Where I'm Going From Here

Well, it has been over six months since I last updated this blog and I have suddenly been struck with some writing inspiration for two different projects: my NaNoWriMo story and a blog series. I thought writing about them might help me figure out where to go from here. I've been struggling with what to write here, so I think I'll play it safe and write about writing.


My NaNoWriMo Story

I wouldn't call this collection of over 50,000 words a book. Not yet, anyway. I read it last week (for the first time!) and I'd say that I have 118 pages of ideas, characters and conversation that need a little something more to tie them together. There were parts that made me laugh with myself and parts that made me laugh AT myself. I'd been avoiding reading it because I thought it was all garbage, but I was surprised to find that there are some good, promising sections in there.

One thing that was certain was that the story really needs to be narrowed down in focus. It was very apparent that I was still finding my voice and trying things out all the way to the last page. Which is fine, honestly! That's part of the process. For a long time though, I felt like I was done with that particular story and that I didn't want to put in the work necessary to make it something better.

But now I'm starting to feel differently.

After I finished the last page, I had a desire to keep working on it. I've always felt unsettled about how I left it and unsure of how to tie things up. It had a bleak ending with no real message, at least not a positive one. And that's not how I roll, you may have noticed. I'm pretty dang optimistic. So as I sat there trying to figure out what to do with it, I realized that it is not over yet. I realized that I can't leave my characters stuck in the troubling situations I put them in.

So I'm not done with them yet. In fact, I think I may only be halfway through telling their story. And I think some people I felt were main characters need to take a few steps back while some of the background and "filler" characters, per se, need to have the light shined on them a little more.

Lucky for me, my dear friend Clare, who was with me every step of the way on my initial NaNoWriMo journey and who I had the pleasure of meeting face to face in June, sent me this great gift that I think will help me figure out where to go next.

With this book in hand, I'm going to see if I can't figure out where Taylor and Maddie (my two main characters) end up next. I'll let you know how it goes :)


A Blog Series

A while back, I did a blog series called Faces of Homeschooling. I wanted to know what life was like for other homeschooling families and I thought it would be fun to share these little "interviews" with the 3 people who read my blog. I had a lot of fun with it. Now I want to sort of take that idea and expand on it.

I am fascinated by people and what they do. Not just what job or career they have, but what the inner workings of their days look like, how they spend their time, how they got to where they are, and where they would like to go next. I would love to interview people and share what they do with others.

In fact, while brainstorming this topic, a book I used to read my girls popped into my head. The story was about a cow who is tired of living on the farm and looking for a new place to belong. She runs into many animals along her journey and asks them, "Who are you and what do you do?" as she tries to discern where she will fit in best. I feel like I am at a point where I personally have an idea of how to answer those and that makes me all the more curious how others would respond.

What experiences have shaped you, how do you spend your days, where are you headed?

Those questions will be the inspiration behind this new blog series when I get it rolling. I think an interview format is best and I can see this being suitable for video rather than text. I would love to talk to a wide variety of people, representing different ages and experiences. I think talking to different people and sharing what their lives are like can create an opportunity for empathy and understanding.

If this sound like something you (or someone you know) would like to be a part of, please leave a comment. Everyone out there has something to share. On the flip side, if you have a burning question for people in general, please share it with me. I have some ideas but I'd like to cast the net wide.


A New Name

Finally, I am wondering if it might be time to rename this space. Too long, didn't write was a name I chose because I've historically had trouble finishing things that I start. But in November, I wrote 50,000 words of a story. And I have thousands more to go. So that would fit under my old heading of Too long, DID write. Anyway, a rebrand seems right.  I'll be brainstorming where to take this. Let me know if you have any thoughts.

October & November Goals

October Goals Analysis

  Hey, so we're 1/3 of the way through the month and I decided it was probably time to go over my monthly goals. October felt really busy but I didn't do a great job with my goals. I'm glad I've at least continued assessing my goals regularly. That feels good! Cutting straight to the chase.

Spend some time in Lawrence at the Pumpkin Patch - Check. We had a fun day in Lawrence. I might want to get back to living there someday. I even managed to lose my wedding ring there.

Try out my Dad's gym - Check. I even resisted free pizza night.

Consider getting a membership and starting a weight routine - I now have a membership and I've been shooting for weights twice weekly. Going to add in some cardio as time permits. I'm enjoying it, especially now that I know the WiFi password ;)

Get together with friends every week in some form - Yup. This is so nice. I love you, friends!

Finish the next writing unit - Check. It was like pulling teeth in some ways, but we got those suckers done.

Get caught back up with planning - Pretty much. 

Publish at least two more episodes of That's Puzzling (the first episode is here if you haven't had the pleasure of watching it) - Yep. I think a total of 2 people have watched them, so that's good. 

Have someone come out and look at our kitchen - So he came and looked but that's as far as we've gotten. We have a semblance of a plan but haven't executed it yet. 

Finish a story - I didn't finish a story but I made headway in one story. 

Finish at least two chapters of Alexander Hamilton - I finished one chapter and started another. This book is fascinating but it's hard. Lots of words, haha, and it's not so much a bedtime story as it is a history book. 

Pick out a new sink - Nope. But MAN do I want one! With a sprayer. 

Pick up and unpack more boxes - Didn't even go through the boxes I picked up. I suck. 

Get into a morning routine for writing and Bible reading - Nope.

Have Book Club? - Nope. I haven't even tried to read the book. Sorry, friends!

~~~~~

November's goals are short and sweet, mostly because one of them is to WRITE A FREAKING BOOK. So I'll be pleased if I can just get that one crossed off.

November Goals 

House

Sorry house, I'm not making any promises this month

Personal

Have a super awesome time in the Dominican Republic!!!

Family

Celebrate Lexi's birthday
Welcome a nephew into the family (I have zero control over this, it's all you Lindsey! Very excited.)
Make something for Thanksgiving that isn't a salad

Wellness

Continue with weights twice weekly
Attempt to incorporate cardio with some regularity

Social

Do cool stuff with cool people

School

Plan out the rest of 2016's science lessons for Legacy
Assess reading and math skills

Creative

WRITE A 50,000 WORD NOVEL!
Brainstorm what to do next with the YouTube channel

Thoughts about 30

I've been 30 for a week now, and that's a little weird for me. I think it will sink in with time. You know how it feels the first time after a birthday, when someone (usually a stranger or professional of some sort) asks how old you are and you tell them your new age, but feel kind of like you're lying? Yeah, that's kind of where I am right now. I think some people refer to this as "denial".

I've been in a very reflective mood lately. I've felt the need to examine and evaluate the different areas of my life. The past ten years of my life were busy and tumultuous. I know the next ten will probably be the same story with different details. At this point of transition between my 20s and 30s, I decided to take the time to reflect upon some revelations I've had and how I see them affecting my journey forward.


1. I appreciate coffee and wine now. I entered my 20s with an upturned nose toward both. Coffee? Ew. Wine? Why? My appreciation for coffee began when Lydia was a baby and my dear friend delivered Starbucks to my doorstep one day. Coffee is a magical substance that decreases my hatred for mornings (and humans) and I can't imagine life without it now. If coffee and I are married, wine and I are casually dating, sometimes seeing other people. We're still feeling each other out, trying to see where the relationship is going. So far I've learned that one glass of wine results in the loss of filters as well as lots of giggling. After a particularly long day, it can be a great way to unwind. 

2. I am me. At age 20, I was working at Lakeview Village, going to class at JCCC and hanging out with my new boyfriend Tim. Now I've got two degrees, a part time job, two kids, and eight years of marriage to said boyfriend under my belt. Basically, I've spent the past ten years developing. As a student, wife, parent, friend, woman, and American. My experiences have shaped me into the person that I am today. I know what's important to me and I'm figuring out that I don't need to apologize for it.  I'm learning that it's fine if I think differently than the people I care about and that rather than trying to stuff down parts of who I am that may seem off-color, I should embrace them and even celebrate them.

I'm a nerd. 

3. I have finite energy.  I can only truly care about so many things.  I'm learning to prioritize what these things are. For instance, I don't have the desire to care about organic food, and I probably never will. I'd rather spend that time caring about women's rights, watching hilarious YouTube videos, or reading a book. And there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone has different priorities. What matters to me is different than what matters to the next person and maybe we don't need to spend a lot of time trying to convince others to join our team. I can't do all the things and do them well. So I have to pick which things matter most and go from there. 

4. I need to think outside the four walls of my home.  The past decade has been a pretty self focused one for me.  My priorities were education and raising my family.  That's fine, but now the kids are older and more independent, and I have completed my formal education and am living a somewhat stable life. It's time for me to spend more time becoming informed about what's going on in our country and our world, and what I can do to make a positive impact. I'm starting by simply turning up the volume of the outside world and I hope that will lead me in a direction that allows me to get busy doing something valuable. 

5. I need to laugh more.  If you've known me for any length of time, you'll probably agree that I am a pretty silly and lighthearted person.  Parenting and navigating anxiety sobered me up for a while. Which is fine and even normal to an extent, because being completely responsible for tiny humans is exhausting and anxiety sucks. But I've come to the realization that I allowed these circumstances to wind me up a little too much. I became more worried and serious than is really necessary. I need to undo that. I want to make time to figure out what I find funny and intentionally experience it so I can lighten up in my 30s. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that laughter is good for you, so I'm going with that. I'm on a quest to relax and laugh more, and I invite you to join me. Kate McKinnon and John Oliver, I'm counting on you guys. 

6. I have a team.  I have resigned myself to the fact that it's unrealistic to do life alone and do a very good job at it. I have called in the reinforcements. For the first time since middle school, I have a primary care doctor. And unlike the doctor I had in middle school, I actually like him and trust him with the bumps and bruises that pop up now and then.  I also found several specialists as well that I like and trust.  I now know who to call when I'm not feeling like myself, which is an important step in staying healthy. In addition to professionals, I have a team of friends and family who not only support me through difficult times but also make daily life much more enjoyable.

7. I'm not done yet. Yes, I've finished school and raised my children out of the baby stage and into the kid stage, and that was important, but there are still other important things for me to do. I love teaching and I love writing and I am excited to see where these passions take me. I feel that I've crossed a finish line or two in some regards and am preparing for another race altogether. I'm certain that I have a lot left to do with my time on earth.  

GOODBYE!

Apologizing for being me

Unnecessary worry

Analysis paralysis

Self absorption

Raising babies

Caring too much about what others think

Avoiding medical professionals

People who make me feel crummy

Excessive guilt and shame

Skirting around conversations that need to take place

Clothes I don't like
Living in my comfort zone
20s

HELLO!

Embracing who I am
Laughing regularly

Caring about issues outside my bubble

Raising kids
Standing up for what I believe in

Taking better care of myself

People who make me feel good

Forgiveness

Being frank when necessary

T-shirts that make me smile

Taking risks
30s


I think it's going to be a good decade. 

The Power of Words

I've been cleaning out the basement and I have to accept it- I am a recovering hoarder. I'm not so much a hoarder of stuff as I am a hoarder of memories and, most of all, of words.

I have so many boxes labeled, "Melissa's Keepsakes" that it is a little embarrassing. I have pictures and mementos from childhood, from high school, college, our wedding, and so on.

I know I need to purge, purge, purge. I've shredded what has to be thousands of pieces of paper and old checks, so I know that I should just get rid of stuff rather than packing it up and taking it with me into the future. But I'm having a hard time with it.

I struggle to give away words.

I have books of poetry that I've written, journals from before I really knew how to write, cards from loved ones, newspaper articles I wrote for the school paper, handwritten notes passed to me in class, college papers with comments and grades.

I have little books that Lexi wrote (or started writing and never finished) and pictures Lydia drew and signed her name to. I have letters from childhood pen pals, notebooks full of concepts jotted down during class, and final projects that were just too much work to ever be thrown away.

I found three stories I wrote for Fiction Writing class that got mediocre grades and some harsh, but probably deserved, criticism.

But the words that really touched me last night during my basement purge were from two different professors I had during my time at KU.

You see, Words of Affirmation is my Love Language. If you've read The Five Love Languages, you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, the basic idea is that all people feel love differently. Some feel loved by physical touch, others when people give them gifts or spend time with them.

I feel most loved and appreciated when people express their feelings for me in words. And that's the kind of love I am best at giving too. It doesn't mean that I need to be told, "I love you" all the time, it means that when someone compliments me in words, I feel it deeply and often replay it over and over in my head.

One professor, Dr. Nielsen, taught me about Children's Literature and different aspects of Primary Literacy. Her assignments were a lot of work. Hours of work. And they were only ever worth about ten points each, which killed me. I felt as though each needed to be worth a minimum of 100 points, based on all the effort I put in. But what I treasured most were her comments. She read every word I wrote.

That shouldn't feel so special, but it is. I had several professors that would require giant binders or lengthy papers that would never be returned. I remember specifically hunting one professor down to ask when I would be getting a project from the previous semester back, which is just ridiculous. I wanted to read her comments and see what she thought about all the work I had done.

Dr. Nielsen told me on more than one occasion (in the form of a comment on an assignment) that I was a good writer, and that meant, and still means, a lot to me. Last night I discovered a stack of old assignments full of encouraging comments and I felt so inspired that I couldn't bear to part with them. In fact, I wrote her an email to let her know how much her words still matter to me 8 years later. I can't bring myself to throw the papers away, so they'll be coming with me to the new house.

Another professor, Dr. Crawford, assigned group discussions in the form of comments in an online forum. We'd be required to post our thoughts on a particular topic of educational law, and then we'd have to respond to other people's thoughts as well. This was not a new concept to me, so I went ahead with it. What was new to me was what happened the first class period after such an online discussion took place. Dr. Crawford printed off every single comment we made and returned them with handwritten notes and follow-up questions. I was absolutely blown away by the time and care he'd taken with our work, and you can bet that knowing my word were heard inspired me to write thoughtfully for the rest of the semester. I'll probably be keeping several of those print outs as well.

It may seem silly to keep years-old assignments and random cards I've been given, and to some degree, it probably is. But something about those handwritten, thought-provoking words of encouragement are too special to be thrown away.  They remind me that I am valuable, and that there are others who care about me. Honestly, I cherish them.

So thank you, my friends, for your words. They mean so much to me that I can't bear to give them away. Perhaps there's a lesson in this too. Your words have the power to pull someone up, or push someone down.  Know that your words linger long after you've forgotten what you said. Choose them with care.

Peace Out, 2015

I like 2015, as a number. I like that it ends in a nice 5. It's crisp.

I am not sure if the events of the year have reflected the crispness of the number. It's been quite a year. It had a lot of ups and downs. I think that's how I would best categorize 2015: up and downy.

We started the year with water backing up in the basement that led us to thinking about home repairs and the possibility of moving. We started the year house shopping. We even made an offer on a house! I'm glad someone beat us to the punch. We decided to hold off moving until we've got the means to make a more significant jump. No sense going through the hassle of buying, selling, and packing if we aren't moving into a place we really love.

We had our kitchen walls and cabinets painted. We had to strip down 50 year old wallpaper to do this. Please, humans,  STOP layering wallpaper on top of wallpaper. In fact, just stop with the wallpaper in general. It's not cool. We also did a lot of rearranging and shuffling of people and things. I honestly feel quite content with our house now. I like being here. I know Tim is a bit restless, so who knows where we will end up.

I ran a couple of 5Ks this year. I went to the gym regularly for a while. I ran a lot. I did weights. I felt strong. I tried a few different fitness programs and lost 15lb before crashing and burning and putting it back on. Ah, well. I started karate, which I love, and I am hoping to continue in my quest for fitness next year. Maybe something will stick better. I am going to keep searching out ways to stay active. Maybe I'll even learn to make healthy eating a habit.

The girls continued to grow and change. Lexi learned a lot this year. How to swim, ride a bike, tie her shoes.  She played softball and piano and did karate and grew three inches. Lydia came into her own as well. One of the biggest changes I noticed was with her speech. She came into the year talking like a cute toddler and is going out of the year pronouncing and enunciating like a big girl. They're clever and energetic little people with explosive imaginations, that's for sure. They aren't babies any more. They're kids. I love that.

We got another cat this year. I almost forgot that Luna has only been with us since April, it seems like she's been around forever. She's gotten huge. Arya does not like her, and it is kind of funny to watch. But I still can't get them to stop pooping in the basement, which is driving me crazy. Overall, they are worth the hassle. They sure are snuggly.

We got a new niece this year as well, and she is great! Such a happy and sweet baby. It's weird to think I didn't even know about her existence at the beginning of the year! My other niece is 2 and a half and growing like a weed as well. Her speech is exploding. She's quickly becoming more of a kid and less of a toddler. I really love them. Being an aunt is a special kind of awesome, it's a role I embrace wholeheartedly. I look forward to watching them grow and inviting them over to bake cupcakes and watch Harry Potter movies.

Speaking of him, Harry Potter rejoined my life this year, which was a welcome diversion. I began reading the first book to the girls in October and we made it through the first four books and movies before I decided to stop them for now. It's definitely going over Lydia's head and is getting a bit intense for Lexi as well. They were NOT happy with me, they love Harry. Lydia tried to get me to start re-reading them again last night. I understand. There are no other books out there that have ever made me feel the way these books do. So, of course, I've re-watched all the movies myself and am currently 300 pages into the 5th book. Y'know, so I can better determine when the girls will be ready for it.

I read a lot of books. Over 30 grown up books, and I read thousands of pages out loud. I've made time for reading again. I love it. I'm still watching my shows (I just discovered Grey's Anatomy, so excuse me while I binge watch 11 seasons of that) but I am reading more and writing too. And now I have a friend to come over and watch TV with me and I love that! It's fun to share that with another person.

I've been writing a lot. I enjoy blogging. I am trying to keep something of a handwritten journal again. I'm not as consistent as I should be. I should probably work on that in the upcoming year. Perhaps I will buy myself a nice new journal. I received a cool writing game for Christmas that has been a fun way to flex those writing muscles.

Tim and I took our first solo trip this year. It was nice. We flew to Reading, Pennsylvania for friend's wedding. It was weird and nice to be without the kids for several days. I liked it. I did miss them. I'm glad we went. It's always fun to visit a new place. I hope we get the opportunity for a family trip next year.

Tim ended the year accepting a new job within his company that will hopefully provide new challenges, build new skills, and start him on a pathway with potential for advancing. He welcomes the changes. It should be exciting. I'm really proud of him.

The more I write, the more I realize that this was a rather good year. There were more ups than downs, honestly. Nothing gigantic and overwhelming, as we've had in years past. It was a pretty steady year.

The most prominent ups and downs, for me, have been in the way I've felt. It's weird, but I finally found the words to describe it. For much of this year, the way I feel upon waking up has determined my day rather than my day determining how I feel. It's like I'm overcome by these moods and feelings that seem to weasel deep into my brain without cause. It's frustrating, because that means I can feel super angry or super sad for no reason. I'm tired of it. I've been to several different doctors and tried several things, looking for causes and solutions. Yesterday, I spent a total of 3 hours at my doctor's office. I waited for nearly 2, then spent some time hashing things out with my doctor. He was worth the wait. We've got a plan, and I'm hoping it works.

2015.

It's been a good year. We are very blessed. I can't believe it is nearly over.

2016.

I don't like the number as much as the nice solid 2015, but I think I will like the year.

I hope it will be full of family adventures, books, laughter, travel, and challenges. I want to grow. I want to maintain a healthier lifestyle. I hope I will feel more consistent. I hope Tim finds satisfaction in his job. And more money, to tell the truth. That never hurts! Perhaps in a year we will even be in a new house.

So, peace out, 2015.

Bring it on, 2016.

I'm ready.

Regurgitated Thoughts

I have not published a blog post for a full week! That's the longest I have gone for over a month. I'm truly having one of those "too long" phases with my writing. The blog is living up to its name. I have so many different things to say, and ideas about how to say them, that I'm just not saying anything.

I think I will try to say all of them. A list is a good format for this due to the random nature of my brain and its ramblings. So here's what's been up for the past week.

1. I had a book idea. Actually, it would be more accurate to say I had a scene playing in my head that could perhaps be turned into a book, if only I could figure out how the scene works in the context of a larger story. Maybe it would be good short story material. I didn't actually consider that until I started typing that sentence. Hmmm.

2. I had about five days where I felt terrible. It was weird. I think my hormones were seriously out of whack because I felt really down, yet also really irritable and anxious. It was not a fun span of time. I am still trying to figure out the words to use to describe the whole thing to my doctor and hopefully stop it from happening again. I have a sneaking feeling something is off with my body and I would like to solve whatever it is.

3. I am officially done Christmas shopping and 90% done wrapping! This is pretty unusual for me. I've done the majority of my shopping online this year, which I love. Thank you, Amazon! I am waiting on a couple more things for the kids. I got everything out to start wrapping last night and realized that things looked a little uneven (It appeared that Lydia was the favorite, if you were to judge by the piles) and so I had to even things up a bit by placing one last order. I'm really excited for the kids to open their gifts this year. I think we're going to surprise and delight them. I love Christmas. I don't buy them much outside of holidays and birthdays so it's a fun time for me.

4. I am a Harry Potter nerd. I started reading the first book aloud to the kids in October. Now they are hooked and we are over halfway through the fourth book, which is over 700 pages, in case you didn't know that. I think I'm reading aloud for at least an hour per day. My voice is tired. I've also rewatched the movies recently  and I have had the joy of watching A Very Potter Musical for the first time, which is an absolute delight. Right now I am watching A Very Potter Sequel and I have not laughed so hard in a long time. It's good to be a nerd. It's satisfying to hear Lexi call Lydia a "dung bomb" and to hear Lydia pretending to be Hermione, or Crookshanks, or Hedwig. The books were a very enjoyable part of my growing up and it is wonderful to share it with my kids.

5. We've been listening to the Beatles. I recently went through a giant book of CDs from my high school days. My dear friend Kayla and I used to drive around listening to show tunes, so when we got together last Friday, I needed to get those CDs back out. I also found my "1" CD and pulled that out. I forgot how many awesome songs are on there. The girls are enjoying it as well. They both sing along to Love Me Do, which, along with Lady Madonna, is one of my favorites.

6. I am reading. Tim has been trying to get me to read The Name of the Wind for years. It's one of his favorite books but I've been resisting because I'm typically not a fan of the epic fantasy novels he loves so much. I dislike all the verbose descriptions. I decided to finally give this book a try and I'm liking it a lot. It's like 900 pages so I doubt I will finish it any time soon.

7. I am struggling with what to blog about. I've been working on my Faces of Homeschooling project. I've been tweaking interviews that I have done and have been searching for new people to chat with. It's coming along, slowly. I want to be sure to keep it fresh and interesting. I dunno. I guess I'm having a bit of writer's block as far as the blog goes. I haven't had any great ideas for posts jump out at me recently. I had a goal of writing five days per week this month, but that is not happening. I am wondering if I need to do another 30 Day Challenge in January.

8. Changes abound. In the past week, several potential job changes have been presented for Tim. Nothing is certain yet, but he may be facing an important decision. It's exciting but it is also a little scary to think about the choices we make today affecting us down the road. We also went and looked at a house! It's not the right house for us, but it reopened the idea of moving. I personally am happy where we are but I know we probably won't be here forever. It would be nice to have more space. The idea of moving makes me tired. Changes are a little scary.

9. We're still doing school. The plan is to continue through December 23rd, which would enable Lexi to finish her 2nd grade reading program and start the 3rd grade reading program in January. I like the roundness of that. I think we all like the routine of school. The kids don't complain about being bored and seem much more eager to entertain themselves after a morning full of reading and learning. We'll take a week or so off for Christmas, depending on how everyone does.

So, in a nutshell, that's what is going on over here lately. I expect to write another Faces of Homeschooling post tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Too long, DID write - Week 4

Hello friends! I hope you all have had a great week and a nice Thanksgiving too!

It's been a busy week over here! Between feeling sick one day and celebrating Thanksgiving another, I skipped writing two days. I thought it would be better to just skip than to write halfheartedly. I appreciate your understanding :)

Only one day remains for the 30 Day Blogging Challenge! Wow! This month has gone by quickly. I don't think I'll write every single day this next month, but I do plan to continue writing frequently. It's been a lot of fun. I hope you've enjoyed my blog as much as I have! Fellow bloggers, I highly recommend you join Sark e Media's Blogging Challenge. You get an informative email each day (usually with a challenge to try) and a supportive community to help you along your journey as a blogger.

I also wanted to let you all know that I am on the brink of being ready to reveal the next chapter of Faces of Homeschooling! I'm just waiting on a few pictures and then I'll be ready to give you a peek into the lives of some very interesting homeschooling families. 

And now, here's a recap of what I DID manage to write this week :)

Day 1 

 27 Helpful Things Cats Do 

A fun list of obnoxious helpful things that my pesky pets have done in the short 20 months we've been cat owners.  

Day 2 

 I am thankful 

I reflect on what I am grateful for this year. 

Day 3 

 Do Whatever You Want Day 

I explain the details of a fabulous new holiday that you will NOT want to miss!

Day 4 

Six Useful Things I Really Want for Christmas 

 I describe some really wonderful dream items that are on my wish list this year. 

So there you have it! Take a minute to catch up on what you've missed, and be sure to follow Too Long, Didn't Write on Facebook so you don't miss out on future posts!

This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge. 

Too long, DID write - Week 3

I can't believe it is Day 22 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge. I am almost finished! Wow.

This week, it was very hard to stay on top of my writing. We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family, my daughter turned 7 and my husband took the day off work to celebrate, I subbed at a Homeschool Enrichment Center, I had a sore throat and cold, and we still had all the regular activities- karate, gymnastics, Awana, park day, piano lessons. It was a pretty intense week until Friday.

Friday was funny. We were all exhausted from the busy week. I thought we might just lounge about some, but it turned out to be the most productive school day of the week! We did all our regular subjects and added in a new Geography curriculum, tried out a new History book, and Lydia asked if we could do a page from her previous Letter of the Day curriculum. We had a lot of fun. It's funny how it feels good to get back into the old routine after a busy week. We even went to Ikea where we purchased some utility carts for the girls to use in their rooms.

One of the biggest accomplishments of the week was finishing Dragonfly in Amber, a book I've been reading for months. It was over 900 pages long.

I did manage to write each day this week, and only one day was a cop out :) I even got to work on my Faces of Homeschooling project and have several interesting interviews in the works. I'm hoping to get one published this week, but I know my families are busy with the holiday, so we will see. I think it'll be worth the wait.

Here's what you missed this week!

Day 1: Why do I buy my kids toys? - Toys. Everywhere. Why do I keep doing this to myself?!

Day 2: Faces of Homeschooling: The Franzen Family - I start out my Faces of Homeschooling project by giving you a look at my own family and how we approach school!

Day 3: Questions and Answers - I ask for feedback on a few things and give an update after a busy week. 

Day 4: You can be good at some things and you can not be good at some things - I share an insightful interview with my 4-year-old daughter. 

Day 5: A haiku - A bit of a poetic cop out ;)

Day 6: In which I struggle to use photo editing software - I receive an early Christmas gift that will hopefully snazz up my blog and reflect on my very first website. 

Despite the fact that we've got a holiday this week and my husband has two and a half days off, I've got lots of exciting ideas to write about! Be sure not to miss any- sign up to follow my blog. Email and feed options are located on the sidebar! Click here to find me on Facebook.

This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge. 

A haiku

It is Friday night
I need to finish this book
No time for writing

You can be good at some things and you can not be good at some things.

There are times when I look at my 4-year-old daughter and wonder what is going through her head.

Sometimes, when upset or confused by something she has done, I ask, "What were you thinking?"

I decided to get some perspective by interviewing her. I think I should make a habit of this. I'll include my 7-year-old too. Maybe I'll have her write her own post sometime.

She is a morning person, I am not. She wakes me up with her friends :)

Tell me about yourself.

Well, I really like screen time and I'm always hungry and thirsty.

What do you do?

Well, I love to go to Park Day. Also, my name is Lydia. In case you put it on Facebook, people might not know my name.

What are you looking forward to?

Getting more allowance.

What are your strengths? (I had to explain that this meant things she is good at)

I'm good at doing somersaults. I'm also good at going potty.

What are your weaknesses?

I'm not good at doing a cartwheel. I can only do it like this. Miss Molly taught me. (demonstrates an attempted cartwheel).

What do you love?

I love bird cats. Fairy mermaid magic princesses.

What scares you?

Tarantulas.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I'm going to be an artist painter. Are those the same thing?

Who do you think should be president?

Whoever the president is. I've never met the president. I think Mommy should make all the rules.

What makes a good leader?

Mommy makes a good leader of the Homeschooling School. She tells everyone to do the right things.

What is the most important thing?

I think God and Jesus because they're the most powerfullest.

Where do you want to be?

In the jungle with my family.

Why do people get married?

Because then they have children and can be together.

Why do people have kids?

Because they just have kids when they get married.

When should people get married and have kids?

Whenever it's morning because then everyone's awake and comes to the wedding day.

What's it like to be 4?

You can be good at some things and you can not be good at some things.

What is Dad's job?

To be at work.

What is Mom's job?

To be a writer.

I was surprised with how she answered that last one. I thought she would say that my job is to take care of her, or be the teacher, or something. It makes me feel warm that she thinks my job is to be a writer. I wouldn't want to let her down. I will continue. 

This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.

Too long, DID write - Week One

As you probably know, I am currently taking part in the 30 Day Blogging Challenge. The challenge is to write in your blog every day for 30 consecutive days and the idea is that you will grow as a blogger! So far, I have found that to be very true. What's cool about this particular challenge is that I signed up with Sark e Media and I receive daily emails with encouragement, inspiration and ideas for developing my blog. Each email includes some sort of "challenge" that will help me on this quest.

Today's challenge was to create a recap of the past seven days' blog entries. I never would have thought to try this, but I like a challenge, so here goes! If I like it, I'm going to call it "Too long, DID write" (in honor of all the words I managed to get down despite the chaos of my life) and share a recap each week :) I'll probably choose to do this on Sundays.

Here are the posts you may have missed this week:

Day 1: In which I attempt to get paid for writing - I describe what happens the first time I submit an article online with the hopes of being published!

Day 2: Who am I? - Here I describe myself using a series of "I am" statements that help you get to know me, the gal on the other side of the screen.

Day 3: Goals for November - I decide that setting annual goals for myself is a daunting and ineffective tasks and decide to set monthly goals instead.

Day 4: 5 Times Being a Parent Pays Off - I describe five parenting situations that balance out all the sleepless nights, giant messes, and whining.

Day 5: The mini fridge shall set you free - I tell the embarrassing story of a time that inflexibility during a trip made everything much worse than it needed to be! Say hello to vulnerability ;)

Day 6: Jamberry Nail Wraps - My Honest Review - I take the time to review a unique product that adds a little flair and fun to my sometimes mundane life.

Day 7: 6 Keys to Making Beautiful Cupcakes at Home - I give away some cake decorating secrets that I've learned over the years to help you snazz up cupcakes for your next celebration.

Day 8: Reflections on 8 Consecutive Days of Writing - I reflect on what I've learned so far from this writing challenge.

Never miss out on another blog post! Get my ramblings sent straight to your inbox by signing up in the "Follow by Email" section on the right hand side of the page. Happy Monday!

My name is Melissa and I approve this message.

Reflections on 8 Consecutive Days of Writing

This is the 8th consecutive day that I have written in my blog. I have never attempted to write in my blog for this many days in a row, on the contrary, I used to avoid blogging on consecutive days. I thought that doing so would be irritating to my readers. I've learned that that's not the case.

The more I write, the more people read my writing. I have over 1,000 hits this month. Considering my previous blog was live for over two years and only reached 4,000 hits...well, I think I'm doing something better this time around! This week I have also tried to put myself in the reader's shoes. If I were following a blog that I enjoyed, I would not be irritated if they started writing more often, instead, I'd be happy to have more to read. I've stopped worrying about writing too much. In the grand scheme of things, my one blog post per day is just a drop in the bucket of what people are reading online.

I've enjoyed the opportunity to explore different writing topics. I've discovered that ideas come to me at the most random times, especially when I am trying to fall asleep. I've started keeping my phone on so I can quickly save drafts of whatever ideas I come up with. Some of them are going nowhere, but others have potential. It's exciting to be able to use my brain creatively!

I am still trying to find my voice. As a part of that journey, I am trying to find out more about my audience. I'd love for you to take the poll in the right hand column of this page.

As a stay-at-home-mom (I think "momming" is my full time job) I tend to write about topics that I think appeal most to women, mothers especially. I don't know if I have tons of brand new ideas about parenting, but I do have my unique perspective. That being said, I don't particularly want to write about parenting all the time. Just like I don't believe that moms want to read about parenting all the time. So I am thinking I might be blogging for moms who enjoy distractions from the daily grind of wiping butts, breaking up fights over cartoon shows, and listening to the incessant, sometimes irrelevant chatter of children.

This makes me wonder if I should rebrand my blog. I don't particularly want to since I just started this new blog. While we might not all be writers, I think most busy moms can relate to the concept of "Too long, didn't ________" as a play on not having time to do all the things one wants to do. So that's something to think about. I've got time. There are still plenty of days left in November!

It's been a good week. I'm having fun writing and editing and experimenting with blogging. I've got birthday parties for my kiddo this week so I'm sure that will provide some fodder for my writing. I'm also cooking up another article to submit to Scary Mommy, and I'm excited about this one.

We'll have to see where time takes me!

This post was brought to you by a squirrel eating a pumpkin.

 

This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.  

Goals for November

I like the idea of setting goals for myself. I find it motivating to check things off of a list. The past two years I have attempted to make lists of goals to complete over the course of the coming year. The trouble is, as the year goes on, my priorities tend to change or different opportunities pop up. Today I read a great blog post at Life at the Dahl House that inspired me to rethink how I do goals. This particular post had goals listed for the month, as well as an assessment of how the previous month's goals were reached (or not reached). I liked this idea a lot so I decided to give it a try. The idea of re-evaluating each month made more sense than trying to envision an entire year at a time. Here's hoping that I'll find success!

Goals for November

Personal

Read four books this month

Complete the "Live Abundantly" Bible study five days per week
Go on a good date with my husband
Complete two pages in my 2014 photo book

Which four of these books will I make it through? 

Wellness

Attend karate lessons each Monday

Reach Fit Bit goal at least five days per week

Complete a video work out two days per week
Try out two new healthier lunch ideas

Here's how I stay moving when it's cold and dark out. 

Family

Figure out how to organize Lexi's room so it's not a huge mess

Paint/decorate the room so it is no longer so pink and girly

Visit the zoo before it gets too cold to go

Take a day trip to Lawrence together
Do something one-on-one with each child

It's a cute room, but it's more suited to a girly girl and I happen to have a ninja/Pokemon master on my hands.

Homeschool
Print out one more of the Spielgaben guides to keep handy
Do a hands-on lesson with Lydia twice per week
Figure out a way to make Social Studies more of a priority and study it each week
Encourage Lexi to read independently every day

This is the Spielgaben, a giant box of parts. I should write a post on this thing. 

Writing

Blog every day during the month of November

Narrow down the focus of my blog and find my voice
Publish at least two posts that get over 100 views
Write a "throw back" post using one of my old journals as inspiration 

Submit one article to Scary Mommy

Do you have goals? 

How do you set about achieving them? 

Do you have any tips for holding yourself accountable? 

I'd love to hear what your goals are!

This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.

In which I attempt to get paid for writing

For the very first time, I submitted a short essay to a website for publishing.

I chose to submit to Scary Mommy, because I've been following it on Facebook for a while and the posts make me laugh. The essays on Scary Mommy take a funny, honest look at parenthood without sugar-coating it. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom with two kids that I'm homeschooling, parenting is something I can write about. It's pretty much my full-time (albeit unpaid) job at this point. 

As I was writing for my blog, I came up with something that sort of fit in with the kind of stuff that Scary Mommy runs. I took a closer look at the website and realized that they pay $100 for published posts. $100! The process seemed easy enough, so I decided to go for it. I finished my little essay and submit it to the website. I was told that I would receive a response within a week and that they might not respond to me if they decided not to run my essay.

The waiting began. I figured it wouldn't be published and that I wouldn't hear anything back. I did start to fantasize a little about what I would do with an extra hundred bucks. As a stay-at-home mom, my lovely husband brings in all the money and we use most of it for stuff like the mortgage, bills, and food. Mostly food, if I'm being honest. If I could bring in some of my own money, to use for fun stuff...well, it sounded great! I smiled as a peeked at my Amazon wish list and imagined ordering myself a couple of books, guilt-free. After mentally spending my $100 in different ways for a few minutes, I came back to reality. I reasoned that I most likely would not be hearing back from them and the chance of getting my first essay published was pretty low. 

I was surprised when, a few days later, an email from Scary Mommy showed up in my inbox. My heart was racing as I went to open it.

Was it possible to use my words to get THESE?!

I was told it was a great post, but that it wasn't something they could use at the time. I was encouraged to keep writing and to try submitting again because they are always looking for funny stuff. 

Instead of being bummed by my rejection, I became pumped.

For the first time, I put myself out there as a writer. Sure, I didn't get published. But that doesn't mean I won't some day. I'd love to have something published on their site. It's hilarious. My kind of people, my kind of stories. I have plenty of wacky parenting experiences each day. The idea of being able to write about one, have it shared with thousands of followers, and heck, make MONEY from it...well, it's kind of the dream!

I'd love to work at this "office"- in bed with a cat on my lap.

Therefore I have made a new goal for myself- to have my writing published on Scary Mommy sometime in the next year. I'm going to give it my best. 

Your turn: Tell me about a time that you failed or were rejected. How did it affect you?

This is my first post for the 30 Day Challenge.

The 30 Day Challenge

Obviously I'm getting my money's worth from this planner...

Long ago, I heard about NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. The idea is that you gather together with other writers, experienced and new alike, to write an entire novel over the course of the month of November. I was intrigued by the concept. A whole book in one month? Wow. That takes discipline. I thought it sounded fun, like something I might want to try.

There was just one problem. I have ZERO ideas for a novel right now. Not a shred of a story line or even a couple of character traits I could smash together and give a name to. Nothing.  Without an idea to write, could I even make something up that would be worth anyone's time to read? I wasn't sure what to think.

While I was mulling that over, I read a short e-book about becoming a writer. The book had a cute story about an aspiring writer and a homework assignment at the end of each chapter. One of the assignments was to find and join a community of writers. I didn't realize this at first, but there are communities of bloggers out there who read each other's work, provide feedback and generally support one another along the journey. At first, I couldn't really see the point of something, but because I don't spend enough time on Facebook as it is, I joined several Facebook blogger groups. It only took a few days for me to realize that one in particular, Bloggers United, was full of active, encouraging aspiring writers.

From here I learned about the 30 Day Challenge. The idea is that you write in your blog EVERY DAY for 30 consecutive days. Apparently doing this helps you not only strengthen your discipline, but it can help you focus as a writer and figure out what topics are the best fit for you as well as what your followers enjoy reading the most.

To be honest, this seemed a little bit easier than creating a cast of characters and an engaging book plot. I can think of several different topics I'd like to blog about already. Today, I decided to ask the Bloggers United community if anyone would like to take the challenge with me, since accountability seems important. Thirty people have already responded and would like to join me! My sister has also agreed to try and write every day in November. I am happy that I will have support on the journey!

So rather than writing a mediocre novel in November, I will be blogging every day! I am excited by the challenge. I hope you enjoy taking the journey with me.  If you have any topics you think would be fun to write about, please share at any time!

A mostly white calendar means plenty of time for writing!

I've got a dream

Before you read this post, you have to watch this video.

Watched it?

I'll take your word for it.

My dream is to be a writer.

It's a dream that I've had before. As a child I wrote lots of stories. As an adolescent, I wrote lots of poems and long, whiny journal entries. (I might share those sometime, just for fun.) In high school, I didn't think that Newspaper would be for me (I didn't think I was that kind of writer) but when I joined my senior year, I really enjoyed myself and wished that I had joined earlier.

As a kid, I always thought I'd grow up to be an author. By the end of high school, I'd decided I would be an English teacher. I learned that I loved editing so I thought that would be a good opportunity to wield a red pen on a regular basis.

When I shadowed in a high school English classroom as part of an assignment for an Intro to Teaching class, I realized that being an English teacher also means being a Literature teacher. While I'd always loved reading, I did not love the classics nor Shakespeare. I determined that I needed to change course. Luckily I figured that out right before I submitted my application to the School of Education at KU. I decided to go with Elementary Education because I did love teaching and kids, and I'd get to teach a variety of subjects.

My life kind of changed course for a while there (I became a wife and mom in a short amount of time) and my dream to be a writer faded.

I dreamed of getting my degree.

When that happened, I dreamed of owning my own home.

When that happened, I dreamed of successfully finishing student teaching while mothering a 2 year old.

When that happened, I dreamed of having another baby.

When that happened...well, since that has happened, I've pretty much just dreamed of being a decent mom and wife. Keeping everyone alive, not yelling too much. Not eating too much sugar. (Haha. Just kidding.)

Now that baby is four years old and I have a little bit of time for dreaming my own dreams again.

The desire to be a writer is there again. I'm not sure what kind of a writer I want to be.

My dad is convinced I need to write a book. Let me tell you about my last experience writing fiction. It was for a class at KU. We had to write three anonymous short stories. Here are the grades I received: A. B. C. In that order. Somehow I still received an A in the class.

I don't tend to gravitate toward fiction. I read some fiction. I enjoy reading fast-paced stories about almost anything, as long as it is something that keeps me turning pages. I actually read a lot of nonfiction. Right now I am dabbling in six different books. I just picked up two more from the library today. Of those eight books, only two are fiction. Is that weird?

If I were to write a nonfiction book, what on earth would I write about? I know my life's not interesting enough for TV (as I explained here) but is it interesting enough for a book? I'm not sure. I'm not really an expert on anything in particular either.

I'm just not sure a book is the answer. Sorry, Dad.

If not a book, then...what?

Is writing in this blog the answer to my dream of being a writer? If not that, then...what?

Maybe it's time for more Googling.

Fellow writers, I would love to hear about how you are flexing your muscles as a writer.

Beginnings

I've loved writing since I learned how. Truly, I do. But I struggle with finishing anything.

When I was in first grade, my parents abandoned me and my brother with my grandparents and went to San Francisco for four days. The souvenir they brought back for me was a diary. This diary, to be exact. They got it in China town.

See those rings on the side? My dad attached them so I could lock my diary. 

At the time, I didn't know how to write well enough to do so on my own. I dictated my journal entries to my parents and they patiently copied them down for me. By the time I reached second grade, my fine motor skills were decent enough that I could write my own journal entries. I've been doing it ever since.

I have stacks of journals and notebooks that chronicle my childhood years, teen drama, college years, faith journey and parenthood. I've kept a journal for my cousin, my children, and with my husband. Journaling is the only kind of writing I can do decently.

As a kid, I had tons of ideas for stories. I probably have at least 40 excellent first pages and a slew of creative characters. Unfortunately none of them are connected. I can never finish anything. I'm not good at developing the story past a mere idea. I don't know how to make characters that are dynamic. Getting started is no problem. But finishing? Not so much.

That's why journaling is a good fit for me. I write until I'm done and that's all there is to it. There are no page requirements. I don't have to finish the story. I can write about whatever I want.

About two years ago, I started a blog. I wrote a lot about God and my faith journey because that was the most important thing to me. Then I started writing about other things going on in my life. Then I started writing about homeschooling.

I realized that writing is good for me. I want to keep a blog as a creative outlet and a place to mull things over and vent my feelings. But I can't fit myself into the box of just writing about homeschooling or just writing about my faith. I have to be free to write about whatever it is that I need to write about. Writing helps me process things and sharing my writing brings clarity and the insight of others into the equation.

So that's what I am going to do.

Some days, I might write about what I'm doing with my kids. Other days, it might be about cake or my iron levels or TV shows or books or stupid stupid allergies. Hopefully my writing will be interesting to you. Maybe even beneficial in some way. I'd love it if I could make you laugh or think about something in a different light.

Honestly, I'm just trying to make my way in this world and doing the best I can as I go along. Writing about the journey should be fun. I guess we will see where I end up.