Telling Stories

What Do You Do the Day Before Your Book Releases?

Surely there must be some handbook on how to handle a compromised mental state the day before the release of a new book? 

If there is, please send it to me because I'm floundering over here like, well, like a person who just moved for the third time in two years. 

Because my life is horribly exciting, I've decided that the day before my book releases I will: 

1. Drink too much coffee. (This is already happening)

2. Take my middle child over to a friend's house (despite the fact that his hair is like an overgrown shrub.) 

3. Wander around the kitchen looking for magic beans. (They must be there somewhere?) 

4. Break up 14.7 arguments that are on their way to becoming fights. (I'm wearing a whistle as I type this.)

5. Try not to obsess over whether or not anyone will read/like my second book. (ha. As if. (I am channeling Alicia Silverstone there...)) 

I've been known to be slightly neurotic. Something I'm trying to camouflage with pretty flower pictures. Is it working? People who know me are snickering and saying, "That's the understatement of the year." I know they're right but I like to be kind to myself when it counts. Like when I'm being slightly neurotic. 

But putting a book out there for the world to read is suprisingly scary. One might deduce that since I write this blog and share every little darn tidbit of my life that I have no qualms about letting people in. This is so not the truth. 

These books are like a part of my soul. You can imagine there are pieces of me throughout... and knowing that you're baring that soul and that people may not like it...well, it's frightening. I'm not gonna lie.

I think giveaways are the doctor-prescribed way to ward off neuroses, don't you? So over the next few days, in an effort to spread the word about my new book, I've got lots of fun things planned. Scrapbooky and NOT scrapbooky, readerly and NOT readerly. 

Something for everyone, if you will...

So come back tomorrow and we'll celebrate together. Because the day is finally here... A Sweethaven Homecoming joins our little world. 

OH! And I bet you're wondering who won the giveaway??? I did a random drawing and counted all the 200+ (THANK YOU!) comments to select:

coloradoks said...

There are a lot of people who responded here...but here goes: I don't t like to eat or drink anything from the fridge if it at any point it was uncovered during it's time in the fridge b/c it tastes like the fridge...I just can't do it!

ReplyJuly 30, 2012 at 08:41 AM

as the winner...

Kelly, send me your address and I'll get your box on its way to you! (email me at: courtneyrwalsh{at}gmail{dot}com. :) 

It just flies by...or does it?

It's easy to look back over the last two months and feel like summer is just flying by. In a lot of ways, it is... but I think it always feels that way. Unless you sit around and watch TV all day. 

Which is something I only dream about. 

In retrospect, July was quite eventful...

We packed up our Colorado house (gosh that makes it sound so easy) and moved our weary selves across the country...

I drove a Penske truck from Colorado to Illinois... (I am a self-proclaimed Penske rock star.)

I found the words I needed to hear in one of the most stressful times of my life...

And clung to them like a bird on a wire. (Do birds cling to wires?) 

We rolled into Illinois and took in one of the most peaceful views. A soul-feeder to me...

I lamented about my ridiculously dark roots. (Who knew my hair is practically black now?)

And discovered my mom was driving around town with this on her back window:

I marveled at the fact that people actually buy this carpet (they do, the sales guy told me.)

And rejoiced when I found some REALLY good reading material at our local Chrsitian bookstore.

We moved into our new house, thanks to some VERY amazing people...

...and then realized we have a whole lot of work to do...

We put it off to play hoops with our kids. It turns out I'm still not good at sports. 

We said goodbye to my grandma's husband, Ab, a WW2 veteran...

...which made me realize how much I still miss my grandma. 

I discovered sugar free, dairy free, gluten free ice cream isn't so bad...

...and bought a pair of jeans the next size down. I won't be lounging in them anytime soon, but they fit. And they were on sale. (This is my surprised face...)

We started construction (ha) on my new office...which is almost finished and I am in LOVE with it:

And A Sweethaven Summer hit the NYTimes bestseller list. It also made it to #1 in Christian Fiction and Women's fiction on amazon, though I don't know how long it stayed there. I took a picture to remind myself. 

I opened a Facebook author page (which was hugely nerve-wracking.) If you want to join, I'm going to be doing more fun things there...

I traveled in to Chicago for CHA and met/re-met some beautiful friends...

I got to launch my very first E-book with Ella Publishing:

I sent my kids off to Spotlight Youth Theater summer camp and was wowed by their showcase Friday afternoon. Also wowed by Adam's mad photo bombing skills. 

This weekend, when my kids went outside to play, the masses of children descended upon our house...and they all found friends in our neighborhood.

And, perhaps one of the most exciting things of the summer...I am preparing to release my second novel on Wednesday...

To celebrate, I announced a big, fat giveaway...

Scroll down to enter! 

So, yeah, it feels like it went fast, but it's been a jam-packed summer. In the upcoming weeks, between book signings, the wedding of a very good friend, a visit from my sister & her family and back to school shopping, my goal is to take it all in. To plan a few FUN things (for the kids) and to relish every one of them. 

What about you? What are you doing with your last few, precious weeks of summer? 

Something Exciting This Way Comes...

I'm sitting here in the midst of two half-unpacked boxes in my office wondering where my mailing labels are and wishing I hadn't slept wrong on my shoulder. 

As I contemplate these highly important, life-altering decisions, I also spend time wondering if gratitude ever comes across as genuine, especially online. 

I've shared all my many woes the past few months, complained about the whole moving process, the transitional process and the moving again process. I've made it known that nothing is going our way. And yet, as I sit here, in this mess in a half-finished office (painted one of my favorite colors) I am filled with gratitude. 

The real kind. Not the kind you claim to have so you don't sound ungrateful, but actual, real-life, filled to overflowing gratitude. 

The other night I had dinner with a friend. Afterwards, she wanted to go to Barnes and Noble to buy a copy of A Sweethavne Summer for a friend and have me sign it. I'm always a little awkward about signing books, but I went because I love my friend and because I didn't have any children to tend to. (Hey, it's the little things that keep me going.) 

We walked through the store, then rounded a corner where I saw my book on the end cap. My first thought was "Oh, yay! It's on the end cap! Look." But then when I took a step back, I saw this:

What!? That's a whole darn display!

I said, "Wait, this is all my books!" My friend Ronnie let out this squeal, which made me laugh and for a few minutes I think we sounded like two chickens cackling away. (Do chickens cackle?) We were loud, let's just say that...because while I have gotten excited many times on this journey, this was just really exciting to me. 

Don't hold this next photo against me. For the love of red noses. 

I have a signing scheduled with Barnes and Noble, but it's not till August 18th, and seeing this absolutely blew me away. I am still kind of reeling from it. 

Is it a huge deal? Maybe not...but it filled me up with this kind of thankfulness that I just cannot explain. And if I try to explain, I'm afraid I'd sound insincere. 

The other day someone left a comment on one of my old blog posts. It simply said "The ironic thing is that God isn't real." But somewhere, down in the depths of my spirit, I just know He is. Because there was a time, not all that long ago, when I felt a little bit hopeless...and now, I feel almost like an outsider, watching God work on my behalf. Answering prayers I'd prayed months ago...

Not in my timing. In His. 

And I have to apologize to Him for ever doubting that he would. Because he always takes care of us. 

In the little things and the big. 

So I'm FULL of gratitude. Honest to God, knock my socks off gratitude...for the mighty ways he moves in my life...for the love and support you guys have shown in sharing about my books. (Do you know how big of a blessing you are?) 

Anyway. I pride myself on not being sappy so I'm stopping now. 

But please know, if you feel a little left out or forgotten...He hears you. And He holds you in the palm of His hand...

Don't forget to check out my giveaway...I want you to win. :) 

(Click the image to find out more!) 

Tomorrow I'm going to Ikea. (I just this second decided that.) Anyone have any advice on how NOT to get overwhelmed? :) 

Happy weekend!

It's Thursday! Let's do a BIG Giveaway!

*There is a giveaway at the bottom of this post. You just have to scroll through my mental ramblings to get there...*

Tuesday morning there was a storm. 

5 a.m. and I was staring out the window watching the trees in our front yard wave to me and wishing they weren't so darn friendly. 

Within seconds, our power was out and somehow I just knew. It wasn't coming back anytime soon. Do you know how hard it is to work from home with no electricity? Did I also mention that last week during CHA Adam's car completely died? We're contemplating headstones just in case it can't be revived.

So, The Sainted Mother had to rescue me, bringing me to her house where I worked the rest of the day and kept checking to see if our power was back. 

It wasn't. 

We spent the night, saw The Dark Knight Rises and then I worked from there all day yesterday (thinking the entire time that it was TUESDAY.) 

My brain has been spinning a little bit and finally, finally, I realized why. Moving out of Colorado, everything went wrong. 

It was an incredibly stressful (and expensive) two weeks. When we finally got to Illinois, moving INTO our new house was also horribly stressful. Nothing seemed to want to go our way... immediately, I plunged myself into CHA work, which was exciting but somewhat frenetic, as is to be expected.

Then we moved in. Little by little, I'm trying to put my house together but the truth is, I just need to be still. 

Do you ever feel like that? You just need stillness? Not even physically, but mentally. I need to quiet my mind. I get like this sometimes, but I'm not sure how to pull it all back and just be. 

It's difficult when there is a lot going on, and let's face it, moving sort of wrecks you for a bit. This is why I have no intention of doing it again. Ever. Well, at least not for a long, long time. 

Anyway, enough with my self revelation, whining and pity partying. Today, I have to share something really exciting...

This is my new e-book with Ella Publishing. You can read more about it HERE. 

I'm really excited because there are projects in here that will help you think outside the box in terms of your stash of supplies. 

Here's the description: 

Find new uses for patterned-paper scraps, chipboard, popsicle sticks, magazine pages, maps, flowers, and more! It's all packed into 30 beautiful pages you can read on your computer or tablet reader—or print and take it with you on the go.

It's been awhile since I've done a scrapbooking book, so this one is exciting for me, especially doing it with the Ella girls, who are amazing to work with. 

Through August 5th, you can get the book for just $5.99 (seriously, this is a great deal)...but today I want to give one away! 

But I can't stop there, and you know it. 

Next week Wednesday, I'll officially welcome this guy into the world: 

You can pre-order HERE and it will be available on Nook and Kindle August 1st. (tell a friend?)

A Sweethaven Homecoming picks up where A Sweethaven Summer leaves off (and that book is 99 cents on Kindle and Nook for just a little while longer...) 

You also know I'm a scrapbooking hoarder, so I've got some serious goodies here to give away, and I'm throwing THAT into the mix along with a pretty awesome Barnes and Noble gift card (because I love that place with all my ever-lovin' heart.) 

So let me sum up. I'm giving THIS away...

How to enter: 

1. Leave a comment on this post. (You're entered! Woo! See how easy?) Just tell me something quirky about yourself. I'll go first. "I can't touch or smell butter. It literally makes me gag." There. Not so hard, right? 

How to get MORE entries: 

1. Facebook, blog, Pin or tweet about this giveaway and/or these books and then come back and leave another comment for each one you do. For instance, if you share the link on Facebook, you come back and comment "Shared on Facebook!"...that's another entry. Pin the covers, another entry, etc. 

That means you have up to five chances to enter and I promise I will chock that box FULL of fun stuff for you. Winner will be chosen next Monday, July 30th. 

On a serious note...I'm already so incredibly humbled by the support I've received surrounding my books. You can't possibly understand what the emails, comments and shares mean to me. Sometimes it's overwhelming. For these things, I just want to say a most heartfelt Thank you. I am most blessed. 

The Great Weenie Debate

This is a story about a boy.

A boy who closely resembles no one in our family. Who marches to the beat of his own drum with more volume than an entire percussionist section. 

A boy who sings when he goes to the bathroom. Hits inanimate objects when he gets frustrated and cries for the sole purpose of getting his older siblings in trouble. {I'm onto you, sucka.} 

Last night, I was getting Sam changed from his play clothes {read: pajamas} into his pajamas {read: clean pajamas} when he struck up the most interesting conversation...

He said, "Mom, you don't have a weenie, do you?" 

I think I stifled a laugh and then sort of frowned but when I met his eyes I saw he truly wanted to know. And let's face it. It's a legitimate question...though not one I had any intention of answering in any sort of detail. 

Oh. Okay, we're going there, are we? 

Me: Uh...no. I don't have a weenie, Sam. Can we get your jams on?

Sam: And Sophia doesn't have a weenie, right?" 

Me: No, Sam, Sophia and Mommy are girls. 

Sam: And girls don't have weenies. 

Now you're catching on...

Bear in mind I NEVER had this conversation with Ethan. Methinks his older siblings have some 'splainin' to do.

Me: No, Sam, girls don't have weenies. 

Then he gets this look on his face, a lot like this:

And says, "Can I see?" 

Me: Huh? 

Sam: Can I see that you don't have  a weenie? 

Me: Uh, no. You're going to have to take my word for it. 

I thought the conversation was over, and while I honestly felt horribly uncomfortable with this line of questioning, at least he asked me and didn't go looking for someone else to prove to him that girls don't have weenies. 

Then, today, out of literally the clear blue ever-lovin' nowhere, he says to me, "Mom, so if you don't have a weenie, what do you have?" 

I can't take it anymore. 

Again, I looked at him and I'm totally flabbergasted because darn it, he wants to understand. And I'm sure some smart person will tell me I should've responded differently and without the laughter of an eight-year-old boy but apparently I'm just not mature enough to handle such tasks.

You would think that after the Giant Cowboy AND the first weenie heart-to-heart AND that other candid weenie talk we had recently...I would've gotten this down, but alas...

His big old eyes wanted...needed...and explanation. What was I supposed to say? 

Like every intelligent thirty-six year old mother of three, I said, "Let's talk about that some other day." 

Then I literally snickered my way out of the room. But when I reached the doorway, I heard his little sing songy voice behind me... "If you don't have a weenie...what do you have? Just a hole?" 

And that, my friends, is just a little smidge of what I'm dealing with around here. 

 

A {big} Dream Come True...

At this moment, I'm sitting in my freshly painted office (pictures forthcoming) listening to Adam sing "Seize the Day" from Newsies because it's part of the Spotlight Youth Camp he's leading tomorrow. 

And it's making me kind of wish I could jet off to New York and see a bunch of Broadway shows. 

But my vacation daydream is interrupted by a screaming child who is supposed to be sleeping... and the memory that my entire life is still mostly in boxes so leaving any time soon is out of the question. 

Today, I have something exciting to share. It's one of those still pinching myself kind of stories. 

It happened when I was working right here:

...in the Webster's Pages booth at CHA this past week. I had my phone in my back pocket and it started buzzing...you know, phone call buzzing, not text buzzing. Which is weird, right? Because no one calls me because in addition to being a borderline-agorophobe, I'm also a borderline phone-o-phobe. No joke. 

I didn't answer because I was working but then I got another buzz (voicemail) and then another buzz (text) and by this point my butt was vibrating so much I had to excuse myself and see if someone actually needed me. 

I finished what I was doing and then headed out of the booth to check my phone to discover it was my fearless agent. 

...which is strange because she's out of the office right now...

I texted her quick "In the booth at CHA and missed your call. :("

She responded:

NYT Ebook BSL! 
You!
#24
Call me when you can.

At this point, I was in the aisle at the trade show surrounded by crafty goodness and yards away from the bathroom. I ducked into a corner and called her. Because while I had a vague idea what her coded message meant, I wasn't 100% sure. 

No one will ever mistake me for Einstein. 

My first words were "You're joking." (And I said it really sarcastically, you know, like a person who is A. really sarcastic and B. Not buying it.)

She said, "I am NOT. I saw it with my own two eyes." (And she said it like a person who had A. just been accused of lying and B. had proof to back up her story.)

What?!

I am not a demonstrative person so I will tell you that outwardly there were no "wacky antics..." but inside...well, my insides were doing cartwheels. 

"What does that mean?" I asked (because I have no qualms about admitting I'm no Einsten.)

She said, "It means you're on the New York Times Bestseller list." 

What?!!!!

I could tell you all the reasons this isn't really a big deal to me, but I'd actually be lying...and mama didn't raise no liar...so I'll just say this instead: 

If you have bought, read, shared or reviewed this book either when it came out or for its recent promotion...thank you. 

From the very bottom of my ever-lovin' heart. 

Thank You. 

Because seriously, you guys, this is just too much for me to even imagine. It's made me feel SO incredible...and proven to me once again that God is in this whole journey (in case I'd forgotten, which I haven't.) 

I have lots of big dreams...some of them I almost think even I know are so far out of the realm of possibility...but you know what? I'm going to keep dreaming them. 

Because really...what have any of us got to lose in hoping for the big, awesome, amazing things? 

At least for this week, A Sweethaven Summer is on the New York Times E-book Bestseller list...and that, my friends, is a dream. come. true. 

Are Internet Friendships Real?

Some days, I hate the internet. I hate that it fills my mind with passing images I can't quite grasp. I hate that it can occasionally pull me away from what I need to be doing. I hate that sometimes it's the sole reason I start comparing myself to someone else...

I hate that. 

But other days...I am so grateful for this crazy invention that keeps changing and expanding and becoming a part of our lives...and I'll tell you why. 

In case you were dying to know my whereabouts (yes, Mom, I'm talking to you,) I've been galavanting around the Illinois interstate the last few days for CHA, the Craft and Hobby Association trade show. The place where all the companies bring their goods and we drool and fill up our creative tanks. 

For me, the highlight was getting to meet Brandin, the co-owner and designer of Webster's Pages. We talk multiple times every single day and yet, I've never met her. 

Funny how that happens online, isn't it? 

Sometimes when you've known someone online before meeting them in person, it can be a letdown when you actually meet. You think things like "Oh, they aren't what I thought they were..." or "She's not what I expected..." or "maybe we don't hit it off as well as I thought." 

In this case, this couldn't be farther (further?) from the truth. 

I was reminded once again why I am so thankful for my job with her amazing company. I am inspired by her authenticity, her goodness and her integrity. There is so much fake in the world, and I have pledged to get all of that out of my life...

Brandin is a keeper. 

Before the show, she emailed me and said, "Ok, so what are the quirky, weird things about you that I need to know going in?" 

I said: 

1. I go to the bathroom all the time. 

2. I don't eat until about 11:30 in the morning. 

3. I apply deodorant about ten times a day. 

None of this frightened her. Good thing because she was stuck with me for days. And we had so much fun. 

Sometimes you really luck out...and in this case, I really lucked out. 

Because not only is Brandin a biz-whiz who is eager to teach...she's also an artist who designs things like this:

So we 'get" each other. 

And that's a very rare thing. 

The other thing is that while we were at CHA, which, in a lot of ways is like a big celebration for all the work she's been doing over the last few months, the chance to let people swoon over her artwork... I got some really amazing news. 

It has to do with this guy:

(Did you know it's 99 cents on Kindle and Nook right now? Did you know I have an author page on Facebook and I want you to be my friend? Did you know my next book comes out in just a couple of weeks?!) Ahhhhh!

Anyway, I told Brandin my news right at the end of the day Wednesday and even though we were in the middle of her big party...she took a moment to celebrate with me. As soon as I got the news I knew she would "get it." 

Friends like that, genuine and authentic, who truly want what's best for you...that's rare. And I don't know about you, but I think when you find it, you hold on. 

It's strange, isn't it, this internet thing? How it can bring you to people you may otherwise never know? How I can live in Colorado or Illinois and still work with someone who lives in North Carolina every single day...

So, some days I hate the internet. When it's misused, it does harm. 

But today, I'm so thankful for it...because it's brought me genuine friendships, a job I love and it's opened my eyes to a world I never would've known otherwise...

How about you? Do you have a friend you've met online and it was like you've known each other your whole lives? 

"A Sweethaven Homecoming" {Giveaway}

The other day I was talking to my publicists, Tyson and Jeane. They were in the car headed down to ICRS and I felt like I sort of got to ride along on the road trip with them...only I wasn't moving. 

This was a good thing considering the recent road trip in the Penske truck which I have no interest in repeating. This way I could stop for restroom breaks without adding to our drive time. 

Anyway. In the conversation, Tyson says, in his slight southern drawl, "And I know you already have a Facebook author page, right?" 

To which I responded, "Uhhhh...."

I've always been sort of against the whole idea of a Facebook author page. I have a hard time with asking people to "Like" me. Not my page, but me. I mean, when someone clicks like it actually says "Hildegard Hortence LIKES Courtney Walsh."

Feels so weird to me. However, I've discovered that Facebook has done some pretty nifty things with pages, making it kind of important for authors (and companies, etc.) to have... there are tools for tracking your reach and goal setting and all kinds of things I don't yet understand. 

So, I did it. I took the plunge and set 'er up. 

I feel kinda weird even still, but I'm hoping you'll join me there... and since I can't give everyone brownies like I'd like to, I've decided to offer something else for joining my FB page and/or sharing it with your friends. 

Yes, I bribe children, readers, whoever I can...

 I have lots of plans for this page... author chats, prizes, giveaways and of course, this is where I'll share the latest book news.

Speaking of which...Look what came in the mail...

So how about a GIVEAWAY?

You know I am DYING to launch this book out into the world, so, I was thinking... if you're up for it...you can "LIKE" my Facebook page and automatically be entered to win an advanced copy of A Sweethaven Homecoming...

BUT. As a bonus, if you SHARE the link to my page on your Facebook, you can come back and leave a comment on my wall and I'll enter you AGAIN. 

In the meantime, here's a little peek at the innards of the new baby:

Choosing who to dedicate a book to is a big task...but for me, with this book, it was really easy...

I also had a fairly easy time with the epigraph... because this book is about coming home. It's about something that means more to me than just about everything else...home. And as a person who recently moved home, well, it's extra special, I guess...

So, that's it. My way of bribing you to tell the Facebook world you like me, er, my books, so I can feel an awful lot like Sally Field though not nearly as accomplished or as cool. Or talented. 

What do you say? Will ya tell a buddy to join in the fun? I'll choose a winner next Tuesday, July 24th. 

Here's the link to the Facebook page. 

And here is my eternal gratitude. On a platter. 

Source

Scrapbook Space Makeover {in progress}

So, we've lived in a lot of houses. And every time we moved, I have the task of redoing my office/scrapbook space and it's usually high up on the priority list. Working from home on a built-in desk, I don't have much choice. 

Everywhere we go, I tweak just a little bit...keeping in mind the functionality of my space. How does this room need to work for me? 

This is the first real space I had. In our first house, we finished a big room in the basement, but I never really got it together. This space, someone else put together for me:

It's still among the most amazing blessings of my life. I started working in the scrapbooking industry shortly after I received this gift from Cropper Hopper and Creating Keepsakes, and I'm convinced I never could've done any of it without their organizational expertise. 

Then, we moved. Here is a cleaned out version of my space in the next house. I didn't get time to paint, and frankly, at that point, I was terrified to put paint on the walls of a new house. This was the front room of the house, so as soon as you walked in, you saw it. And believe me, it was often a disaster. This is where I worked when I was a contributing editor for Memory Makers. 

I missed the color. A lot. But because the desk is built in, it would've been such a pain to move it out and paint. Plus, there was carpet. 

And then, we moved again. This time, to a rental house in Colorado where I worked at the kitchen table. It was always a mess and nearly impossible to stay organized. I know if it had been a long term arrangement, I could've made it work, but thankfully, it wasn't. 

We moved again. The basement office in our Colorado house was a priority because shortly after we moved, I started working for Webster's Pages. I decided it would be okay to use the leftover yellow paint from our kitchen. I thought I would love a bright, yellow space. 

For the most part it was fine, but I hated the yellow. The room was small, and honestly that didn't bother me...but the color really did. 

So, we moved again. (sigh) This time, we're back in Illinois and I have yet another basement office. I didn't want it to feel like a basement, and I knew from experience that color on the walls was important. 

So, yesterday, without much thought, I started the project. This is the space:

Obviously, these are "before" shots. Sleepy Miss woke up and stumbled down to my office. She said, "you already painted?" I was like "HUH?" This is GREEN. Not my color! 

Everything in our new house is earthy and masculine. Which is great if you're Bear Grylls. 

I am not. 

I put on my best painting clothes and started priming. 

Sophia helped. After about five minutes she said, "This isn't as fun as I remember." 

I said, "yeah, I said that every time I had a baby." 

Sam helped by narrating his Lego playtime right outside the door. 

It was a stream of consciousness kind of story. 

I also decided to paint the trim. Our lower level is the only area without white trim, and I wanted white. So, I sanded. 

Then primed. By the middle of the day, I think everyone must have missed my smiling face because they all showed up to help. 

(don't your kids stay in pajamas all day?) 

Thankfully, Adam did all the parts that touch things that aren't supposed to be blue. For instance, the ceiling. A steady hand I do not possess... but he sure does. I stuck with the roller...

So, it's coming along. We're trying to create a space that's functional for both scrapbooking and writing... which isn't an easy task, we're finding.

All be the final coat of trim is up and tonight (I hope) after his first official day on the new job, Adam is going to install my desk and shelves. I'm already excited. 

A question for you: Do you prefer a colorful work space? Or are you more of a neutral-lover?

The home projects are underway...pass the coffee!

The Reality of Moving {It's Ugly up in Here}

I could tell you stories about how much we're loving our new house. We've all decided it's our favorite of all the houses we've lived in, even though there is MUCH work to be done to really make it feel like home. (A task I've been given by my wonderful husband who does not want to be saddled with such things.) 

I've accepted the task because I don't want to see what he'd do with the place without my input either. It's good when we agree. 

We ARE loving the house... and the two fish we inherited in the pond out back.

Ethan and Sophia named them "Oscar" and "Molly" and Sam said "If there's another one in there I'm gonna name it Spongebob." 

I could tell you all about how wonderful it is to be through the hard part (because it is) and how excited I am to dive in to the painting and updating and making a home here (because I am...)

About how fun it is to explore a new place even when you discover your shower faucet is broken and the power in your bathroom goes off for an inexplicable (and so far, unfixable) reason. 

I could tell you all these wonderful things about the new house, and they'd be true...but they'd only be half-true. Because then I'd stumble upon the reality of what I'm dealing with right now...

This is the room we call "The Green Room." It has green carpet and another hue of (non-matching) green curtains with a deep khaki colored paint. It's the room that makes us sneeze because even though Stanley Steemer came out to clean our carpets (which I paid them to do) they most certainly did no such thing.

(Yes, they are coming back. I was beyond upset.) The Green Room has no furniture. And by that I mean, we have no furniture for the Green Room. None. Not even a chair. 

And this is our dining room. Do you like what we've done with the place? It's the box collection room. We don't really NEED a dining room, but should we keep it? What else will we do with it? In the past, I would've turned it into an office like I did in our other Rockford house...but I have an office...so...?

And have I mentioned if I run into ONE MORE BOX or hit my head on one more light...well, I'll be mad, that's what. 

This is the "front room." I'm thinking I want to turn it into a sort of "study". No TV. Computer (maybe) for the kids. Lots and lots of books. But here's the kicker. This is the only room our ONE piece of furniture (the sectional) will fit in. 

It's also the only room I don't want it in. 

The kitchen is coming along swimmingly...

I think this is a good look, don't you? 

(We did change out all the hardware last night. Those monster black drawer pulls were KILLING me.)

This is the reality. And it does overwhelm me. I'm not a "one room at a time" kind of girl. Last time we did this, I wasn't working and I wasn't on deadline so it wasn't a big deal to take every single day in June to paint, pick out appliances, shop for flooring and whatever else we had to do. This time, I am working, on deadline AND my next book comes out August 1st. 

Did I mention in my last post what a whiner I am? I'm a whiner. 

But...in spite of the craziness surrounding me (there is much)...I still got to enjoy this last night:

The sun sets out back over the corn field, and I have to tell you...it does my little Midwestern heart GOOD. It fills me up and reminds me not to lose the calm I've been searching for. The peace we so desperately need...I'm convinced that's something you can grab onto, but you have to still your mind to do it. 

So today, instead of letting it overwhelm me...I'm setting my mind on the good...because there is much to be thankful for...

and the rest will work itself out. 

Scrapbooking My Boy {With Unity Stamps}

Before we moved, I was intent on fulfilling all my duties wholeheartedly. Finishing strong, so to speak. And then we got slapped with the "attic fan debacle" in which we had to purchase an attic fan for our house AND find someone to install it before we could close. Did I mention this happened on a Thursday night and we were leaving the following Monday? 

Do you know how hard it is to get people to answer your calls over the weekend? Plus, I won't even go into the extra cost or the fact that we'd been asking for weeks what fan the inspector was talking about (and no one seemed to know.) 

You can tell that one about did me in. It was added stress and it was threatening our entire moving plan. And it was awful. In the midst of that, I totally dropped the ball in posting my final Guest Designer project for Unity Stamps...the worst part was, I'd had the layout done for two weeks: 

I LOVE the "boylish" (as Ethan said when he was younger) stamps in this collection from Bella Blvd:

And the brand new journaling block stamp (the circle here:) 

...is one of my all-time favorites. For me, someone who needs to be a little bit fast and furious when I scrapbook, stamps are a GREAT way to add pops of FUN, and cutting them out and mounting them with foam squares is the best way I know to do this! 

I also used some old book paper to create a somewhat haphazard border here:

...and I layered punched circles underneath that. I LOVE to use tons of different patterns in small doses so you get some good variety. 

I am so surprised how much I miss creating, but it's been about three weeks since my stuff has been all boxed up and I am itching to get it out again... Adam says my office will be one of the first things on the list, but sitting here, surrounded by boxes (more than any other room...ahem...) I'm feeling completely daunted by the task before me. 

I keep trying to take it one thing at a time, but that's NOT my strong suit. 

Anyway, I LOVED playing with all these fun Unity Stamps, and if you're looking for a few great stamps for your crafting/scrapbooking/artistic endeavors, I highly recommend these. They're SO fun to use! :) And I was so thankful for the chance to guest design with them...

(And especially thankful that Angela is so gracious. I texted her from the Penske truck the moment I remembered I didn't get my post up and she was amazing. I am a lifelong fan.) 

We're still standing...

We're all still here, still kicking, still alive.

I am amazed by the people that came out to help us, and totally humbled by the whole experience. Asking for help is hard for me so when people we haven't seen in years volunteered to come help, I didn't quite know how to express our gratitude. 

Lunch and homemade cookies seemed so inadequate. The real thing that I've taken away from living out of the state for two years is that family is so important...and while some people let you down (it happens all the time), there are SO many people who will show up for you when they really have no reason to...just because they're good people. 

Those are the people to focus on. The ones who love and lift up...that's the kind of person I want to be. I want to be someone who just shows up for someone in need...as the one who has been in need, I've seen what a huge blessing this is...

For me and for our whole family. We are now IN the new house (pictures to follow...) but we're definitely not settled yet. We'll get there. Eventually...

Today I am just filled with gratitude. Overwhelmed with the blessing of good friends and family. Thankful that even though this move totally STUNK in so many ways...it was stressful and hugely expensive and overwhelming (and still is in many ways) but more than that, it restored my faith once again. 

I'm just really thankful. 

And I'm also BEYOND grateful that people are sharing about my book being 99 cents for Kindle and Nook. HOW do I say thank you for that? It means everything. To a writer, the best thing you can do is share, chat, gab about their books...and I'm HUGELY blessed by it. 

Once I process this move, I'm sure I'll have more to say...I'm chatty that way... but for now, I just have two words. 

Thank you. 

To everyone who helped us move, expecting nothing in return... to everyone who shared about my book...to everyone who prayed us through the chaos. 

Thank you. 

Kids & Moving

So, we're buying a house today. 

The closing is at either 9, 10 or 11 a.m. We figured we'd show up around 10:18 and hope that works for everyone. Truly, we've gotten conflicting times from everyone. Our Realtor called yesterday and said "Do you know what a pain in the butt you are?" (She's my friend so she can say things like that. Ha.) Goes to show you how incredibly annoying this whole process has been. 

It's filtering down to everyone we work with. 

Run. The. Other. Way. 

When we were moving out of our house in Colorado, my mom said, "Isn't it funny how the kids can just sort of go on about their day...there's all this chaos around them and they can still play?" 

Say what?

Yesterday, in this 105 degree heat with 1000% humidity (which, by the way, I actually kind of like...what is up with that?!) my boys played outside for the entire afternoon.

It was a good thing too because if they didn't remove themselves from my presence there would've been some serious trouble. We've all been cooped up for too many days (I don't like the humidity THAT much) and I was just not having it.

Plus, it took a good two hours to figure out how to get our money from Colorado to Illinois. Thank God Adam handled that. I might not have survived, and I KNOW I wouldn't have been pleasant on the phone.

 

Moving makes you really cranky. If you know someone who is moving, just say a prayer for them right now. They may turn into Mr. Hyde tomorrow and you want to make sure the change isn't permanent. 

This is Sam's serious face:

Because water ballooning is serious business. 

Anyway, I'm thankful that it's not as difficult on them as you'd expect it to be. And it sure isn't as difficult on them as it is on us. 

Today, we're dragging them to our closing, taking them up to the new house where we'll let the maid service in (Yes, I splurged. I tried to explain to Adam it's sort of like when you're the one that has to prepare dinner and touch raw meat...even after it's cooked, you don't really want to eat it. I thought it would be the same for the house...if I see other people's yuck, am I really going to feel like it's CLEAN?) 

His response: "That analogy makes no sense." 

My response: "Whatever, dude."

This morning I woke up horribly overwhelmed with the reminder of everything we'll need to do to update the house...it might take some time for me to get on board with the whole plan. I'm taking tips on thrifting from my friend Shannan because we only have enough furniture for one family room (we gave a bunch of stuff away before we moved).

How are we going to fill three living rooms? And a dining room we'll likely turn into a "study room" for the kids. 

No clue. 

Exhausted thinking about it. 

Pretending none of that's on my plate and going to hang out with my houligans. Here's wishing you a very relaxing, wonderful weekend! 

Hope you get to spend it with some goofballs.

10 Random Things {Or Musings from Limbo Land}

It's a strange feeling being in limbo in almost every aspect of your life. 

We're staying with my parents until after we get moved this weekend, which, for me, is wonderful. It's really the only place I can relax, though I haven't quite figured out why that is. Still, it has its challenges since the kids have no toys here and we are totally invading my parents' personal space. 

I work from the kitchen table (on my mom's laptop since my computer is packed) so not only is my stuff all over the kitchen table, but I've completely stolen her computer. 

They should be sainted. 

But why blog about that?  I'd rather make a list of random observations as of late. 

1. My book is on SALE! A big sale! Woohoo. Just in time for summer, right? You can get it on the Nook or the Kindle for only 99 cents. How can you turn it down for only 99 cents?! 

The great thing is that A Sweethaven Homecoming  releases August 1st so you won't have to wait very long to find out what happens! {I could tell you but it's better to find out for yourself.}

2. My parents' water goes from frigid to scorching suddenly and without warning. This makes for an interesting shower or dish washing experience. 

3. Sophia watches Food Network on a consistent basis. The result? Food. Namely, sugary foods that I can't eat. At this moment, I'm being tormented by a plate of cupcakes. Seriously. 

We bought her some piping bags and while she didn't quite put it together correctly the first time, she did end up getting the hang of it. 

We really want to get her in a cake decorating class because how fun would that be?

And how happy does she look?

4. Trying to plan a closing for your house is worse than planning a wedding, directing  a show or giving birth. No joke. Everything about moving is hard. And it's not just me...it's everyone that's moving. We're all having a hard time. 

5. The thought of painting/updating our new house SHOULD excite me, but truth be told, I'm horribly overwhelmed by the whole idea. Having done this last year, I know the amount of work it will take to paint every room and get it the way we want it. All I keep thinking is "When will I have time to do any of that?" 

6. I am a whiner. Someone should do this to me. 

Course then there's payback. 

7. Sam sings when he goes to the bathroom. He also wraps Ace Bandages around his head and pretends he's a Ninja. Sometimes he even wears sunglasses with the Ace Bandage. It's quite a sight. Don't believe me? PROOF.

8. I'm very particular about my cup of morning coffee. My dad made my coffee for the first few days but after my not so subtle hints that it wasn't strong enough and I don't like Folgers, I've woken up to empty carafes. See #6 for what my dad must think about this. 

9. These gluten free, sugar free brownies are really good. I used 1/2 agave and 1/2 honey and no dark chocolate chips (a few milk chocolate ones, so I guess they're not totally sugar free). Sam and I have treats now and they are really good! Plus, he got to lick the beater, which he NEVER gets to do.

10. You don't do yourself any favors when you let your ridiculously dark hair air dry. It begs a constant internal chant of "do not let yourself go..." over and over again. 

Picture will not be provided. 

5 Reasons {Some} People Don't Like {Some} Christians

I don't like to be controversial. Not here on my blog or on my Facebook page or in my real life. It's not who I am.  But there's something I've discovered the last couple years related to an attitude we Christians sometimes take on. 

An air of superiority. 

You see it especially during election time (on all sides of every argument) and it makes me want to avoid news media altogether. 

I write this blog in the most transparent way I possibly can, and I put myself out there because I hope that someone might have a revelation based on my mistakes (they are many). But sometimes people feel the need to "correct" said revelations with what they feel is truth, and to be honest, it's kind of a turn off. 

See, here's the deal. We're all growing and learning, but my truth isn't necessarily going to be the same as yours because what God is doing in my life is different than what he's doing in yours. And it's pretty hard to have a breakthrough (especially, for me, where food is concerned) and have someone tell you for some reason that it's wrong. 

Sometimes my revelations are simple (if I eat sugar, I get a headache) and other times they're much deeper (the actions of man should never be attributed to God.) Each has its place in my life. One isn't better or truer than another. Both are truth, just in different forms. 

I've discovered some eye-opening things sitting over here on the sidelines the past two years.  

During this time, I've watched and listened to people who don't particularly like Christians. Do I think it's fair to group us all together based on the actions of one person? No way. But it has caused me to go into myself and analyze my own behavior...because the fact is, I never want to be the reason someone walks away from God. 

I've had to shift my own thinking several times because, I'm embarrassed to admit, sometimes these behaviors were my own. 

This is in no way an exhaustive list, but here are five reasons {some} people don't like {some} Christians:

1. Some Christians presume to know more than they really know.

Like I said above, revelation is different for everyone. My God-breathed revelation may just be common sense to you and vice versa. We can't assume we know what someone else is going through or how God is dealing with them. In short, we don't know everything. A sense of being a know-it-all is one of the fastest ways to turn someone off. Especially someone who didn't ask for your opinion in the first place. 

2. Some Christians rebuke and condemn rather than encourage and uplift. 

Because we believe the Bible is the Word of God, it's a very black and white world for us Christ-followers. But what we don't always realize is that the world at large lives in various shades of gray. Fifty, to be exact. We're all at different points in our Christian walk, and one of the fastest ways to drive someone away from God is to hand over a list of everything they are doing wrong. I'm not saying it's right to condone sin, but there's a way to share truth...having a God-revelation is, by nature, uplifting...if no one sees that, why would they want what you're offering?

3. Some Christians live in denial of their own sin, choosing instead to judge only the sins of others. 

We all know people who never admit they're wrong about anything. Ever. Instead, they point fingers and talk about how they were once lost like you are. It's impossible to receive from someone who admits no wrong. At the same time, walking through life with a phony smile, pretending all is right in your world (when it's so obviously not) also serves no purpose. God can use our pain if we let him. Otherwise, what was the point of it in the first place?

4. We're all sinners. Yep. Even the Christians.

The fact is, sin is sin, which means none of us are better than anyone else. We have to remember we're all saved by grace...whether our sin is murder or gossip or something else entirely. It's easy to justify our own wrong-doing when it's "not as bad as that guy's." But not a single one of us deserves what God's offering. I'm shamed when I think of my own thoughts in this area. That as long as I don't do XY or Z I must be doing pretty good...but that other guy...yow! I'd hate to be lost like he is. That judgmental attitude has never served anyone well. If this list were in any particular order, I think this would be #1. 

5. Some Christians forget that Jesus loved everyone. 

It didn't matter who you were or where you came from or what you'd done...it didn't surprise Jesus. It didn't turn him off. He didn't withdraw his offering because someone else didn't have it all figured out yet, but we sometimes do. We shake our heads at the indiscretions of others, shameful acts that we would never do. But this behavior can separate us from the love of Christ, don't you think? 

(Saw this image on Facebook and thought it fit.)

Still...SO MANY Christians are committed to doing GOOD. 

On the sidelines, I've witnessed these things over and over again...but thankfully, I've  also seen Christians who demonstrate the exact opposite of this behavior. They are loving and kind and doing their best. They're honest and faithful and look for ways to build up rather than tear down. 

It's hard when people condemn you for your beliefs (no matter what they are), but the best chance we have at painting Jesus in a good light is to rise above, to listen and not to condemn. 

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
 just as in fact you are doing.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Question for You: What ways have you found for being effective in sharing God's love?