It is extremely cold!!! So cold that you get a nice surprise when you go to the bank drive-thru and can't roll your window down because it's frozen! So cold that the door leading outside in the garage is covered in frost and you risk losing some skin to open it! So cold that I haven't wanted to go grocery shopping in a month, so I stop for just a few things here and there and I'm losing weight due to lack of crappola! (that's actually a good thing!) It's so cold that I'm sitting here typing wearing: long underwear both on top and bottom, jeans, turtleneck sweater, wool socks, slippers, and a North Face Outerwear vest. I'm still shivering! We are having some furnace issues right now, so it kicks on here and there...when i just want it to continually blow HEAT on me. So such is winter wonderland in Minnesota.

A new story idea popped into my head this morning as I was driving. I had intended to listen to a sermon on the radio, and all I could think about was the new story idea. This is a common thing lately; driving in the morning when the ideas come. I'm cool with that! It's better than when I'm lying in bed cuz then I have to get up to write it down in fear of losing it in my sleep! I've got ideas popping out of my brain and that's a GREAT thing because I definitely don't struggle with writer's block.

My son is in the mood to ride his bike. He's been asking! Uhmmmm, well....you certainly CAN, my dear! In about 4 months! My daughter wants to start playing hockey and has been asking and kinda freaking out when I say not now. Uhmmmm, well....your dance lessons are already so expensive we can't afford hockey, NOR do we have even a fraction of time to do it! My other daughter wants to go on a trip next year with her dance group, and it's ONLY $1500!!! Uhmmm, well....better start fundraising, BABY! For YOU and for ME, cuz you certainly aren't going to Florida without me at age 13!!! Ahhhh, kids.

Lots of business meetings today! Been at it since early this morning, then had work, then had another late meeting that wrapped up around eight o'clock...got home and tucked all three darlings into bed....and am now going to finally do some writing. A full, productive day!

Today - I know this much is true;

Jeff Foxworthy on Minnesota :
If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by,

You might live in Minnesota.

If you're proud that your state makes the national news 96 nights each year because International Falls is the coldest spot in the nation,

You might live in Minnesota.

If you have ever refused to buy something because it's "too spendy",

You might live in Minnesota.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March,

You might live in Minnesota.

If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there,

You might live in Minnesota.

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead,

You might live in Minnesota.

If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time,

You might live in Minnesota.

If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, You might live in Minnesota.

If you know how to say...Wayzata... Mahtomedi... Cloquet... Edina...and... Shakopee,

You might live in Minnesota.

If you think that ketchup is a little too spicy,

You might live in Minnesota.

If vacation means going "up north" for the weekend,

You might live in Minnesota.

You measure distance in hours,

You might live in Minnesota.

You know several people, who have hit deer more than once,

You might live in Minnesota.

You often switch from "Heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again,

You might live in Minnesota.

You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching,

You might live in Minnesota.

You see people wearing hunting clothes at social events, You might live in Minnesota.

You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked,

You might live in Minnesota.

You think of the major food groups as beer, fish, and Venison,

You might live in Minnesota.

You carry jumper cables in your car, and your girlfriend knows how to use them,

You might live in Minnesota.

There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Mill's Fleet Farm at any given time,

You might live in Minnesota.

You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit,

You might live in Minnesota.

Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow,

You might live in Minnesota.

You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and of course, road construction,

You might live in Minnesota.

You can identify a southern or eastern accent,

You might live in Minnesota.

Your idea of creative landscaping is a plastic deer next to your blue spruce,

You might live in Minnesota.

If "Down South" to you means Iowa,

You might live in Minnesota.

You know "a brat" is something you eat,

You might live in Minnesota.

You find -10 degrees "a little chilly",

You might live in Minnesota.

You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Minnesota friends,

You DO live in Minnesota. Or remember so very well. With maybe a tear in the eye?

I've been doing research tonight - trying to find a home for a short romance story that actually pays, doesn't charge a reading fee, and won't take a year to get back to me. Wish me luck! I've found some places to submit to.

Last week on christmas vacation while I was working the kids decided to write their own charades game. I had to get some of these down before throwing them away:

"Flushing the toilet"
"Be Chinese" (I'll have to talk to them about this one...)
"Be a car"
"Be a candle"
"Slapping your bare butt" (Again with the talk...)
"Freak"
"Set dowen" (Written by a first grader)
"Be bad" (First grader again)
"?" (First grader)
"Slapping an old lady" (WHAT???)
"Be Mom!" (I so wish I could've seen this one! Or do I?)
"Crapping in the toilet" (Ugggggggggggh)
"Be a hillbilly"
"dam" (Hmmm, this is first grader handwriting. Is it the type of dam at a park?)
"Acting like an angle" (I'm thinking they meant angel, but angle would be cool too...)
"Be a poopy turd" (What sort of kids am I raising? There's even an illustration on this one!)
"SS" (Hmmm, dunno. snake?)
"Poop" (Yep. First grader)
"Rob" (Because why? Hopefully not practice for our future!)
"Cry" (Easy)
"Drinking coffee" (which is probably the same as "Be Mom") (I hope)
"Plunging the toilet" (cuz we love us the potty humor)
"Cool" (Again, probably the same as "Be Mom")
And my favorite;
"portgiy portvilin" (First grader. I have no idea.)

Q: Why did Tigger look into the toilet?

A: Because he was looking for Pooh!


What a great day. We went to a waterpark and used up every ounce of our energy. Now everyone's asleep and I'm headed there soon. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I joined Facebook today. Catch the wave! I've been bugged to join for quite awhile and kept putting it off, but I think I'm going to like it! I've already connected with old friends.

Tomorrow I will complete a short romance story for submission. It's halfway done but I'm not creative tonight! I got the first half done last night. So - it will be my first submission of 2009. Let's get 'er done!

Last night was a blast, just as I knew it would be! Today I had the pleasure of going to see my Grandma and all of my aunts and uncles on my mom's side. The weather traveling there was awful. It normally takes an hour and I'd say we took about an hour and a half or so. Freezing rain, which turned to ice as it hit your windshield and the road, then lots of snow on top of that. We made it safely, as did everyone else. We enjoyed a good old Minnesota potluck! Ham, potatoes and gravy, 7 layer salad, hot dish, fruit salad....it goes on and on. Absolutely delicious, every dish! My mom and uncle were reminiscing, telling all sorts of old stories about growing up on the farm and many crazy things they did! My grandma hollered out "You RASCALS!" a couple times, learning NOW, at the age of 80, some of the things that they had done. Some great examples; my aunt and uncle once caught a bunch of bees and let them loose in the house. My aunt once caught a bee, removed the stinger and stuck it under my uncles shirt as he was sleeping, so when he woke up he thought he was going to get stung. My uncle ALMOST convinced his cousin that he could fly from the second floor of the barn. My dad pulled my uncle and his cousin behind his car....holding onto the bumper of the car, and also on a toboggan! There were many more fun stories.

Whenever I chew super strong gum, like Eclipse, for example, it makes me sneeze as soon as I start chewing it. I found out today that my Grandpa was the same way! So cool to learn that I share that strange characteristic with my SUPER AWESOME Grandpa, who passed away several years ago. He was so wonderful.

Tonight we read There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly along with other books at bedtime. It's been a long time since we pulled this one out and my kids were laughing so hard, though Hals kept saying, "Oh my GOSH! That's so morbid!" We all chorused "Perhaps she'll die!" Something folks don't usually say???

Today I had to work at my DAY JOB all day and was backed up due to holidays...so no writing business today. Tonight involves a belated New Year's celebration with a bunch of great friends, so I'm looking forward to it. My eyeballs didn't exactly bleed last night but I did get a lot of reading done. I recommend the book - it's a good read. I'm ready for Christmas Vacation to be over so the kids can get back to school, homework, friends, a schedule, and dance. It's time - they're going bonkers!

My heart goes out to John Travolta and Kelly Presley tonight, as do my prayers.

Had a blast last night with my sister and her kiddos, my family and my brother in-law. Very nice night. We played charades, then the game where you go around the circle listing off things in a category until you run out, (what's that called?) and told each other our most embarrassing moments. We watched the ball drop and hugged, and we ate way toooooo much. Yuck. I did the same thing with myself today as far as food goes. Today was relaxing and lazy. We watched The Dark Night with the late Heath Ledger, and hung out. I managed to get some writing tasks done; new e-mail addy strictly for writing and a new ezine account. I'm excited about the new year in front of us. I believe it is going to be a GREAT one!!!

I'm reading The Book Of Ruth by Jane Hamilton and having trouble putting it down. I do recommend it! I'm a fan of Jane's. I think I'm at a point where something bad is going to go down for the main character...and I sure do like that gal! Gonna go slip under the covers and READ till my eyeballs bleed!