Honoring the Fallen

On this Memorial Day, I wanted to share this article about the Arlington Ladies, a group of women who honor the fallen by helping those they have left behind. Happy Memorial Day!

Weekend plans

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Camping this Memorial Day weekend is a far off dream. Maybe someday, but it seems I'm always on deadline at the end of May. Though I didn't let that stop me from skiing last year!

This weekend, I'll be writing, attending Irish dance class and performances and watching a swim meet. It will be busy, but no doubt fun. I only hope the sun peeks out. We've had the coldest May on record this year and so much rain it's time to think about building that ark!

I did have some good writing news to share. A character from my first Silhouette Romance, If the Ring Fits..., Princess Julianna, makes an appearance in the manuscript I'm writing. But she'll be the heroine of my next project! Finally. I've been wanting to write her story for a long time!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Any big plans?

9 lives

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A good thing Yoda has nine lives. He almost lost one last night.

For some odd reason, Yoda decided that my feet and hands were playthings. At midnight. His scratching and biting of my appendages woke me up. He would not stop.

Devil's evil minion. I kid you not.

My hands are nothing but red scratches. Fortunately my feet were under the covers, but they didn't escape unscathed.

He's sound asleep under my bed. I think it's my turn to wake him up and let him know how it feels! No scratching though. That would put him right back to sleep!

Playtime?

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I wish I had time to play! I'm sure I could find something to do, but I'm in full deadline mode with the manuscript. Hubby is out of town so that leaves me even less time to write. Oh, I have fun with the kidlets. Last night we were at B&N for Rose's art show. She received a second place ribbon for her mountain landscape water color. The kids each bought a book and we had Frappucino's at Starbucks. But I couldn't wait to get home so I could work.

Tonight is a mandatory parent-player meeting for Finn's new soccer club so I may have to skip Glee and catch it later unless I meet my page goals.

Yesterday, my schedule got completely messed up because I had to get up at 4:30 am to take hubby to the airport. I ended up taking a nap which meant I was up too late which made it impossible to get up at 5 am this morning. Must do better today!

Hope your day goes well and you have plenty of time to play!

Minion

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Iz noes evil minion. Iz Yoda.

Momme mad. Call me Basement Cat spawn.

Iz noes spawn. Iz Yoda.

I pull down her windo toyz agin. She not smile.

I find doll to playz with. Dehead it. Body broke in two. Armz came off.

Noes my faultz. Cheap fake Barbi. Kidlets laugh. Not momme.

To makez her happy I leave body parts in her bed. Presentz!

Still noes smile. I try agin today.

I noes Basement Cat evil minion. Iz Yoda.

Sigh...

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The above LOLcat fits one of the kidlets today so perfectly it's kind of scary. It's been a very difficult morning with said kid and I fear it will only get worse with all the things going on this afternoon.

It's days like this I totally get the concept of boarding school. I'm sure tomorrow will be better. At least I hope so.

Hope you're having a better day wherever you are.

Annoyed

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I know my deadline is getting closer without even looking at the calendar. Why? I find myself getting annoyed much easier. I'm reaching the point where I want to be alone. Even the cats are starting to bug me.

Only two weeks to go.

The writer in me hopes the days pass slowly. The mom in me wishes it was already June!

Do you get annoyed easily? Or does it just depend on your mood?

Sunny days!

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Not sure how long this nice weather will last in the PNW, but it's really nice! Sunshine and blue skies.

Today my oldest and Chaos are marching in a parade with 4-H on the west side of town. The theme is pirates. It should be a fun time.

Me? I'll be writing. Though I plan on taking a walk around the lake for my break!

I also see s'mores being made tonight on the fire pit I got for Mother's Day!

Hope the day is sunny wherever you are!

Headache

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My head has been killing me since Monday. My friend Amy thought it might have to do with the physical therapy I had that morning. I went to PT today and found out she was right. The mechanical traction I had earlier in the week caused a muscle spasm in my neck. This led to the headache on the right side of my head. Amazing how it all works together!

The PT worked on relieving it this morning. Not all gone. But better!

With a lot of writing ahead of me this weekend, that's good enough for me.

I'll be working on my newest manuscript Saturday and Sunday and enjoying the sunshine. What about you?

Soccer mom

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My kids play soccer so I guess that makes me a soccer mom. But to be honest, I don't know much about the game. I know to cheer when the ball goes in the goal. I have no clue what off-sides means. I pretty much watch my kids, clap and cheer, and that's about it.

My soccer experience is pretty limited:

- attending an Olympic soccer game at Stanford. Anything having to do with the Olympics is pretty cool. This was my first taste of what soccer means outside the US.

- playing in an after work league when I was 21. Okay, I was new in town and I really only joined to meet guys. You see I'd met a soccer player from Brown on a train in Switzerland when I was backpacking in Europe a couple months before. We bumped into each other again in Amsterdam and flew back to New York on the same flight. He was really cute and a great kisser. I thought maybe other soccer players might have similar traits. Yes, I was young. And stupid. I ended up bruised and missing a contact by the time the season ended.

- attending a World Cup game at Stanford. Everyone MUST do this once in their life. It's an absolutely amazing experience and redefines what being a fan is all about. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. The train ride alone from San Francisco to Palo Alto was incredible. Go. Don't think twice. You won't be disappointed.

- watching rec. soccer games since 2003.

But even though I have a lackluster soccer resume, I'm a mom. When the Premier B team my son had made in April got cut due to lack of players and he still wanted to play competitive soccer, I decided to find him somewhere else to play. Easier said then done. But I had to try, if only to be able to tell him I did everything I could. I made phone calls. I talked to friends of friends. I sent emails to a neighboring club to see if they had any U11 spots. I found a soccer forum that helped me figure out a few things, including the fact Oregon had not had soccer tryouts yet.

Score!

Okay, the thought of driving to Oregon wasn't all that appealing, but when I thought about all we've done for Irish dance or ballet or... It really wasn't going to be that bad.

I found a club thanks to a kind stranger who pointed me in the southeast direction. Finn went to the tryout prep. He liked it. I attended the new parents' meeting. I liked it.

Finn tried out on Sunday and Monday. Monday night we got the call. He made the team!

I still have no idea what competitive soccer is all about, but I guess this soccer mom going to find out!

Use the force!

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The fangirl in me couldn't resist putting this LOLcat on the blog!

Yoda's famous "Do, or do not. There is no try" is my current mantra as I work furiously on the manuscript. My new early morning schedule hasn't gotten easier, but waking up so early isn't as difficult as it was the first week.

Progress!

Hope you're making progress with whatever you have going on!

Happy Mother's Day!

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I hope all the moms out their enjoy their day! We've got soccer tryouts. Looking at another club for my son to play at since his the team he made a few weeks ago didn't have enough players so was cut. Never thought I'd ever spend Mother's day at a soccer field, but we'll all be together so no complaints. We'll also be having dinner with my family later so I can see my mom!

Any plans for today?

Almost Friday

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Hubby arrives home later tonight. I cannot wait. This traveling of his has gotten old fast, but it's the way things will be from now own so I have to get used to it. This time hasn't been as bad as the others except for missing him. I think we're figuring out a routine. Finally.

But the routine kinda sucks.

I haven't been blogging because I've been too tired. I am now waking up at 5 am. Okay, 5:15 am. I'm not a morning person, but if hubby is away I am so tired when nighttime rolls around I can't write. 'm trying to change my process so I can get it all done before the kidlets wake up. But with a manuscript due on the thirty-first of this month, it's a little stressful. But it was the only way I could think of to get it done!

Not much else to say! Hope you're having a nice Thursday!

May the Fourth be with You

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Happy Star Wars Day!

Yes, today is the official Star Wars day. We'll celebrate by watching one of the episodes tonight! How about you?

The race

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I feel like the LOLcat above. I'm in a race to my end of the month deadline, and I'm trying something new.

On Saturday and Sunday, I had to get up at 5 am due to my son's 2-day swim meet. This morning I set my alarm for 5 am. I didn't crawl out of bed until 5:30 am, but I'm only one page sigh of my page goal! Woo-hoo!

I'm not a morning person, but I get sick if I stay up late every night so I'm hoping I can train myself to write in the morning. Maybe then I'll be healthy when I reach the finish line!

Hope you had a great weekend!