Happy Halloween!

Although it seems a bit strange to this Wisconsin family--who already did Trick-or-treating LAST week...because we had to...why don't I like that whole "scheduling" thing? We don't even have any candy left. My kids ate most of it (the one time of the year I indulge them) and of course, I threw away a handful a day out of each trick or treat bag...sneaky me...so we don't have any candy on one of the most CANDY-est holidays ever. WEIRD.

Anyway, I am going to make about 4 tons of sugar cookies and the kids and I will have fun decorating them. And we'll have a bonfire tonight outside in the fire pit--with hot cider and doughnuts. Mmmm!

And then, at MIDNIGHT...I'll start writing!!! WOO HOO! NaNo will have officially begun.

Yesterday was a weird day--Thing One had a high fever and a sore throat. So, I put her to bed with medicine and she was whiny and impossible, but today, she seems fine?? That is strange. She's currently in the kitchen making scambled eggs and pancakes. I told her to WASH HER HANDS REALLY WELL.

Also, I got a rejection from my dream publisher in the mail. As soon as I saw that large envelope in the mailbox with my handwriting on it, my heart sank.

It happens. I was shooting for the Moon, and really I should be somewhere up in the trees. So, I'll polish up another submission (thank heaven they accept everything electronically--this last publisher did everything by snail mail!) and send it off this weekend. I refuse to let this rejection get me down, because frankly...it was a long shot. But I'm all about long shots. Because there's chance in everything...

ON THE WRITING FRONT:
It's NaNo's Eve! I have outlined and plotted, made up stuff and I woke up this morning at 4am with a headache soooo bad I took one of my prescription painkillers to get rid of it quickly. So, I'm a little woozy. I seriously thought my right eye was going to explode--and the pounding was unbearable. But I'm better now. And I have the first three sentences of my story, playing over and over in my head, so when I actually DO start writing them, it will be effortless.

I have a good support group (it's small but choice) and a great mentor, who has been around the NaNo block many times and will inspire me. I am set!

Finding the Balance. Tightrope? Juggling Act?

So, I've filled a few notebooks up with notes for NaNo...Ya think I'm ready? *wink*

Okay, so I've filled up half a notebook. I'm being a purist about it. I am not writing ONE word, until midnight on Friday night. My friend Michelle and I are going to get online and IM and keep each other awake, as we get our first words in. We're excited to kick start our novels!

I've been planning and figuring out how I am going to write an entire 50+K novel in one month, AND be a mom to four kids and keep a house clean and run around like I do. And I've got the answer:

Determination.

I am determined, to get my word count in every day. And, actually, I am going to attempt to finish up a week early, because, as fate would have it, I have family coming for Thanksgiving, and they are flying in the 24th and leaving on the LAST day of NaNo: the 30th. So, if I don't get a large chunk of my writing in before that last week, I'm in serious trouble. So, I just WILL.

Simple as that.

It will be a juggling/balancing/tightrope act, but I've got each day plotted out, and I will take advantage of "stolen moments" to jot things down and type out later. It takes me around 1 hour to get 1000 words out, so I figure if I just write two hours a day, it will be enough.

Excited? Yes. Nervous? Yes. I was asking my sister last night if she would consider NaNo and she said she wasn't ready. I've been saying that for a few years now, and you know what? I don't think anyone is ever truly "ready." You just need to plug your nose, take a deep breath, and jump in. I know getting pushed out of my "comfort zone" will be beneficial for me as a writer.

My only worry is my body wearing out. I get shoulder/neck pain when I sit in this *#!@!^&!! computer chair for too long. And it's a nice chair. Lumbar support, you name it. I will have to stretch before my marathon writing sessions.

Hubby is supportive, my kids promised to leave me alone (granted, I will be writing when they're either asleep or at school) and I'm pretty much set. Tomorrow night at Midnight.

I am so ready. Bring it ON!!!

Last Day of School...

...until Monday, that is. The kids have Thursday and Friday off. Normally we would go somewhere sunny/fun/close to water--but the price of five plane tickets (and probably six, because we'd need Thing Four to have a seat because a "lap" wouldn't suffice) is just too pricey nowadays.

I read an article recently that claimed airports were on the path of becoming "ghost towns." With all the nickel-and-diming to death the airlines do these days, it's no wonder. Unless you have money to burn, it's not practical to lug a big family on a pricey getaway any more.

So, the kids will be home with me for two days. It will be just like summer--only we won't go outside because we'll all freeze our whateveryoucallits off. For some reason this week, there has been a strong, bitterly cold wind out, and it makes things pretty miserable.

We'll probably make a trip to Half Price Books, and watch a few movies, and of COURSE go to Target, because it's like going to Disneyland, and that's about it. I finally got the coupon for Thing Four's crib (that got recalled) so I need to go to Babies R Us and select another one. I am taking a spindle from the one we broke down so we get an exact color match. HIGHLY ANNOYING.

ON THE WRITING FRONT:

Halleluliah!!! Eureka! Whoopee! I finally have a plot for my story! Yeah, I know, it's cutting it pretty close since NaNo is in THREE days, but I got one. Last night after we put the kids to bed, I told Hubby I was heading to bed. I was tired. (I have a nasty head cold so I've been sleeping in the Guest Room--it's where Hubby or I camp out when we're sick so we don't pass it to each other.) I went into the Guest Room, sat on the bed and started writing notes. Plot notes. THEN the vital middle portion of the story came to me. I knew exactly how I was going to have things progress--and END. Now I just need to map out the details. That's the tedious part. I have pages and pages of names and made up creatures and "rules" of the world I've created. It's a pain to keep track of them all. But it's great fun, because I'm "making it all up" not spending my time in front of a computer googling or buying lots of research books just to ensure I get the details right.

This story will definitely be VERY NaNo friendly. Hooray!

--I'm also getting ansty about my submission. The publisher told me eight to ten weeks, and it's been SEVEN weeks. They must have one heck of a slush pile! I am really antsy to submit to another publisher, before the "holiday slump" happens, so I hope I hear from them soon. Granted, I would LOVE for it to be good news, but I am thinking since it's been so long I will be getting a form rejection any day...dang it...

Oh well. Expect the worst but hope for the best. That's my motto on submissions.

Cinnabon and Harry Potter

We have a new love at our house: Cinnabon Toast. It comes in the blue package, and can be found in the bread section, of course. But oh my goodness is it YUMMY. Today is Tuesday Toast day, and the kids were freaking out over how good it was. Although it's a little light on nutrients, so I made them have a small bowl of cereal with it. ;-)

And here, for your viewing enjoyment, is the new international trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It sorta makes me wish it was July already:



ON THE WRITING FRONT:
I can't believe it's only THREE days! I'm starting to freak! I am getting EVERYTHING ready. I have a plan. I just need to DO IT. EEEEK!

:-)

Just Say No to Snow.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!