Happy 2012!

What amazing things will happen this coming year? I’m not talking about what cool movie or Tv series will come out. (Not that I wouldn’t look forward to any of those. ) I mean what does God have in mind. What does He want to teach and show me? Will I listen? What is around the corner? What will happen in my twenty-first year? I’ll turn twenty-two towards the end of the year.  That will be cool! I always wanted to be twenty-two. Something about it always fascinated me. I’m sure it will be fantastic.

This past year…

An amazing family Christmas

Owning my own car

Taking my friends out shopping

Going out to eat at a Chinese restaurant for the first time

Going out by myself to eat with a friend for the first time

Having an awesome pen-pal

Quitting a job

Nanny-ing

discovering how wonderful cocoa can be if you add flavored coffee creamers

or adding marshmallows cool-whip and two dashes of cinnamon… Amazing!

My sister graduating and going to work

my brother fixing my car (and knowing what he’s talking about even when it sounds slightly mechanical/greek? )

hitting a raccoon

Reading the last book of the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini… Finally!!

owning my own laptop

owning a fish

Greek yogurt is amazing with granola

Yeah, it has been a pretty cool year.

Praise Him who knows best!

Blessings and a very Happy New Years to all of you!

Amber

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas!

It has been a wonderful Christmas here! Christmas eve I spent singing carols with some of the best friends in the world. Earlier in the day I managed a few more batches of cookies and pies for today. It is so much fun planning and working things out for a big day. It most certainly was a Big day for my family.

We had the entire day to ourselves. Everyone of us had the entire day off! It is a rare thing around here for everyone to be off on the same day at the same time. So we spent christmas at home with each other for company. I still don’t have this whole turkey dinner thing down pat so that everything is done at the same time with enough space and time to keep it all warm. I’m getting there. This year I had to do my sweet potatoes from scratch so I didn’t at all know how long those things take! Some how we managed it even if there was a little too much milk in the mash potatoes…

It was fun and beautiful! I couldn’t have asked for a better day. After dinner everyone was trying to figure out how to use their new gadgets. Just before bed the dishes are all washed and put away… finally.

Oh and Dad managed to find Doctor Who’s Christmas special online! The Doctor returns!

P.S. Not at all sure where I picked this up from but it is so awesome!

Quitting NaNo

Yeah not really a title I’m proud of… Not really a good start for my laptop’s reputation. Though it is a necessary move. Completely can’t stand the story i started and I’ve never ever been like this with a story. All of them have hopes, plans, dreams, rewrites, edits, proof readers, all envisioned for a future date. This story isn’t going anywhere. It has taught me a good lesson though. First, write what you love. Don’t start a project that you can’t stomach the thought of working on or reading later. Second, that there are somethings I can’t write and I’ll know when they come at me.

I always feel like these things I write down have their place in my life and that one day they will fit into someone elses too. Even if it is only my family and best friends. This story gives me hope that all the things I envision came come true. Why? Because that hunch may just be right after all.

I’m not terribly disappointed. I’m glad to have spare time to sew and get a head start on Christmas present. By the time Christmas arrives I should have plenty of time to bake those cookies. Don’t think I’ve quite writing. No, my rewrite project is right back at the top of the list of hobbies! Wouldn’t believe how much I could miss a story after putting it down for two weeks.

By the way the hot cocoa count was like four or five cups!

NaNo Temptaions

So here is the breakdown

Day 1. 629

Day. 2 2,228

Day 3.  well… I’m just figuring that up. So far… 3,099 Still working that word count up.

Had my first cup of caffeinated Hot Cocoa with Almond Joy coffee creamers and cool whip! It was awesome but I’m still not quite feeling it’s effects.

Your wouldn’t believe all the distractions I’ve been handed on a silver platter. It is so funny I’ve never had so many invites to join friends in all their fun. Parties, Homeschooling project activities, bowling… So far I’ve given into them. Now I’m making myself pay with long hours and an unwelcome late night.

Staying up to eleven tonight to bring this word count up to place. Grr… I hate myself for this short coming word count which is a complete lack of control.
I’ll go for now… Woot! Bring up that word count!! C U Soon..

 

NaNo!!

Okay so like two years ago a blogging friend got me to try this NaNoWriMo thing. I just can’t resist it ever since. I haven’t actually reached the 50,00o word mark but this year I have a little push help. My sister is joining me and we plan on having word battles! It is going to be great!

It is a few ideas I had that seem to be colliding together this month. I don’t really have a plot but that is what NaNo is all about right! I’m super ‘cited. When I finally figure it out I’ll give you an idea of what it is about.

Just so you know I was totally dead-set against doing NaNo this year. I’ve another writing project I’m working on… (I am still working on that too. Worked it a little ahead of schedule so I could do this too!) I just can’t resist it. I have to give it a try.

Day One!

P.S. word counts coming soon…

Thy word IS a lamp

Sometimes I forget, sometimes it is just lack of desire, sometimes I’m just unwilling to surrender, but every time it is a disappointment to Him. Every time it is a failure on my part to do what I know is right. Maybe it isn’t everyday the same thing but it is there and I know it. It is sin. When I remember, when I find a renewed desire, when I choose to surrender, I can smile because I know the one who knows best is smiling too. It isn’t easy, I’ll never be perfect, yet that isn’t what I’ve been promised. Each time I win, He wins, and that whispering voice of temptation, that sly fox the Satan loses. Then I have a real reason to Praise God. Just to please the Father and grow one step closer to Him.

There is this really good preacher at my brother’s – friend’s church. (ok how does the grammar work on that sentence…) Last night he spoke on sin, tonight on holiness and both nights he has given me plenty of reminders on where things should be. Why they should be. So tonight I’m going to try a little harder. Tonight I’m going to start things a little different. I’ve already committed my twenty-first year to trying new things and stepping out of mt comfort zone. It isn’t easy and my courage level for new things isn’t very high… not very high at all.

Somethings are coming along great. Thanks to Mariah my story is getting a reboot. If it wasn’t for her I’d still be trying to fit pieces together instead of just writing it all out from the beginning and place the pieces in as they come along.

Nanny-ing is great! The little man I’m watching is super cute, just learning words, building towers to knock down, and getting himself on a schedule. Totally completely beats the standing in Wal-Mart job, not that I hated it… I didn’t… I really liked it. In comparison, this is so much sweeter. It isn’t always sugar, spice, and all things nice but it just makes those times all the sweeter. I’m glad this opportunity came along!!

Canning and freezing has been coming and going through the end of summer and this very apparent fall weather. Tomatoes, peaches, corn, green peppers, meat chicken and cumcumber-red hot cinnamon pickles are most of what we’ve done this far just waiting for apples and that pumpkin or two. As far as I know that is it… Never know what comes along!

So many exciting things happening!! One of my friends gets married next month, another is pregnant due in May!! Super excited about that.

As for me I had a birthday and turned twenty-one (but whose counting…) For me that means my permitted brother can drive with me and that I can type my story on this super sweet laptop my parents gave me!! I already devoured the chocolate bar! Yes, I shared…. It was really nice to have the family together for a few hours that morning to celebrate! We all have jobs and it seems no one is all together at the same time. Makes the times when we are so much better!!

“But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.” Psalm 31:14

P.S. I can almost smell the hot chocolate…

Chick Braces

Now tell me what would you do if you had two chicks born that couldn’t walk? I’d never heard of such a thing until two of our four new chicks couldn’t stand on their own two feet. It was pathetic and made me sick to see them suffer like that but none of us had the heart to put them down. Especially when they’d fought so hard to get out of their shells in the first place. Wether it was a matter of putting them on slippery newspaper or a vitamin deficiency Mom finally saved the day.

Whenever anything is wrong with any of our animals Mom pops up the good old Google search and starts digging. There is no way of knowing what she will find or what she is willing to try. Sometimes I’m pretty sure it is the craziest thing EVER and there is simple NO WAY it will work.

This is proof that I am totally wrong! I went to pick my sister up from work today and Mom calls my cell. “Pick up some pipe cleaners at Wal-Mart from the craft section.”

Immediately I said to myself, “Those poor chicks.” See Mom doesn’t do many crafts these days and I knew she’d been at her research again… Yesterday she’d been trying to wrap up the chicks legs with strips of cloth. Chicks are squirmmy with only bones and fluff so it didn’t turn out so well.

When I brought home the pipe cleaners I helped her wrap them around their legs like leg braces. It looks really funny but you know they aren’t screaming out in pain (who knew chickens could scream?) and are kind of up on their own two feet. Before their legs were sprawled out like Bambi’s on the ice, now they are learning how to pick themselves up and waddle around. Not that they don’t fall down face first but they are a lot (sound a lot) better.

Oh and here is a site that has these crazy chick helps… Raising Chicks

P.S. Unfortunately these two didn’t end up making it. They were doing really good! We think it may have been the vitamin supplement we were giving them…

Deep Breath

Ah… Refresh.

Oh, hi there! Just enjoying my new look. Tell me what you think! There are a few things I want to play around with but I’m doing a lot of running around today so I don’t know how far I’ll get.

Character Interview

I was blog reading and found this really cool post with a Character Questionnaire/Interview. Thanks to my friend I ended up blog surfing to a few
other blogs reading their Character Interviews. It was a lot of fun! Great
personality views from each character! Now it is my turn to write out an
interview. Always like a new angle to get to the heart of each character.

Here are the rules:

 1.) Choose 3 of your
Characters

 2.) Make your Characters
answer these questions

 3.) Tag 3 other
people

 (So far these rules have been changed my almost every blogging writer I’ve read today. I’m going to
continue the cycle… These are the original rules {as far as I know.} My play on
this is five characters and I’m not going to tag anyone… if you want to play
along feel free!)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Interviewer: Hello everyone! Let’s introduce ourselves and get to know
each other a little better, shall we?

Jadice

Josias

Abigail Marie Smith

James Samuel Davis

Interviewer:  *clears throat* and you would be?

Frick Waite

 Interviewer: Good, good, on to the first question then.  Do
you want a hug?

                Josias: Seriously? Maybe at the point where the author is rewriting
right now, but no.

                Jadice: No, not really interested.

                James and Abigail: (at the same time) Why not? *look at each other and laugh*

                Jadice: Just not my thing.

                Josias: *shrugs*

                Frick Waite: *whips out a magnifying glass and inspects it.”

Interviewer: We will just move along then. Do you have any kids?

                Abigail: Are you kidding? I just started high school.

                James: Not even thinking about that yet.

                Jadice: My father would like that but no.

                Josias: *Silence*

                Frick Waite: *continues gazing through his glass.*

Interviewer: Alright
then, have you killed anyone?

                Abigail: *Mouth drops open
in astonishment*

                James: *chuckles* No Abigail and I are part of a group of teens who tries to help people out. We’d rather give people a second chance then kill them. Although there does seem to be this one guy who seems to come through time and space…

                Abigail: Careful! He could be listening in.

                James: During our interview? *looks skeptically*

                Abigail: Think about all the things he’s found out about us already.

                James: Hummm… *frowns doubtfully*

Interviewer: Anyone else? *Looks directly at Josias*

                James: *pulls his cloak around him tighter.* What do you care? People die in battles. It is either you or them.

                Jadice: *very gently* I think she means besides battles. *glances at the interviewer*

Interviewer: Doesn’t matter. *says indifferently*

                Frick Waite: You can all quite looking at me! I solve murders not commit them! I could tell these two were fighters from the moment I saw them. *He motions toward Josias and Jadice beside him.* As for you two, well you’re the most confusing pair of beings I ever did see. With an exception… *settles back in his chair and fixes his eyes on Jadice.*

                Jadice: *subconsciously checks her hair to make sure it covers her ears.*

Interviewer: Love anyone?

                James: *Examines his hand like he’s never taken a close look at it
before.*

                Abigail: *blushes* Like in…

                Frick Waite: They like each other and don’t want to admit it. Your both so obvious. Let me tell you, take the chance while you’ve got it, life doesn’t last forever.

                Jadice: It is complicated.

                Josias: *Turns to Jadice* Oh?

                Jadice: Maybe… toward the end… it isn’t on paper yet.

                Josias: *smirks* anything is possible then. The ending is so vague.

                Jadice: Not that you’ve been much help moving it along with all the mopping your doing in this rewrite.

                Josias: Your turn is coming.

                Jadice: *opens her mouth*

Interviewer: Please boys and girls! Mr. Waite, any love life?

                Frick Waite: Oh! Not you too! Everyone makes fun of my name! It isn’t fair. It isn’t my fault I’m a comparison experiment. What would happen if the story went this direction instead and he met this person? How about it I move him to a town? Our author just isn’t right. She gets these ideas… Like anyone needs an alternate universe of themselves!

Everyone: *awkward silence, glances around the area*

Abigail: Watch your words mister! She could be listening in… I’ve
been sitting on a shelf for way too long! I don’t want to find myself in the
garbage pile. From what I’ve seen of your story, you’re only a spur of the
moment idea scribbled into a notebook full of others just like you.

Everyone: * remains thoughtfully silent*

Interviewer: This
next question looks safe. What is your job?

                Abigail: That is easy. Like James was telling you. We are part of a group of teens from our high school who try to help people. In the process we helped this man who gave the twelve of us identical rings. It kind of became a really neat symbol.

                James: Ever since then we have been going on these really strange adventures.

                Peter: Tell them about the space ship.

                Rose: The runaway princess.

                Julia: Or about ending up on a ship during my birthday party.

                James and Abigail: *whirl around in their chairs*

                James: Guys, not now… You’re not a part
of this interview!

                Daniel: Well, it isn’t fair. We’re a
team, pals, the Survivors! Somehow you two always get all the attention.

                Peter: Author’s pets!

                James: Guys, we’ll talk about this
later.

                Peter: Yeah, whatever.

                Abigail: Please. It isn’t our faults.
We didn’t do anything to deserve special treatment. We can make it up later.
Besides this has nothing to do with the author.

*The expanded party vanishes*

Josias: What was that all about?

James: Not everything is perfect on our world either.

Frick Waite: Told you they were an odd pair! Space ships… Really!
*shakes his head in wonder*

Interviewer: Let’s
try to stay on topic and not have too many interruptions from the uninvited,
shall we?

                Frick Waite: I’m an
investigate detective.

                James: Don’t all detectives
investigate?

                Frick Waite: Humph! A lot you know…

                Jadice: I’m a king’s daughter. I’m
trying to prevent a war and not wind up marrying a man who is in love with someone
else. Our parents just don’t seem to get it!

                Josias: I’m the unwanted son of a king.

                Jadice: *interrupts* That is to be
argued.

                Josias: You wouldn’t know. You were
just born when I left home.

                Jadice: Things didn’t change that much
at home since you’ve been gone. Anyway tell them what you’ve been up to since
you became a wondering rogue prince.

                Josias: I’ve been avoiding people and
lending a hand at preventing a war which I know will happen.

                Jadice: That isn’t on paper. *she
glances around*

                Josias: Practically. In the original
first draft everything started from a battle. It was when I was protecting a
prince but the only way the story can go is if there is a battle.

                Jadice: I’m remaining optimistic. No
blood shed.

Interviewer: If that
is everyone we’ll continue. Have a favorite season?

                Abigail: Mid-Summer

                James: Have to agree with her. We have
some of our best adventures then.

                Frick Waite: No preference.

                Jadice: Not really a favorite season as
much as a favorite place.

                Josias: Autumn definitely.

Interviewer: Your
best friend?

                Jadice and Josias: Morain *look
at each other in confusion*

Interviewer: Must be
a very good man.

                James: Joshua would be my best friend I
guess but I have many friends that it is hard to decide on just one.

                Abigail: Same here, I would say either
Julia or Rose but I have so many.

                Frick Waite: No never trust anyone.
That includes your author… (still offended at only being in the idea pile.)

Interviewer: How
about hobbies?

                Josias: I like to shoot
arrows.

                Jadice: I couldn’t live
without my horse Lily.

                James: I collect coins

                Abigail: I… You collect coins? Since
when?

                James: *laughs* Just because we are in the same series doesn’t mean you know
everything about me!

                Abigail: Humm… I like to draw and
paint.

                Frick Waite: *Still holding his spy
glass, examines his pant leg up close.*

Interviewer: I guess
we’ll keep moving.* Takes her eye off of Frick Waite, smiling amusingly.* What
are you going to do when this tag is over?

                Frick Waite: Find a really
good case and get my story out of the idea pile!

                Abigail: That is the spirit! I’ll
probably see what I can learn about coins that makes them so fascinating.
*There is a twinkle in her eyes as she smiles*

                James: You’re so nosy. Can’t anyone
have a private life! *takes a deep breath* I’m going to go make sure our shack
hasn’t collapsed.             

What is your eye
color?

                Everyone: *looking into the
eyes of the person next to them. It is pretty unclear.*

                Abigail: The author used to have all
that stuff figured out for all twelve of us. Now she doesn’t think it is that
important until she actually gets a complete first draft written out for at
least one of our adventures.

                James: Something about being too close
to us. *glares at Abigail*

                Frick Waite: *stuff his magnifying
glass back into his pocket.*

Interviewer: Okay
then… Are you good? Or bad?

                James: We are definitely good.

                Frick Waite: I solve other people’s problems,
which would be good.

                Jadice: I think you forgot to invite
any villains.

                Everyone:  *laughs*

Interviewer: What is
your greatest fear?

                Jadice: That I won’t be able
to stop the battle coming and that my father won’t get better. Also that
someone will learn my secret.

                Josias: That I won’t be accepted.

                Frick Waite:  I’ll never get a chance to
crack my first real case. Spiders.

                James: That we will never be able to
stop sleek slipper in time to save the universe.

                Jadice, Josias, and Frick Waite:  *turn and stare*

                Frick Waite: New you were a strange
pair. Didn’t I say?

                Jadice: A universe rests in your hands
and your sitting at an interview?

                Abigail: That is a work in progress. Besides
we have a good idea where the bad guy is he just has to stop being so slippery.

Interviewer: What do
you think of your parents?

                Josias: In my case it is
what does he think of me? Which is, he doesn’t care that I exist.

                Jadice: That isn’t true! You should
have stayed he needed you. *she frowns grumpily* Father is terribly sick and he
isn’t thinking right. I think that at one time he must have been the best king
we ever had.

                Josias: She wasn’t there. She doesn’t
know.

                Abigail: My Mom works really hard to
keep us all together since Dad died. *tears up*

                James: *puts an arm around Abigail* my
parents are really great. They know how to pull each other back up during the
hard times.

                Frick Waite: Don’t have parents… at least
I don’t know them.. anything about them that is.

Interviewer: Almost
done folks. Any siblings?

                Jadice: Two brothers, although
I don’t find out about them until later. My family life is pretty secretive to
me. I have a twin.

                Josias: I’ve a half-sister. Wait. A
twin? When’d this happen?

                Jadice: It is on paper. It is a last
part of the story that isn’t in the rewrite yet. Yeah you won’t have met him
yet. It is all Zairgain’s fault. I’ll tell you about it later.

                Abigail: There are quite a few of us.

                James: My friends are my siblings.

                Abigail: James had a brother who died
in a car accident which helped bring our group together.

                Frick Waite: My family life is of no one’s
concern.

Interviewer: Was it
fun to answer all these questions?

                Frick Waite: Actually I could have told
you a lot of these things before we even started.

                Josias: It is a new experience. I’m not
usually this open.

                James: Same here.

                Abigail: It is great getting to know
everyone.

                Jadice: Something’s should just be left
alone but I always have questions I want answered. This has been fun.

Interviewer: Great! Do
you have any weaknesses?

                Abigail: I have to know everything about everyone.

                Jadice: Keeping secrets.

                Josias: A natural distrust for people.

                James: Pain

                Frick Waite: Refuse to answer this.

Your favorite
element?

                James: Fire

                Abigail: Water

                Jadice: Wind

                Josias: Earth

                Frick Waite: Earth. All the
other ones mess with my cases.

Do you care what
others think of you?

Abigail: Yes.      

James: Only some people.

Frick Waite: People will think what they want no matter what.

Josias: At the beginning of the story I did but I don’t care too
much. I guess there are a few people.

Jadice: I care.

Interviewer: How
about your theme song? Anything the author listens to while writing your tale.

                Jadice: Anything calming and peaceful. Water noises, nature sound
traks, LOTR and other music without words.

                James: Same here.

                Frick Waite: Church bells. Church bells
started my idea.

 Interviewer: Last question here.
What’s your species?

                Jadice: This interview is
too personal.

                Josias: She is an elf. She
is afraid to let anyone know she is different. Has to do with the family
history that Father has hide from her. I’m human

                Abigail: Human

                James: Human

                Frick Waite: Human

If you would like to follow my trail of blog surfing and read a few other Character Interviews the sites are as follows. (There are some really great writers out there with some really super characters!)

Riah’s @ The Surprise at the End

Abigail’s @ Castles, Quills, and Cameras

Marian’s @ All That Is Gold

Mirriam’s @ Thoughts of a Shieldmaiden

Sunshine in the Rain

Work, work, work, and a little more work.

So I’ve been doing a lot of work. When I’m not at my job I’m helping with one of my parent’s side jobs. Which have been popping up out of no-where. The moment they leave the house the phone just doesn’t stop ringing! Business is good, you could say, our place is a little lacking. That is alright things will slow down, they have too, they always do. What if they don’t… I wont think about that.

Besides that I’ve been listening to music like it is going out of style. I helped my sister tidy up our bedroom. Finally managed to sit myself down and think of something anything to write on this blog. The baby bunny was a hop to help. I’ve been doing a lot of journaling between times. My story is on the lacking side of affairs. I haven’t forgotten about it but there is this little piece I’m just not sure about. There are sooo many things I want to do  and I’m either out the energy or the time. Though I did manage a lovely walk.

Today was one of those nice days between the rain. The sun was shining and all I wanted to do was open the windows and run outside. Eventually I did get my chance. There was plenty of reasons to be out there. Gathering them up and completing them one by one. Know I realize that my window is probably still open and I’ve spent most of the day outside anyway. So glad there was a spell of sunshine among so much rain!