Welcome to the New Year, my friends. We're only a couple of weeks in and I can already tell it is going to be a wild one. At the start of every year it is commonplace to start assessing where we are at and where we want to go. Particularly this year, as we are … Continue reading Hello, 2020!
Thanks a lot, 2019.
2019 was a pretty fantastic year, personally. For a lot of people 2019 was fraught with hardship and drama. My life was far from drama-free, but, overall, the good outweighed the bad. My brother and his came to visit for the first time, and it was brilliant! I flew to Denver to visit my BFF. … Continue reading Thanks a lot, 2019.
Writing Retreats in Order to Advance
Somehow fall has happened. I have no idea what happened to September. Well, that's not strictly true. I spent it sending my kids back to school where others could try to teach them something while I traveled. Before you call me a bad parent, I was traveling for mostly professional reasons. I actually went to … Continue reading Writing Retreats in Order to Advance
Summer … Almost
As we pass by Memorial Day and enter June I find we are living in a strange Purgatory. Summer is here, for all intents and purposes. The kids have summer swim team practice after school at the local pool. Baseball and soccer practices are ramping up and the minivan carpools are being sorted and finalized. … Continue reading Summer … Almost
I’m in the Washington freakin’ Post!!
Today I reached a major milestone. Something I wrote has been published in the Washington Post. It was a short piece. 100 words or less defining motherhood. Out of who knows how many submissions mine and nine others were selected to run in the Style section under the On Parenting heading. You can read it … Continue reading I’m in the Washington freakin’ Post!!
Gardening!
All last year my amazing husband made me a garden. I helped, but it was mostly him doing the hard labor of a 1920's prisoner. I designed the plans - to scale, thank you very much - of 2 different gardens. One for veg and one for fruit. All summer long he augered in the … Continue reading Gardening!
The Book It’s Meant to Be – Thoughts on my First Draft
I have, after almost a year of writing, finished the first draft of my first fiction novel. Time to pop the champagne and have a celebratory dinner out. But I'm not as thrilled as you would think. Sure, I am happy. And I'm proud of myself. This took a lot of my time and effort … Continue reading The Book It’s Meant to Be – Thoughts on my First Draft
4 Life Skills That Will Teach Kids How to Shoulder Responsibility
I have a new article up at AFineParent.com. This one is all about how raising your kids to be competent adults by giving them responsibility now. Not only is this article full of great research, but it give you a little view into my family life. Here I am. Folding laundry. The ball and … Continue reading 4 Life Skills That Will Teach Kids How to Shoulder Responsibility
Lateness and Effort in Writing
I'm a bit late on this, but lateness seems to be one of my main characteristics recently. I am late for lunches out, late to appointments, late in getting my children to bed. I'm just late. I am also late in my own personal deadlines for this book I'm working on. I am writing a … Continue reading Lateness and Effort in Writing
Summer Writing
This summer has sucked for writing. Absolutely sucked. I have gotten nothing done. I wanted to have a draft of my book finished by the end of this month, but I am miles away from that now. I'm trying to write today, but am finding it impossible. Why? The kids. The house. The garden. I … Continue reading Summer Writing
