Fall

I stated that it was too early to go back to school (almost 3 weeks ago) as it certainly did not feel like "Fall."
We had record low temps this morning.
I really should learn to keep my mouth shut!

Third

I was probably too focused on my first child. The second did not get quite as much attention as he had to share Mom with his sister.

The third? He doesn't complain. He just puts the orange juice in the toybox, the rubber duck in the refrigerator and waits for me to notice.

Don't ask

If you don't want to hear the answer, you should not ask the question. Especially if you're considering asking a toddler. (You'd think the third time around, I'd know better!)

I asked the toddler what he would like for lunch.
"M&Ms!"

Chill

If you're a kid, and you're mom looks so tired you think she might want to stay home today--what other choice do you really have? You've got to swing that door open, unload a few things and keep climbing those refrigerator shelves until she has no choice but to take you to the park! (Unless she puts you in bed but that's a risk a kid has got to take, right? If you are a resourceful 21-month-old, you can get out of there if you really have to. By that time however, your Mom has had a chance to get another cup of coffee so you still might get to the park, after all!)

Back to work

The older two children are back in school and it's time to get back to writing--and blogging!
(I'd like to say that I haven't been blogging because I was so busy with the kids this summer but I seemed to find plenty of time for facebook!)

I have made more progress with the writing lately. My wonderful husband let me escape for a night, so I had uninterrupted time to write in a quiet hotel room! (Who needs to leave town for a "vacation?" I was working--I got more accomplished in the first few hours than I had all summer--but the QUIET was better than a week "off" somewhere new!)

How is your routine? Does the "fall schedule" change your habits?

One week

We are staying close to home while we have our shower redone so I was hoping to squeeze in a little more writing/editing here and there. If only the necessary changes were as obvious as where to lay the next tile, I'd be set!

(Before pic)

Unfortunately, I tend to write in a mosaic style--writing separate pieces and then fitting them together--rather than following a linear path.

If all goes according to plan, the shower will be done well before my novel is polished and ready to show. I'll keep you updated, though. (I don't plan my writing well ahead of time; the contractors planned, drew pictures and estimated 8 days. We're on day 7 now and they tell me it will only take one more week.)

Define help

I tell my children that I need help folding the laundry.

Their response?
"But the clothes basket is SO FULL!"

I am just never satisfied

I've got it pretty good. I have a large washing machine to wash my clothes, a dryer that dries them in record time. A decent dishwasher, an automatic coffee maker and two computers which allow me to type much faster than I could ever write on a notepad. Technology is wonderful. Now, if someone could take time away from developing the newest, smallest, most incredible "phone" and use that incredible imagination to develop a machine that would fold laundry, my life would be perfect.

(I do have children. They are capable of folding laundry! I just wish they could do it without asking every three seconds: "Am I done yet? Exactly how many things do I have to fold?")

Inspiring

I no longer play the piano like I used to but once in a while, a concert, a movie or a piece on the radio will make me want to practice.

Some books make me want to keep reading but make me want to stop at the same time--because I'm inspired to work on my characters, my scenes...and make them better.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter is one of those books. It's a gem.

The novel follows Dr. David Henry, who in 1964 delivers his own twins. He is thrilled to deliver a healthy baby boy but then is surprised when a second child is delivered. His recognizes that his daughter has Down syndrome and for a multitude of reasons, he sends her away with his nurse. He instructs the nurse to take her to an institution.
The story also follows Norah Henry, Dr. Henry's wife. Her husband tells her that their daughter died at birth. Her grief shapes and changes her life in ways she never imagined.
Over the twenty-five year span of the novel, we also get to know Caroline Gill, the nurse who was in love with Dr. Henry and who flees with his daughter.

Kim Edwards has crafted a mesmerizing novel detailing the way that love--and the mistakes that we make in the name of love--change the shape and direction of lives.

Summer vacation?

We're a week into summer vacation for the kids--which means I'm up even earlier, trying to write before they get up.

(Of course, I'm here until I get halfway through the first cup of coffee!)  

The Shack

Settle down in your favorite chair and make yourself at home in The Shack.  

Of course, when you read the first chapter, or even just the plot summary, you'll think I've lost my mind.  The subject sounds unsettling.  It is.

I read the back cover and waited to read the book.  I was afraid it would bother me.  It did.  I was sure that I would cry.  I did.

Still, it's a book that will make you think and just possibly, look at life a little differently.

I'm not a huge fan of the writing style.  The actual story however, is powerful.

And for any of you out there who are sure that you know what God looks like--it might be time to take another look.

Parental controls

I need a program that will give me a time-out each time I visit Facebook rather than doing actual research or writing.  Clearly, I am not disciplined enough to avoid it on my own.

I might need a better connection

I need to remember to pray more in the mornings, while I'm drinking my coffee.

As it is, I usually do most of my praying at night--when I'm exhausted.  For a few years, I thought I was getting hints back.  Some days I was excited when I thought I'd figured out a "clue:"  I thought I was meant to have a third child.  There were other days when I started to panic when I thought that God was trying to tell me His plan for me might involve me having three.

Then there are days like today when I hear Him laughing.  Clearly I was meant to have a bird.  Or His plan for my life involves me planting a tree.

Gotta love suburbia

There are days when I long for the hustle and bustle of a more urban setting. There are many more days however, like when we're rushing to school in the morning, that I'm thankful the only "traffic" is the line of cars at the red light.

Now that my son can say "car," I am even more thankful. He points out each car on the ride to school. Every car. Poor kid would lose his voice--and possibly his mind--if we were on a six-lane highway!

Kokomo, Indiana just isn't the same

The Beach Boys came on the radio in the car last night and I admit I was singing along, pretending I could still see palm trees.  My kids were so excited that they knew the song! (Or so they think). They just could not figure out how Kokomo fit in with Key Largo.

Strike out

I am the MAN.

No one will be giving me a high-five here. The kids went on strike yesterday. They made their signs and paraded around the living room to protest against the man, er, "mom."

They clearly thought that I would be distraught by this drastic action. They were a bit disappointed when, rather than caving to their demands (they did not actually have any), I took out the camera.

Film at eleven.

I know I left it here, somewhere

There is an excellent chance that I have lost my mind.

On the upside, if I don't find it soon, I may come up with a perfectly unique twist for a story...

My true love

He's hot; he knows what I need and just how I like it.  I'd never make it through the day without him!

The good, the bad and the ugly

Well, I've just finished almost 1,000 new words--so that's good.

It's almost 1:30am, so that's bad.

The daughter is most certainly going back to school tomorrow so I just have to get them dropped off, drop two casseroles (that are not yet made) off somewhere else before 11am and be at daughter's library time at 10:30.  It's gonna be ugly!

Full moon

The house is quiet.  Everyone else is asleep.  I should be, too (haven't been sleeping well) or folding laundry. (I've got quite a mountain of clean clothes.  At least they're clean, so I'm not totally neglecting the family.  Everything that they need is clean, they may just have to dig for them.)

Instead though, I'm here.  Writing.  Finally.  Maybe it's the full moon.