revert to their old ways? What is up with that?
I guess the fact that they're KIDS is the main reason. They need to be kicked in the rear ends by their mothers. Otherwise we'd be obsolete.
ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I'm counting the days until Saturday. Then soccer season ends, and the craziness will officially be over. I can really get my teeth into the plotting aspect of my story. I've been researching every day, and I'm intimidated by the amount of research I need to still do. But I'm getting there. Can't write the plot until I have the facts. I'm currently researching the war patterns of a people we know very little about. So much is supposition. Since my topics aren't very "mainstream" I have to order books that are specialized. But even the one book I was really needing, is very thin.
I guess that's where my "poetic license" comes in--I get to fill in the blanks with fiction! But I need to be dignified about it, because this is very heavy subject material. LDS fiction can be that way. But I'm enjoying the journey. Building the scaffolding!
Time to run my errands before it rains! Happy Wednesday!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Dental Floss and Basketball.
I don't have to be anywhere until 8:30, so I have some time this morning. WHEW.
I had the kids empty the garbage cans yesterday, and I noticed that almost the entire package of dental flossers was in the garbage. I bought the boys a new bag last week, because they said they were "out of them." I got SO mad. I accused Thing Three of dumping the new bag of flossers in the trash, and he, very sincerly, shook his head and said "we used those, Mom, honest."
I scratched my head. How could they have used all those flossers so quickly? Then it dawned on me.
They were using ONE flosser per tooth.
I would have started yelling if it wasn't so dang funny. I had to patiently explain to the boys that they used one flosser per flossing, not per tooth. We recently switched from string floss to the flossers, because I thought it would be easier for the boys. I guess I should have been more specific about the USE of said flossers. Now I have to buy another bag, but I foresee it lasting quite a bit longer than the last one. :-)
Thing One had her first basketball game yesterday. It was quite humorous. None of the girls had played basketball before, and Thing One was the starting center, and she didn't know what was going on. She didn't even know how to tip off. When she got fouled, I was sitting close enough to hear her whisper to the ref "What's a free throw?" Certainly she knows what it IS, just not what the technical term is. I suspect the coaches will be giving the girls a crash course on Basketball Terminology, since they spent most of the game looking like Deer In Headlights. Poor girls.
But I was very impressed with Thing One's hustle. There was a girl on the other team (isn't there always?) who stood a good foot taller than everyone, and she got the ball and ran it down to the hoop and shot it every time. She wasn't a team player. She ran it down all by herself and shot the hoop, and most of the time, she made it. She scored about 26 of their 34 points all by herself. Her coach needs to tell her a little bit about teamwork. Her other teammates mostly watched as she broke away time after time and ran the ball down and shot all by herself. It got old, REALLY fast.
But what can you do?
Anyway, Thing One has a soccer game tonight at 5, and she has to miss basketball practice for it. This crossover of sports is for the birds. It's making her very tired, and ME, too. Luckily gas is $2.99 here, or I'd be complaining a lot more.
Oh, and the baby was AWFUL during the basketball game. Now that he's walking, he won't sit in his stroller or sit on my lap. He wasnts to be FREE. And since we're courtside, that doesn't exactly work. So he whined and cried for most of the second half (after he ran out of Fishy snacks) and at one point I wanted to give him away to anyone who would take him.
Help?
I had the kids empty the garbage cans yesterday, and I noticed that almost the entire package of dental flossers was in the garbage. I bought the boys a new bag last week, because they said they were "out of them." I got SO mad. I accused Thing Three of dumping the new bag of flossers in the trash, and he, very sincerly, shook his head and said "we used those, Mom, honest."
I scratched my head. How could they have used all those flossers so quickly? Then it dawned on me.
They were using ONE flosser per tooth.
I would have started yelling if it wasn't so dang funny. I had to patiently explain to the boys that they used one flosser per flossing, not per tooth. We recently switched from string floss to the flossers, because I thought it would be easier for the boys. I guess I should have been more specific about the USE of said flossers. Now I have to buy another bag, but I foresee it lasting quite a bit longer than the last one. :-)
Thing One had her first basketball game yesterday. It was quite humorous. None of the girls had played basketball before, and Thing One was the starting center, and she didn't know what was going on. She didn't even know how to tip off. When she got fouled, I was sitting close enough to hear her whisper to the ref "What's a free throw?" Certainly she knows what it IS, just not what the technical term is. I suspect the coaches will be giving the girls a crash course on Basketball Terminology, since they spent most of the game looking like Deer In Headlights. Poor girls.
But I was very impressed with Thing One's hustle. There was a girl on the other team (isn't there always?) who stood a good foot taller than everyone, and she got the ball and ran it down to the hoop and shot it every time. She wasn't a team player. She ran it down all by herself and shot the hoop, and most of the time, she made it. She scored about 26 of their 34 points all by herself. Her coach needs to tell her a little bit about teamwork. Her other teammates mostly watched as she broke away time after time and ran the ball down and shot all by herself. It got old, REALLY fast.
But what can you do?
Anyway, Thing One has a soccer game tonight at 5, and she has to miss basketball practice for it. This crossover of sports is for the birds. It's making her very tired, and ME, too. Luckily gas is $2.99 here, or I'd be complaining a lot more.
Oh, and the baby was AWFUL during the basketball game. Now that he's walking, he won't sit in his stroller or sit on my lap. He wasnts to be FREE. And since we're courtside, that doesn't exactly work. So he whined and cried for most of the second half (after he ran out of Fishy snacks) and at one point I wanted to give him away to anyone who would take him.
Help?
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