Celebrate the Small Things

It's that time of the week again—time to celebrate! (I love celebrations, don't you?)

So, what are we celebrating?

Anything. . .everything! Every week, things happen which put a smile on our faces. Although some are hard to forget, others are more passing moments. But it's these small things in life which can make all the difference.

Thanks to Lexa Cain and her co-host, L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge, we can sit back for a second and remember these happy moments.

This week, I'm celebrating. . .


1) Creamy lemon chicken! My kids wanted lemon chicken for dinner, so I did a quick Google search (the biggest, grandest cookbook in the world) and discovered a recipe that was oh-so-good! Luckily, I made extras and my husband was even taking it along to work for lunch. The sauce is calorie packed but definitely worth every bite. https://www.recipetineats.com/creamy-lemon-chicken/

2) A slap across the face! ....Whoa! How is that something to celebrate??? (See, I know what you're thinking.)  This is more a celebration of my kids' wonderful, zany and never dying sense of humor. My uncles had it. . .my brothers have it. . .and I'm so glad to see that my kids have it to. To stay humorous is a valuable tool in life. Anyway, my oldest son has been on this weight-lifting, mass-gaining kick for years and eats two meals of rice and chicken every day on top of the regular meals (this is boot camp boy). Last night. . .while cooking up his chicken breasts. . .he suddenly turned around and slapped me across the face with a raw chicken breast. I was dumbfounded. Completely. Utterly. But after that evening. . .and this sounds crazy. . .it was exactly the kind of stupidity I needed. After I cleaned up chicken slime from my cheek, that is.

I mean, who does that???

3) Editing done and a short story off to a beta! I love the freeing feeling of sending those out that door.


So, what put a smile on your face this last week?

Hear a song you haven't heard in years? Discover a new cafe? Get a longer break than you expected at work?

What are you celebrating this week?

Celebrate the Small Things

This weekly blog hop is sponsored by the amazing Lexa Cain  and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge. 

What exactly does this celebrate?

Every week, wonderful things happen, tiny things, which make us smile. But as time grabs us up, we forget all about these moments as if they never existed at all. This is the chance for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.



Due to lack of time, I've decided to no long co-host with L.G.. I will still be here and hopping around, but I found it harder and harder to really visit everyone during the weekends and post constantly. IF anyone is interested in taking my place, I'm sure L.G. would love the help, so please let her know if you're interested!

This week was cold and has left me celebrating. . .

1) Snow! We actually got snow. An entire 1 1/2 inches *gasp*! I grew up in the Denver area, so this is more of a light dusting, in my opinion. But here, in the Ozarks, it was enough to cancel school for 4 days. They have a huge fear of ice here. . .as in overly gigantic fear. . .but the kids loved the free time.

2) Smoked ribs! We gave my husband a smoker for Christmas, and he finally gave it a try. We made 6 pounds of spare ribs and oh, they were good!

3) Hugs! Especially those from my kids. The cold weather has made them cuddlier than usual. And I've been enjoying every second.


What put a smile on your face this last week? Did you go sledding? Buy your first pair of shorts for the far-approaching summer? Find a warm pair of gloves in the bottom of your drawer?

What are you celebrating?

Celebrate the Small Things

This weekly blog hop is sponsored by the amazing Lexa Cain,  and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge and myself. 

What exactly are we celebrating?

Every week, wonderful things happen, tiny things, which make us smile. But as time grabs us up, we forget all about these moments as if they never existed at all. This is the chance for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

Okie dokie...so, what am I celebrating this week???

1) Snow days! Honestly, they weren't 'snow' days but more 'light ice on the street mornings'. I have to smirk when school cancels here due to a little ice on the streets (I grew up in Denver where we had real snow and ice at times, and school still wasn't cancelled). Especially since the day temperatures here then reached 60 degrees. Seriously, who cancels school when it's 60 degrees outside? Anyway, the kids loved it and wished they had the entire week off. But hey, this coming Monday is a holiday too!

2) Help with wood cutting! It has been cold here (before the sudden couple days of 60), and as of today, it's cold again. I've been going through firewood like it was chocolate, which meant it was time to cut down some more trees. I'm NOT a good tree-cutter-downer. I can split, carry, stack, haul or whatever, but I have tons of fear. . .uh, respect. . .for those trees when they come crashing down. Plus, I don't think I could hold the chainsaw that long (I'm not the Hulk). So I'm again screaming THANK YOU to my brother for helping out on that end.

3) Hot tea! I love a steamy cup of tea, and I've been hovering over these like crazy lately. 

That pretty much sums of this week. What about you? What put a smile on your face? Go sledding? Get a ton of writing done? Or start planning your summer vacation?

What are you celebrating this week?



I'm also celebrating a writing buddy's new release this week. . .Congrats, Ilana Waters!

It happens to be on sale this week for 99 cents.

She's also got an awesome giveaway going for a couple of more days which includes $25 Amazon GC, jewelry, candles, other things and FUZZY SOCKS! I mean, who doesn't need those right now? Head on over to her website here to join in and witness all of the goodness.

Celebrate the Small Things

This weekly blog hop is sponsored by the amazing Lexa Cain,  and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge and myself. 

What exactly are we celebrating?

Every week, wonderful things happen, tiny things, which make us smile. But as time grabs us up, we forget all about these moments as if they never existed at all. This is the chance for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

This week, I'm celebrating. . .

1) A new family member... or pack expansion? We have the misfortune of living near a dirt road, which people from town have deemed as a good place to dump unwanted dogs. It's a big hassle. Usually. Today, however, a several month old puppy showed up at our doorstep and melted my son's heart. It's super sweet and was immediately accepted by our older dog. So, I guess we have a new member in our household until my son moves to his own apartment this coming summer.

2) New story underway! Now, that the holidays are past, things have quieted down. A little, at least. I've had time to finally sit down and plot out a manuscript I've been wanting to work on for over a year. And it's flowing better than I thought it might. Hopefully, it stays that way.

3) Chocolate! I've been munching on my Christmas gifts this week and enjoying every single bite. 

What about you? What put a smile on your face this past week? Get some great after-Christmas deals? Head out with a sled and slide down some hills? Dive into a great book? 

What are you celebrating?

IWSG

Welcome to the 1st IWSG this year! For those of you who might not know what this is, it is an amazing group of writers (and the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh), who support each other, offer encouragement and simply meet to share thoughts and experiences. We post the first Wednesday of each month. If you'd like to learn more or join in, head on over here.

Special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts: Tyrean Martinson, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Megan Morgan, Jennifer Lane, and Rachna Chhabria!


This month's question slides right down that New Year thought process. So I'll launch into that this month. (Plus, my brain is still recovering from all of that eggnog).


What steps have you taken or plan to take to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?

None! I'm not at the point where I need to schedule writing things unless I really want to. Which I don't. I'm still a free-floater and loving it. Of course, there are those writing goals filing into a snug list in my head, and I expect there will be writing deadlines as the months start sliding by, but I'll take those in stride.

I love taking life in stride.

What about you? Already scheduling away or are you going with the flow?

Celebrate the Small Things

This weekly blog hop is sponsored by the amazing Lexa Cain,  and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge and myself. 

What exactly are we celebrating?

Every week, wonderful things happen, tiny things, which make us smile. But as time grabs us up, we forget all about these moments as if they never existed at all. This is the chance for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

I'm late with this one today, but I bet I'm not the only one to have fallen into chaos this last week.

Here's wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!!!

See you in 2018!!!

Celebrate the Small Things. . .and a little rambling too

This weekly blog hop is sponsored by the amazing Lexa Cain,  and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge and myself. 

What exactly are we celebrating?

Every week, wonderful things happen, tiny things, which make us smile. But as time grabs us up, we forget all about these moments as if they never existed at all. This is the chance for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.


This week, I'm celebrating. . .

1) Christmas decorations are all up and gifts are done! Which leaves Christmas cards. . .but we're ignoring that for the moment. My mind's determined to make me believe that Christmas is coming earlier than it is this year (I keep feeling like it's mid-next week, although I know it's not). But that means I'm ahead of schedule too. For once. I know. Wonders never cease.

2) Sending a MS to the shelves. Again. I've been revising a MS (for the 100th time) thanks to the poking of my kids, but revisions have been forced and painful. Every word. My youngest son was showing me his new favorite series, Magisterium by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare, and it kind of falls in a similar genre as my MS (which the same son claims is so awesome). When I asked said son if my MS is at the same level as the Magisterium, he immediately said "No. But you'll revise it a ton more, right?" That stamped the quick ticket to the shelves, and a huge wave of relief. I didn't think the MS was where it should be and have doubted the entire time that I'm at a point where I can fix it.  It's time to head off to other MSs (heaven knows I have enough waiting) and have some fun!

3) My entire family is going to be home as of tomorrow! My daughter comes back from college, the rest are off from classes. Need I say more?

4) (I'm going to go proud mama here for a moment...so beware!) My son graduated Magnum Cum Laude (a 3.98 GPA) !!! He finished up his Associate's degree and is going to continue on to his BA. Usually, I wouldn't scream this to everyone quite as much as I have been (yeah, the whole world slowly knows about it), but this is the same son who was told in Germany that he was too stupid to ever be more than a low level worker (think painter, basic mechanic and such) and that any aspirations higher than that were not only ridiculous but offensive. (Grrrr...if I've ever wanted to punch people in the nose, it is those teachers and school officials...) So. . .Take that, Germany!!! My son is not a lost cause.

And finally.
A dear writer friend of mine is bringing out a new book in January, and in celebration, is having GIVEAWAYS!!! Congrats, Ilana Waters!!!

Head here for her awesome excitement (and a chance to win).

*takes deep breath*
That wraps up this week's moments o' happiness.

What about you? What put a smile on your face this past week? Sneak some chocolate? Celebrate National Cocoa Day? Find a great book? Discover an amazing spot to hide out?

What are you celebrating this week?

Celebrate the Small Things

This weekly blog hop is sponsored by the amazing Lexa Cain,  and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge and myself. 

What exactly are we celebrating?

Every week, wonderful things happen, tiny things, which make us smile. But as time grabs us up, we forget all about these moments as if they never existed at all. This is the chance for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.


This week, I'm celebrating. . .

This has been one of those weeks, where I run around and am not sure what is up or what is down. What happened this week? Honestly, I have no idea, but I do know it's been little things here and little things there.

1) A Christmas table cloth! I buy one every year because they only survive one year in my household. I love putting it on the table and peering at the cute trees and Christmas colors every meal time. 

2) Christmas baking! Monday was my declared bake day. . .which happened to also be International Cookie Day. For fun, I decided to put every recipe on my author FB page with a book recommendation for audiences 18 and under. I don't get a lot of traffic on FB, but then, I don't post much there (not my thing). Still, it was kind of fun. You can see the recipes here . Oh, and it includes Weihnachtsstollen—German Christmas bread. I bake 12 of these every year as presents and for us. The one below has a little bit of marzipan in the middle.

3) A lovely cup of tea! I drink a lot of tea and savor every cup. It never fails to put a smile on my face and brings such a comforting feeling of peace, even if it's for the fraction of a second.

What about you? What put a smile on your face this last week? Join in on IWSG? See a snowflake? Take a bite of a big, fat, juicy apple? What are you celebrating?

The last IWSG for 2017!

IWSG (the Insecure Writer's Support Group) is a wonderful group of writers, who come together to share, encourage and support each other. As writers, we sometimes need a shoulder to lean on or are ready to assist others on their writing journey.

We post on the first Wednesday of every month and talk about our doubts, fears, or triumphs with fellow writers. To find out more about how it works, head on over here.

Special thanks goes to the never relenting, always amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (this is his brainchild) and to the other co-hosts this month:  Julie Flanders, Shannon Lawrence, Fundy Blue, and Heather Gardner!

You can also find us on Twitter at @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG

**********

Can you believe it's the last IWSG of 2017???

That means it's time to lean back and consider this last year's ups and downs on the writing front with this month's question:

As you look back on 2017, with all its successes/failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently? 

First, I'm going to take a sip of hot tea and contemplate.

Hmmmm...

Hmmm...........

Hmmmmm....  (contemplation is a long process, right?)

My answer is. . .

*finger drum roll, please*

Nothing! I wouldn't change anything. Well, pretty much, anyway.

Of course, I wish I would have gotten more writing done, but that's a no-brainer for writers. Honestly, how many writers have you run into who say, "Boy, I wrote way too many words this year!" 

I'm betting you could count them on one hand. . .*ahm* one finger?

In other words, us writers never write or publish or do enough. At least, not in our minds.

My novella, A Glowworm,  was published as a Ubook, which was unexpected and definitely exciting.
And I had another short published in FULL DARK. Of course, the publishing front could have brought even more (remember: one finger no-brainer?), but I'm more than satisfied.

I dove into some new writing areas this year. Several very different ones. Maybe I could have done more research on some of them. Maybe I could have written more concise or more carefully or not have procrastinated on some projects as much as I did. But even here, each expedition into those new areas was a huge learning experience. Nope, I wouldn't change a thing there either.

I would have liked to decorate my writing room a little more. Does that count?

Ugh! Now, it's time to start planning next year's goals! Up the word count? Push up that publishing line? Go on a month long safari and conduct some serious research for a new plot? All right, maybe not the safari thing. At least, not in January.


So, what about you? What would you have changed this year or hoped to have done differently? Or are you super satisfied?

Celebrate Those Small Things!

This weekly blog hop is sponsored by the amazing Lexa Cain,  and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge and myself. 

What exactly are we celebrating?

Every week, wonderful things happen, tiny things, which make us smile. But as time grabs us up, we forget all about these moments as if they never existed at all. This is the chance for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

This week, I'm celebrating. . .

1) No road trip! Life can be pretty crazy. Really crazy. The trip was cancelled at the last minute, so we changed to a few days of something much calmer and family orientated. Which was lots of fun too—a super-mini holiday with small trips from home.

2) Son's hip fracture nicely healed! For those who might recall, my son broke his hip completely through on the very last mile of the very last run of boot camp/IT training. Luckily, they let him graduate, but he had surgery with three screws put in. Yesterday, he got two thumbs-up from the doctor and can start training again and head to his unit next month.

3) A cheap transmission! My hub's 'hunk-o-junk', (*ahm*) pick-up w/ lots of character, needed a new transmission, but it wasn't worth fixing. A friend of my son just happened to be parting out his old pick-up, and wouldn't you know it? It was exactly the same year and model! So we ended up getting a transmission for very cheap. My son now has a 'winter project' (that's what he's calling it), and my husband can proudly roar (it does roar rather loudly) around town again whenever he gets the urge.


That wraps up this week!

What put a smile on your face? Survive Thanksgiving? Survive the first week of Advent? Sing your favorite holiday song in the middle of the store and draw all sorts of looks from people? (I'm going to have to try this one!) Talk to someone you haven't heard from in a long time? Or did you indulge in a delicious treat this week?

What are you celebrating???