Fun Friday

I rarely post movie reviews here.  (OK, it's been a while since I've even posted a book review but I am feel confident in saying that this is the first time I've posted a movie review.)

You don't even need my review:  it is hard to go wrong with a film produced by Steven Spielberg.  If you have kids, especially bored kids at home over Christmas break--check this one out.

If you have a teenaged daughter who will not get out of bed if the clock has not yet flipped to "p.m" and two boys who are UP and READY to do SOMETHING in the morning, even if it is a cold, rainy day (especially if it is a cold, rainy day) you might consider going to the movies and you might consider "Tin Tin."

I'd never heard of Tin Tin until I was in my twenties.  I am not a big comic book aficionado but an old friend was shocked that I'd never even heard of the comic and presented me with a copy of "Tin Tin and the Red Sea Sharks."  I read it.  It was good, as far as comics go but again, I'm not a huge comic book fan.  

The movie trailer excited my boys and reminded me of good friends and a good comic book I had...somewhere.  So this morning, the boys and I headed off for a Spielberg/Herge adventure.  We had the (11:30 showing) theater to ourselves and it was great!  The boys loved the movie and it reminded me of an animated Indiana Jones movie.  Not a bad way to spend a rainy Friday morning.  Not bad at all.

As a bonus, I found that lone comic book and my son was reading it in bed before falling asleep a few minutes ago!

Food for thought

I just logged on to begin a post about inspiration at this time of year and found this one--still sitting in my drafts from the week after Thanksgiving.  It appears that I have been working on the same idea for a month now.  (I'll post the new one tomorrow).  Happy Monday!

I pray; I attend church; I find the Bible fascinating though I'll admit I don't open it on a regular basis.  I have taken enough women's bible study classes to know that I would not care to attempt what this woman did.  Sure--I could try but it would be like trying to sit through algebra class again.  You know, it would be HARD.

During a recent homily, a priest suggested we treat Advent more like Lent.  (He admitted he did not expect anyone to find this Homily popular.)  Rather than enjoying the Christmas season now, he suggested we use it as a time of preparation, contemplation and repentance.  Then, on Christmas Day we would be ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus and continue to celebrate for the following eight days.  (His suggestion to the children that they request presents for eight days in a row DID seem a bit more popular!)

Finishing my book is important--to me.  The universe has bigger issues to worry about.  You have bigger concerns.  The book is important to me but not as important as family.  More interesting but not as important as getting dinner on the table tonight.

I knew completing a NaNo novel this year would be nearly impossible but absolutely impossible if I did not try.  I quickly decided to use NaNo as a way to get many more needed words into the WIP I am revising and watch the little blue bar move to the right, at the same time.  Even with that cheating mentality, I did not get enough words into the WIP let alone start a new project.

This time of year is busy enough.  Every year I say I need to let something go but end up doing everything halfway.  So I took the laptop with me on a trip to Florida for Thanksgiving with my kids.  (I had a fantasy about leaving my kids with their cousins and finding a Starbucks in my hometown.)  Instead, I let my son play games on the computer (the one computer he is never allowed to touch) and watched my youngest play in the dirt.  Aside from my son's time on the laptop, it was a mostly unplugged, unscheduled weekend with family.  It wasn't perfect but it was perfectly good.  Twenty years from now, my son won't remember if I finished my book this year or not but he might remember playing football with his cousins in the yard.  He will remember the pie.  Sweet Mercy, there were so many different delicious pies!

I have worked on the WIP.  It still isn't done.  It is not ready but it is better.  I am learning to slow down and listen more (and if a main character in the book learns that lesson along the way as well, that's just gravy).

Happy New Year!

Cheers!

Here's to a polished draft (or two) in the new year! Cooking, playing games with the kids and putting together photo collages are creative in their own right but seem to sap the rest of my creative energies. (The ideas are still pinging around in my head but I can't seem to get--or take--the time to sit down and sort them all out.)

The youngest is pleading to play "Mousetrap" as I write this, middle kid is sick and the oldest is at gymnastics. I have hopes and plans for both boys napping, today! (Which never works out but it feels like the season for dreaming!)

Have a Happy New Year! Good luck to you, and in all of your pursuits, in the coming year!

Traditions over the years

Many of our holiday traditions have evolved as we had kids, and as the children have grown. I used to spend hours assembling our tree, then putting on (and trying to "hide") the lights. Now, I drag the pre-lit tree from the garage, put it up in ten minutes and spend another half-hour trying to find all the little plugs to make sure the whole thing lights up. The older two swarm in when I'm done and have the whole thing decorated before my husband gets home from work!

We've gone from bows and store-bought ornaments to mostly unique, one-of-a-kind, handmade treasures.

I'm thinking now of the evolution of the Christmas lists. (Maybe it's the writer in me?) It's amazing to see how we've gone from yelling that they want each and every thing advertised on tv, to drawing pictures, to making three page lists, to printing out web links to--this year.

My eleven-year-old's list is only one page but is divided into columns. This year, she has made a separate column for the items she wishes to receive in her stocking, as well as under the tree!

My eight-year-old has not made a list. He has worried aloud, many times, that he does not even know what he will do with coal when he gets it. (Although, when they wrote letters to Santa at school, his went like this: "Dear Santa, If you bring me an iPod Touch, I will give you cookies and fetchables for your reindeer.")

The two-year-old is not making a list, yet. He has discovered that there are PRESENTS under the tree! This makes sense, of course, as we are practicing singing "Happy Birthday to Jesus." I don't know if he has figured out how Santa fits in to all of this yet but he certainly knows who he is!

They have each picked out at least one present for each of their siblings already. They've carefully wrapped them and put them under the tree and keep giggling, wondering if the other will like what they've bought. I hope that tradition never changes.

Laissez les bon temps roulet!

As I am nursing our son, I feel like I can't "diet" and cut out too many calories right now -- but I've got to shed these many, many baby pounds.  So--I decided to start exercising regularly again with the new year and to try to cut sugar out of my diet.

I was finally successful in having a completely sugar-free day yesterday.

My husband came home from the store with this last night.  (He found one in Indiana!)

I finished off my son's piece after he went to school this morning so I guess I just shoot for a sugar-free afternoon, today!

It's that time of year!

It's that time of year when I can't manage to post blog entries, apparently!

The baby is six weeks old and seems to think that he should get more attention than the computer--go figure! I am TRYING to get Christmas cards out and tried to save time by having our names pre-printed on them this year. (Yes, I am that lazy). My name came back misspelled however, so I am picking up a new batch later this week. So if you are expecting snail mail from me, it won't be any earlier this year! (I don't think I've ever gotten them out much before Christmas so why mess with tradition now?)

Today is also my 14th wedding anniversary! The hubbie does not read the blog but I figure 14 years is worth mentioning and celebrating!

I hope you all are doing well and surviving--I mean enjoying--the holiday season! ;)

'Tis the season

We received our first measurable snow of the season during the night. Every other school in town seems to be on a two-hour delay except for the school my children attend. It doesn't bother me a bit but they were a little sad to get out of the car and gingerly traverse the school parking lot at the normal time this morning.

I think the temps will warm to the 40s tomorrow so it won't stick around too long but I think we'll get more this weekend. I guess I know what our (their) Saturday plans will be!

How's the weather where you are?

The twelfth day

For my mom, who used to celebrate today, and Ukrainians who are celebrating today---Merry Little Christmas!

It is also the Feast of the Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas and for some people--the beginning of Carnival season! (Put the advent calendars away and start counting the days until your favorite Mardi Gras Krewes start rolling!)

The sun is shining here; there is not a cloud in the sky! My daughter's sleepover guest has gone home AND they actually slept last night! It is a good day!

I hope you all have a reason to celebrate today!

Delayed Christmas wishes!

I hope your holidays were wonderful! Belated warm wishes for Chanukah and Christmas!

I finally got the Christmas letters out but did not get back on the blog before we left town. We went to San Antonio to visit some of the hubbie's family for Christmas. We stayed with his parents and spent much of Christmas Day at his brother's house. Our kids loved having time with cousins they haven't seen in quite a while and we got to relax and catch up a little!

Personal apologies

For my readers who also know my last name and are expecting Christmas cards from me: SURPRISE! They won't get to you by tomorrow. (I know, that is not a surprise).

Further apologies--you won't get a card. After spending most of this week trying various ways to create beautiful, creative cards -- I can't get them to print right. Even my attempts to print the perfect photo to send with a card met with no success.

So...as I do at this time every year...I give up. I cut and paste our photo on a Christmas letter and print that instead. However, at least in years past, I have purchased cards and slip the letter inside. I have not made it that far this year.

You will get a Christmas letter from us this year. At least, I hope it gets to you this year!

Well, they're not ALL he wants for Christmas...