Cabbage Patch Christmas

It was the Christmas where Cabbage Patch dolls were the "must have" toys. Like any little girl, I wanted one. As I'm sure you've figured out, my family wasn't financially well off. I knew the likelihood of me getting one wasn't good, but a little girl could hope. My mom was one who loved attending craft fairs (still does) and often made things to add to the table her ladies group had. This particular year, she found a doll for her little girl. She resembled the popular brand, but had a cloth face with her facial features painted on. She had blond yarn hair with pink ribbons. She had brown eyes and an outie belly button. Her dress was white with pink rosebuds and she wore white bloomers. She was perfect and I loved her. My best friend got a Cabbage Patch doll. I remember thinking that I had gotten the best gift because there was no other doll exactly like mine. I did that a lot...feeling sorry for my friends who didn't get homemade gifts. (Did I mention that I was an odd duck?)

Here is my first choice for today's musical collection:

I've always had a special affinity for winter. I love how the snow covers the world in this perfectly clean blanket and makes everything look so pristine. The light bounces off each individual snowflake, making beautiful rainbows in the snow. 

My second choice is this one:

For me, there is nothing like getting snowed in with the person you love. There's playing in the snow, homemade hot cocoa, snuggling up in warm jammies under the blankets, reading books, flickering candlelight, long talks...you see my point. I love the romance of the winter season!

Small Town Christmas

I'm from a small town called Marshall. It used to be a quiet little town with the pharmacy which still had their soda counter (no longer in use), the bakery with the most scrumptious goodies, the banks where the tellers knew you, the Five and Dime store, and you would stop to talk to everyone as you walked from shop to shop.

This is what my hometown looks like during the holidays:

I could lie and tell you that this is the Norman Rockwell version, but I won't. I have to admit that this is probably one of my favorite places to be when it comes to the holidays. This is home and nothing can compare. 

I've hung out on this street on Friday and Saturday nights. I've shopped these stores. I've walked this street in parades and for my high school graduation. However, nothing beats Marshall during the holidays!

In light of this feeling of nostalgia, I'm going to share two Christmas songs that make me think of home.

This video is a win/win for me. Not only do I love this song, but it has Bob Hope in it. He was one of my grandma's favorite people. Many a night was spent on her lap, watching this man and the television specials he used to have.

My second choice is this one: 

For me, there was nothing like walking down Main Street and watching all the windows come to life with snow, winter scenes, Christmas trees, ribbons, and bows. It seemed like the season arrived once the windows began to show their holiday spirit.

I hope you enjoyed my choices for today!

Happy Winter Solstice

Last night, I spent the evening with friends...not just any old friends, but the special type of friends who are more family than mere acquaintances. We had terrific food, filthy and fun conversation, laughs until our bellies hurt, a few tears shed, but we had the most amazing time.

I was reflecting on one conversation in particular. This beautiful friend lost her father at the end of May this year. This is her first holiday season without him. I understand her grief in so many ways. I told her recently how I pick up the phone to dial my dad's number whenever something amazing happens to me, then I lay the phone down because I know he's never going to answer the phone. She's been checking her phone for messages from her dad and realizing he will never call her again. Two women met due to, well...similar interests, yet bonded in so many ways...losing our fathers is merely one of so many.

The conversation we had on the way to the solstice bonfire came back and made me realize that these people, though I haven't known them long, are my family. I don't have to hide who I am, what I believe, or any other thing you can imagine. They accept me for simply being me. They don't judge (okay, maybe a little, but that's okay) me for my faith, my beliefs, my relationship status, or anything else. I think we hug more than most families, too. And I mean those nice long hugs that tell you that these people miss you when you're not around and care about you. That is so nice! I'm such a touchy-feely person. I love to touch and be touched.

My family may not be made up of a mother, father, and siblings. My family is one of friends who are very like-minded. We are accepting of each other's weird little quirks and love each other in spite (or because) of them.

Last night was the only "real" holiday I will spend with family. That is perfectly fine by me since I've had way too many family holidays where I feel like the odd man out. I'm usually the butt of the jokes with my biological family. With my 'self-made' family, everyone gets equal teasing and ribbing, but when we walk away, it's always with a hug and a promise to see each other again soon.

I want to take this moment to tell you this: Family is who stands with you, for you, and beside you. It doesn't have to be people who share the same DNA or bloodline. Your family is those who accept you at your best and love you at your worst. They are the ones who allow you to be zany, off the wall, serious, mournful, loving, and most of all, yourself.

I want to wish you and yours a very Happy Winter Solstice, a Blessed Yule, a Merry Christmas, and most of all, an incredibly wonderful New Year!!!

A Mish-Mash of Topics

I've been dealing with so many things lately that I have forgotten to do a lot of things, including visiting with you!

With school back in session, I now have homework to add back onto my list of things to do. I'm taking a creative writing class this semester and I'm really excited about it...except for this whole poetry thing. 

Don't get me wrong...I love poetry. I spent many years of my life pouring my feelings onto paper in the form of poetry. Unfortunately, I didn't really study it. The forms, feelings, etc. of other poets have not been my focus. Now, I have to keep a poetry journal where I write 100+ words about the poem, another 100+ words about the author's thoughts, then a poem of my own that follows the form of the author. Let me just say, I'm behind.

I also had the impression I would finish Book 3 in the Cedar River series before I went back to school. Hahahahahahaha! I'm at 62,000+ words and I still am not done. I have a lot of story to tell in this book. I'm introducing so many new characters plus I have two big events to get written in. I am beginning to wonder why I set goals. Maybe I should simply forget it. It may work better.

I went to find a pair of socks and couldn't find any that were clean. That tells me the laundry was WAY behind! I rarely wear socks in the house. I'm a barefootin' it kind of gal, but lately, it has been cold enough that I've needed socks. Even my thick socks were dirty. *Sigh* So, I put in a load of laundry since underwear is the next thing to run out and I CANNOT let that happen :D

Oooh, before I forget to mention it: I put a contest up on my website on Friday. With an iPad 2 to giveaway plus a couple of gift cards, I expect to see people entering. I'm doing this because I promised my readers a giveaway when the 2nd book was released. It took me a little time to get all the legal junk together. But it will run through April 1st, so stop by and enter.

With Valentine's Day around the corner, you may need to buy a gift for that someone special. Be sure to check out my books (listed on the left hand side) for that urban fantasy/paranormal romance lover on your list.

I need a little pop of color today. My world is coated in white so I feel as if I'm living in a black and white film at the moment :D This lovely flower pops up every spring just outside my door. 

I took this in the fall. I actually had dipped my toes in that water. It was that warm. And since I'm craving warm weather, this seems appropriate. My painted toes dug into that cool wet sand and the water splashes against my ankles...*sigh*

With homework to do, I will get this posted and start my work. I hope you all have a blessed week! Stay warm/cool! (Depending on where you are in the world)

My Yooper Wonderland

Old Man Winter has finally decided to pay us a visit. We've had about 4 inches of snow on the  ground for a few days, but today...well, Mother Nature decided enough was enough. I don't know, maybe I bitched too much about the cold. Either way, I have a Yooper Wonderland outside. I'm not complaining by any means because I truly love the snow. After that nasty blast of cold we had, I'll take the snow any day of the week. Here's a little video I took about twenty minutes ago. We're supposed to have another 5-8 inches on top of what we already have. 

The dogs love the snow for the most part. Our German Shepherd believes it's her personal job to create (what we call) Weiner Angels. (She's our little Weiner Schnitzel.) Diesel thinks he needs to take Mama for a walk through every inch of snow we have. Jazzy is too old to appreciate the snow and Klondike is indifferent to most everything (she's more like a cat than a dog.)

What I love best is seeing the other critters' footprints in the yard. We've had deer, grey fox, red fox, loads of bunnies, and a few we haven't identified yet. I'm an animal nut! I can (and have) while away a morning watching two little porcupines play at the edge of the woods. They are simply precious to watch. I even caught the grey fox in our firepit one early morning. He was sniffing through our charcoal briquets looking for goodies. I felt bad for him and started leaving him little pieces of hot dog from time to time. 

Well, it's about time to bundle up and take a walk in the Yooper Wonderland that waits for me. (Dogs potty time.) So, I'm off. 

Whatever your weather is like, stay safe! I want to be able to visit with you later on :)

P.S. If money is tight at your house, but you still want to read Natural Born Enemies, I'm giving away two copies at Coffee Time Romance's Contests by the Cup in their forums: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/showthread.php?t=27935

I also was a part of Coffee Time Romance's Coffee Thoughts blog this week. Because I'm a bit of a ditz, I decided to make it up to readers by offering a copy to one person who leaves a comment on any of my posts.

BRRRRRRRR

The past few days have been down right frigid. We had a night with wind chills of -30. Remember the comment I made a while ago about making sacrifices to live in such a beautiful place? I will draw the line at losing toes or fingers. *grin*

I am kidding. I would draw the line at that, but I haven't lost any extremities...YET! 

The cold, however, has inspired me...to finish Book 3. Why you ask? Because it is set during the summer. I'm a writer so my imagination runs away with me at times. I can feel the summer breeze coming off the lake and dancing across my skin. Sunshine heats the air and my cold body. The warmth fills me with life. Then, one of the dogs begs to go outside and I get cold again. 

It's when I stop writing that becomes worrisome. I have had the thought of becoming like a big ol' bear. You know, crawl back into bed, pull the covers over my head, and sleeping in my warm cave until spring? *grin* I do fight back that feeling because I happen to know winter is just beginning here. In March, we usually get our snow. A lot of snow!

This is the view from my front yard last March. I can only imagine how the weird weather will effect us this year. 

My backyard view

I probably should explain how much I love getting snowed in. For us, it means cooking comfort food, cuddling under the covers, and watching movies. It also means sleeping in and getting to skip school. Yeah, I'm a little kid at heart. Snow days are even better now. *wink*

Oh heavens! Well, the dogs are begging to go outside and that means bundling up to go out. If I don't freeze out there. I'll see you in a few days :)

Stay warm! Be safe! Stay inside and read. I happen to know of an author who MAY have a couple of books out...

I Count You Among My Blessings...

Our breakfast was delicious. The presents are all unwrapped. Dinner is digesting and all is quiet at our house. It was actually one of the best holidays we've had in a long time.

The canine kids received plenty of toys. 

Diesel with all of the loot

The hubby got a new football jersey and a whole bunch of DVDs. Me? I got books! There was a new Nora Roberts under the tree along with the Shelly Laurenston Pack series. I also had some wonderful jewelry and a few chick flicks. Yes, I am blessed.

I have been very blessed for the majority of my life. I've always had people who love me and support me. 

But you are the blessings  I never expected. You have all blessed my life in ways  you will never truly understand and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Bright blessings from my home to yours!

Happy Snow Day

We have been under a blizzard warning since Winter storm Draco decided to head our way. We prepared for the worst. We have plenty of food. We have a few sealed containers of kerosene for the heater should we lose power. We're all set.
Well, Draco didn't want to cooperate. He was supposed to arrive at 3 or 4 am. I was expecting to wake up to a few inches of snow.
What I woke up to was MAYBE a half an inch of snow and rain, which was melting the snow. Took the canine kids out and there was a horrible slush mix falling from the sky. As I type this, it snowing again and we are supposed to have white out conditions in a little while.
Finals were called off for today. I'm happy to say I didn't have any. I am sure there are a few students who were relieved to hear that bit of news.
So, today is going to be a lazy sort of day. We've got to get all the dishes done and put away so I can have the ENTIRE counter to make sugar cookies. I'm thinking sugar cookies with hot cocoa while watching movies might just be the perfect way to spend the day. I'm also thinking of making mac and cheese for dinner. Something about the snow flying outside makes me want to make comfort food.
How about you? What do you do when the snow begins to fly?
I'm going to leave you all with a bit of scenery from inside the Murray house. Voila! Here's our Yule tree, all lit up and decorated:

Here is the scene of my backyard from March:

I'll post pictures tomorrow of what Draco dumped on us. Have a happy snow day! I know we will :)

If you are looking for something fun to do, I'm celebrating the holidays with The Romance Studio. I'm offering an e-copy of Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart to one person. Stop by and visit with all of us authors who are working hard to promote our books.