HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS

Ahhh Christmas. I used to love this holiday when my children were still...well children. The excitement reflected in their eyes when they first came down the stairs on Christmas morning and saw all the gifts under the tree was so wonderful to observe. Suddenly all the time I spent elbowing through "purchase lusting" crowds and scanning sale sheets and getting up at the crack of dawn to save $20 off a Teddy Rukpin talking bear...seemed worth it! The screams of delight as they tore the wrapping paper off their gifts was music to my ears. We'd spend hours together playing with the new toys.

I've really missed those "spirits of Christmas past" the last few years. Both of my children are now fully grown and living on their own. Everyone still gathers at our house to celebrate the day and significant others are now included in our family time. It's sad to me though that I no longer feel the "thrill" of Christmas.

This year, because of money constraints we decided not to go the "retail" route for presents and determined instead that we would make all our gifts for each other. This was probably the best idea we've had in years. Oh, my daughter and I did some complaining about how much hassle and how much time we were having to put into making these gifts. But on Christmas morning...it was all worth it.

No one got up at the crack of dawn. That practice stopped many years ago, even before the kids left home. My son traveled 4 hours and stayed at our home Christmas Eve. My daughter lives about 5 miles away. We all gathered at the respectable hour of 11a.m. Donuts, bagels, juice and coffee were served as we sat in the livingroom ready to open gifts. My son went first...wonderful decorative jars filled with peanut butter cookies. I was starting to really feel excited! I gave each of my children the wine bottles with holes drilled in them and filled with lights and decorated with ribbons and small grape bunches, that I'd created. Ooooos and aaaahhhhhs insued. Homemade puzzles created by my hubby were opened next. Tye-dye shirts were handed out from my daughter. You could feel the excitement in the air now. This was FUN! My daughter had made a very special gift for me...an apron decorated with "NOM MAKER" in sparkling letters. Inside joke and it brought tears to my eyes! A couple of other gifts I'd created for each of my amazing children were distributed and each item was met with "WOWS" and "OMG-s".

Not a ton of money was spent on gifts this year. A lot to personal time and effort went into making the gifts. I had determined that I would NEVER do this again as Christmas morning approached...but after experiencing the joy and the comaraderie we all felt gathered around the tree as we were delighted by the creativity we'd all shown...I will definitely be making the gifts again next year. In fact I already have some ideas..............

FINALLY SOMETHING TO SAY

I've deserted you. I'm sorry. I've been wrestling with what direction I'd like to see my life take in 2010. I'm not happy with the path I am currently walking and I need to make some MAJOR changes if I'm to be accomplish the goals I'm setting for myself.

Writing will be my number one priority during the next year. I want to take some courses, join more writing groups and actively seek representation for my novels. WAIT...let me re-phrase that with "I WILL...take courses, join groups and seek representation". Wanting something gets you no where...you must always be moving forward and only saying you "will" do something...makes it real.

To quote my good friend Yoda: "There is no TRY...only DO"

So 2010 will be the year of "DO". I'm anxious to see 2009 come to an end. It's been an emotional year, but it has also been a year of finding myself and what I want in life and I've enjoyed that journey. However, I will continue my travels in 2010 with more conviction and gusto than I showed in 2009.

Look out world...here I come!

LOVE

Around the holidays I always start thinking a lot about "love" and what exactly love means. There's so many different types of love that we are capable of expressing. There's the love we have for our spouses or partners, there's the love we have for our friends, there's the love we have for our pets, there's the love of sports, cooking, reading, writing, etc. and there's the love a mother has for her children, which to me is the purest kind of love. I know there are some mother's out there who don't love their children at all (I've never understood this), but for those of us who do...this is an unconditional, all encompassing, never ending kind of love. You may fall out of love with your spouse, relationships with friends can end, or you may give up on your sports team or hobby...but you NEVER stop loving your children. They are the flesh or your flesh and bone of your bone. My children are my "heart".

I've been blessed with two amazing children. At this time of year, they are on my mind constantly and I'm so happy that we get to spend a few days together when Christmas finally arrives. Some people dread the approach of Christmas, but I'm anxious for it...because I get to spend a few days with the most important people in my life...my children.

If you have children...give them a great big hug whenever you can...and if you are a son or a daughter, about to celebrate the holidays with family...hold them close to you...time moves quickly and someday you'll miss those hugs and those times of togetherness.

Till tomorrow..........Love to you all.

CHRISTMAS GIVING

I'm feeling a lot of tension today. Not necessarily bad tension though. It's that tingle you get in your gut when you just know something big's about to happen. I think it's going to be something good! Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Today I will channel my creative talents away from the written word and on to creating Christmas gifts. Our family is making all it's Christmas gifts this year. No packages piling out into the middle of the livingroom floor and so many things to open that we almost get sick of tearing off wrapping paper. This year we are going back to what Christmas was originally meant to be...a time to show appreciation and love for all the special people in our lives. Nothing says this more than giving of your "time". Time is what it takes to decide on a gift to make and time is what it takes to actually produce that gift.

We'll still do the traditional coffee, tea and Dunkin Donuts on Christmas morning, but this year it's going to be more a celebration of "family" togetherness than a gift gorging extravaganza.

Well, I'm off to shop for supplies. Hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll talk to you again on Monday!

DRAMA DRAMA

Life happens and boy did it happen at my son's house last night. Once before I commented that every where you turn you can find story material to write about. I think if I lived with my son for about a month I could come up with enough material to keep me busy for a year. Never a dull moment around this house that's for sure. I really enjoyed my visit though.

I actually managed to sleep in till 8a.m. Yeee haaaaa! Now, I'm just waiting for the rest of the house to come alive. My daughter and I will be driving back to Raleigh today, with a couple of stops along the way. I can hear my nice big comfy bed calling my name now. Inflatable mattresses are a great invention. But a REAL mattress with a supportive backspring under it and a foot or so rise from the floor, is sooooo much better for my aching back. The really fun part of a blow up mattress is trying to stand up once you've laid down on it. I felt a little like a turtle who'd been turned over it's back, waving my little arms in the air as I tried to roll over and flip myself into a sitting position and then move on to conquer the dreaded "stand". Had to actually giggle a couple of times! If you're ever dating someone new and trying to impress them with your grace and poise...DO NOT agree to sleep on an inflatable mattress.

Time to hit the road...tea first, packing of the car next, then "we're outta here!"
Talk to you all on Monday.

THE DAY AFTER

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Moriah and I arrived safe and sound in Mountain City, TN. NO SALMONELLA! Just delicious, juicy, tender turkey. My son rocked it and Danielle made amazing stuffing from rice bread and mashed potatoes that were to "die for". Everything was really terrific.

Today we are off to visit local antique stores and then into Boone to wander for a bit. No Black Friday spots! We'll leave that for the rest of the crazies out there. This evening my son has invited several of his friends and their families over for a "second Thanksgiving feast". It's going to be a busy, busy day, but I'm really looking forward to it.

I brought a copy of Deadly Letters with me and I'm leaving it with Adam so he can read it and give me his feedback. I'm looking forward to seeing what he thinks. Uh...maybe. No really...I need feedback and he is one of the few people I would trust to be honest with me.

NaNo will be uploaded today!

THANKSGIVING CHEER

Just wanted to take a couple of minutes to wish every one of my beloved followers a Happy Thanksgiving! Soooooooooooo, well...HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

It felt very weird yesterday not to have a goal for my writing. I rested and didn't do any writing at all. I'll hit this keyboard hard and heavy on Monday...until then I'm spending quality time with my family. From the time November 1st rolled around, till Tuesday, my mind has been filled with plot lines for Damaged Goods (title may change on rewrite). I've only been half present no matter what I was doing or who I was with, till I had my 50,000 words typed.

I actually cleaned my house yesterday...for the first time in 18 days. Surprised it wasn't stinkier than it was! I had a wonderful visit from a friend who I haven't seen in 40 years! She was here visiting family. We'd reconnected through Facebook several months ago and it was fantastic seeing her again! She is one of the few people on this earth who knew at least a small portion of the circumstances in which I grew up. We talked a little more about that because of the book I've just completed.

Dorothy was right...sometimes "there's no place like home". I don't ever want to live in Peekskill again, but it is so wonderful connecting with friends from years past! I'll travel up that way in the spring, when things "thaw" in that neck of the woods, to do some detail research for my manuscript. Until then I will stay in touch with all my wonderful friends living there and visit them when I make my visit.

EAT DRINK AND BE MERRY TODAY! LOVE ALL OF YOU!