The Year Without Pants

Confession: I am absolutely infatuated with my brother's kids. Thanks, Dan and Renae, for giving me such adorable kiddos to spoil!

Yesterday was L.'s first birthday: cupcakes, party hats, and hours of play time! B. and I played "Toe Monster," a game that involves him running about and me crawling after him, trying to touch each of his tiny little toes. R. took a flying leap at me, and seemed pleased that I fully committed to rolling all the way back with him in my arms. At least, my assumption was that he was pleased--why else would he keep doing it until I was exhausted?

Meanwhile, Uncle Mike helped A. to compose a percussion masterpiece: yes, they were bouncing Mr. Potato Head parts back and forth off the top of a drum.

Niece L. watched all the crazy antics from the safety of her dad's arms, where she was glued for most of the party. I think all the birthday antics (to say nothing for guests) were a little overwhelming. That shy girl is such a cutie!

"Shy" is not a word I would apply to my nephews, especially since they've developed a delightful new habit. This involves stripping down to their diapers (although R. has grown adept at stripping completely, a habit that I'm sure his parents just love). I, of course, find this hilarious--especially when they grab the Swiffer after getting naked. These little guys could come clean my floor any time!

Zen and the Art of Knitting

Let it be known that I am not a knitter. I am, however, a grateful recipient of all gifts involving yarn, skill, and beautiful clothing. One of the coolest Christmas presents I got this year:

Thanks, Theresa! I love my new mittens! (Does this mean I have to stop wearing my PEI pair all the time?)

Auld Lang Syne

During my adolescence I thought it quite profound to discuss the question, "If you found out that you were going to die, who would you call? What would you say? And why are you waiting?" At the time, my answers (not surprisingly) always involved confronting the object of my latest heartbreak and/or secret crush. He would, of course, be moved to tears by my eminent demise and tragic love scenes would ensue.

Then I moved out on my own, and I was a bit too busy paying for electricity to worry myself with such matters. But now I have a husband, a house, and (gasp) steady access to health care. This is all wonderful. But I've discovered that with great security comes great complacency.

Don't get me wrong. I love my life. I love my husband. And I'm no longer gaining perverse satisfaction from imagining dire deathbed scenes. But it recently occurred to me that we've put off having kids specifically so that we can experience certain things and accomplish certain goals before we put our energy into parenthood. Sounds smart, right? And maybe it would be, if we didn't spend so much of our time (a) engrossed in the banality of everyday tasks or (b) whining about our lack of energy and lazing about the house.

So this year, I'm not making a virtuous new year's resolution. I'm not going to try to exercise more, or lose weight, or (heaven forfend) quit whining about things that annoy me. Instead, my resolution is to quit waiting. Quit waiting for the perfect circumstances. Quit plodding away at the daily to-do list and instead start crossing off things on a list I actually care about. Here are the top five things I'll quit waiting to do:

(1) Travel more. Mike and I want to take interesting vacations, but he keeps saying that we don't have the time or the money. To break us out of that mindset, I'm determined to orchestrate four mini-breaks to local destinations (one mini-break per season). In winter 2009, we will take the train to Portland, OR for two nights at the Benson Hotel. I've already made reservations!

(2) Spend more time with family. My grandmothers are getting older and my nephews and nieces are growing fast! Why guilt-trip over our lack of contact when I could reinvest that time in actual visits?

(3) Take classes. As a Christmas gift, Mike signed me up for an online writing class with Patricia Kay. I'm so excited! I'd also love to study some non-writing things. At some point (I don't know if it will be 2009), I would like to take Latin again.

(4) Finish Revising Mr. Right and submit it to at least four agents. This one's self-explanatory!

(5) Read five non-romance novels. (Aside from Water for Elephants, which many people have recommended to me, these are all books that I've started before and long to finish.)

• Dracula (Bram Stoker)
• Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
• Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen)
  
• Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945 (David Kennedy)
  
• King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa (Adam Hochschild)
  

Whew! This turned out to be quite a long post (to say nothing for a long list). I'll wrap up with that most interesting of questions: what is your new year's resolution? Best wishes to you in 2009!

O, Tannenbaum

Not to steal a line from Mariah Carey or anything, but I look at Mike and I think, "All I want for Christmas is you!" Just look at how adorable he is, sawing down our Christmas tree! Who wouldn't feel lucky to cozy up to such a husband all through the Christmas season?

This past weekend we went to a tree farm out on Yelm Highway to find ourselves a tree. It's the same one I used to go to growing up, and I couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic for the days when Dan and I used to run through the rows of Douglas Fir together, pointing out the ugliest possible trees to our parents and/or holding back wet tree branches to slingshot rain at each other.

Of course, now Mike and I have started our own traditions. Thus far, these involve (1) matching Christmas stockings (Mike's made by yours truly in a VERY rare bit of sewing and (2) bickering as we try to get the Christmas tree level and secure in its rickety stand.

On a totally different note: thanks, Tara, for the recommendation about Picasa! As you can see from the photo collage, I'm enjoying it very much.

Veni, Vidi, Vici

I'm done with the 50,000 words.

I'm not done shaping my final draft manuscript.

I'm not even done shaping the part I'll send to agents.

But I won NaNoWriMo.

Let me repeat: I won NaNoWriMo.

You all know me, so you'll understand that this is a big deal. I managed to set myself a deadline and a goal. I managed to meet it, despite the delights of procrastination promised by my day job, my social life, and my utterly delectable husband (not necessarily in that order). I managed to write 50,000 words despite the fact that I had (a) 1 out-of-town visitor (b) 10 teaching coaches camped out in my classroom (c) over 200 papers to grade and (d) an overwhelming desire to watch 3 seasons' worth of Bones in the span of two weeks.

Throw in a partridge and a pear tree, and you have it just about right!

Suddenly, anything seems possible. Maybe I can actually make a go of this writing thing, even with my hectic day job. I'll be back in a week or so to offer you up my musings on life, and where I go next. In the mean time, I am going to put up Christmas decorations and put my efforts towards pampering Mike. (Hopefully, a week of cooking dinner will make up for all the nights he stayed clear of my writing space and subsisted on Honey Smacks...)

Thank you all for your encouragement as I tackled NaNoWriMo 2008!

The Writing Life

I've yet to post on this blog about my other life as a would-be writer. Well, the time has come. It's November, and in certain circles November means National Novel-Writing Month. I'm deep in the heart of writing. What does that mean? I spend at least an hour every day obsessing about my novel, writing hideously purple prose, and then obsessing that I'll never be able to edit said purple prose into something I can live with.

But you know what? Despite all the angst, I think I'm actually getting better at this whole writing thing. If nothing else, I've finally acquired the ability to mock up interesting covers. (It helps to have a photogenic husband and a brilliant wedding photographer who's willing to hand over some lovely engagement proofs!)

But I won't lie. I still suck at book blurbs. You don't even want to know about the tragically awful blurb I had up on my NaNo profile for the better part of this month. Luckily, inspiration came in the form of my Writing Buddies (primarily Ciaralira and Flamez). Based on their brilliant blurbs, I managed to jazz mine up a little!

Revising Mr. Right: Book Blurb

Hard-working Jessica Jo Carter has fought tenaciously for her reputation as a brilliant, ambitious professor. She’s desperate to forget her past and find a place to belong, but one final hurdle may destroy everything she’s worked to achieve.

Laidback handyman Jude St. John has learned the hard way to play it safe. He likes to keep things simple, but that’s impossible when Jessi Carter returns to town. The last thing he needs is this dangerously sexy woman questioning the boundaries he’s set for himself. But the last thing he wants is the pain of watching her walk out of his life… again.

When circumstances throw Jessi back into Jude’s arms, she is faced with an impossible choice: to finally snag the security she craves, or risk her heart on the one man capable of breaking it.

Will this gamble cost Jessi her place in the world, or will Jude's love give her the home she craves?

Let me know what you think: of the blurb, of the cover, of my handsome husband!

Wedding Photos, The Sequel

Wow! If the time it took to post this is any indication, I should have the rest of the wedding videos done by our first anniversary! My goal is to create two more videos (family and friends, happy couple). In the mean time, enjoy the rest of the reception pictures!