Happy New Year!

Well, I've thoroughly enjoyed my nice week off from work. I actually can't believe it's already coming to an end, but it is what it is. I had a wonderful holiday this year as usual; my family generally spoils each other and this year was no exception. I have SO MANY books to read, you guys. I think I got around 12 books. Maybe more. This is perfect for the hibernation season that is upon us now. January and February are such awful months. I avoid leaving the house at all costs as much as possible. Staying snuggled up on the couch under cats and blankets with a pile of books, some snacks, and some hot tea (or wine, as the case may be) is the perfect way to get through the miserable winter months.

Anyway, it being New Year's Eve and all, I thought I would share some resolutions. Of course, I very rarely keep them, so I very rarely bother to make them. But I'm really hoping that my dream comes true in 2011. The dream of someone telling me they like what I wrote and they want to help me get it published. So obviously, this is my main goal for the year. If all else fails, and I don't get any bites on my manuscript, then I vow to start another, better book and keep going at it. I have plenty of ideas in my head to keep plugging away writing for a looooong time. Someday, I will make it happen. But for now, my fingers are staying crossed for 2011being my year.

My other resolutions are the same as always- work out more, stop spending so much money I don't have (this will probably never happen, but at least I can say I'm making an effort...sorta), stop worrying about the small things so much. Try to appreciate all that I have, which quite honestly is a damn lot. Cherish my friends and family, never take anyone for granted.

Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to a fabulous 2011!!

holiday craziness

Whew. I feel like I've been running totally nonstop since last week, and it's really starting to wear on me a bit. For over a week now I've been scrambling to finish shopping, bake cookies, wrap presents, have a social life, go to Christmas parties, etc. Oh, and eat. I've been eating a ton of delicious food. I'm happy to say that as of this past weekend, my shopping and wrapping are DONE. Our living/dining room is filled with pretty sparkly presents everywhere. Yay. Still none under the tree for me though...ahem. I do need to bake another batch of M&M cookies, because somehow those seem to have disappeared.

Anyway, I'm totes excited for this coming weekend. Christmas Eve is one of my absolute favorite days of the year. We always spend the day at my Gramma's house, eating her fabulous Lake Erie perch and homemade pierogies. And her mushroom soup- I'm not a huge soup fan, but I make an exception for this stuff. It's definitely my favorite meal of the year, even topping Thanksgiving. We stuff ourselves silly, do our gift exchange, and generally just enjoy hanging out with each other. Afterwards, Dan and I go home and open our gifts to each other before heading out to the east side. We started a new tradition about five years ago- we go out there in the evening, hang with my brother and seeester in law, order Chinese food & watch Christmas Vacation (which, I might add, we haven't watched yet this holiday season...what's up with that??). Christmas morning is spent at my parent's house, opening gifts and making breakfast, then we head to Dan's mom's for the rest of the day. It's definitely a crazy time, but I wouldn't change anything about it.

Sometimes I find myself getting a little sad though. My wonderful, awesome, hilarious Grampa passed away on December 22nd back in 1997. I honestly can't believe it's been that long, and ohhh how I wish Dan had gotten to meet him. Then about five years ago or so, my sweet Grandma O passed away around this time as well. I was her "little mouse", and it's one of my biggest regrets that I missed visiting her in the hospital before she passed. I remember when I was really little, every Christmas she would give me an ornament right off her tree, and I have those ornaments on my tree today. I miss them so much, but it really makes me cherish the moments I have left with my last Gramma. She amazes me with everything she still does at age 84.

So here's to another crazy busy week and good times with family and dear friends ahead. Remember what this season is truly about. It's so easy to get lost in all the materialistic aspects of Christmas at times, but it's truly about showing the people who mean the most to you how much you care about them.

Well, and eating lots of good food, too. ;o)

So You Wanna Write a Novel

Heh...appropriate...

'Tis the Season...

Whoa, so it's been over a week since I've posted anything here...sorry, you guys. Work has been a little crazy and so has, well, everything else.

The holiday season is officially upon us, and I generally do love this time of year. I love shopping (obvs), I love twinkling Christmas lights, baking cookies, spending time with friends and family, etc. I'm not a huge fan of snow, however, and we've been getting hit with it for a good three days now. Um...and only four more months of this?? Joy. Someone remind me why I live in a cold climate. Seasons, schmeasons...I could totally do without winter.

Anyway, last Friday I was off work and spent the whole day Christmas shopping with my mom and sis in law. I'd say I'm about 75% done. I need to revise my lists and make sure I know what's left to get and where I need to go, because Dan and I are heading back out on Friday afternoon and I plan on totally finishing up. I love lists, too, by the way. I have my Christmas lists down to a science, and this year I also have an app on my phone that keeps track of what I've bought and how much I've spent per person. Brilliant! One would think I'd feel super organized and in control of everything...but um, I really don't. For some reason this year I feel totally scatterbrained about what I've bought and still need to get. It's bizarre. I think once I make my new list I'll feel a little better, though. I hope.

After shopping this Friday I'm hoping to start wrapping stuff too. Our tilty tree looks so lonely with no sparkly presents underneath it! I love wrapping presents. I love pretty shiny paper and big giant bows. I'm a total nerd about wrapping (like so many things, really). I hate gift bags and only use them when something is totally odd-shaped and won't fit in a box. Then Saturday is baking day with Karyn! She's coming over and I plan on making four types of cookies this year - peanut butter blossoms, m&m cookies, chocolate chip & gingerbread. I'm cheating with the gingerbread and using a mix, because the mix I found is DELICIOUS. Everything else is from scratch though.

So with everything going on this busy time of year, my poor manuscript has been collecting dust a little bit on my jump drive. I've been trying to work on revisions whenever I can, but as I mentioned before it's terribly slow-going. I think I'm only through about 3 and a half chapters so far. But I'm liking where it's going. I've been taking out stuff that bothered me, switching more things around, and adding stuff based on the feedback I got. I'm still hoping to have the first round of revisions done before Christmas...but if not, I do at least have the week between Christmas and New Year's off, so I'll have some good quality time to work on it.

I'll try to post some pics up here sometime of our tree and stuff...if I ever have a spare moment again...