Who Needs Sleep?

I vaguely remember what it was like to sleep through the night. Or, I should say, I remember waking up feeling refreshed, and less like I was punched in the face. :)

I think the difference between adoptive mommies and mommies that went through the biological process is that preperation the Lord gives you with not sleeping before the munchkins arrive. Personally - I slept like a log through R's entire delivery. Didn't even know she arrived until 10 hours later. *sigh* I wanted so badly to be there. Consequently, I didnt' put rachel down or sleep without her for probably 9 months, when she became determined to walk and no longer required a sherpa. HA.

With E, my DH and I drove back and forth to Anaheim 3 times the night of her labor, returned home to sleep once things were settled, then awaited the call - which of course came at 4:30 am that E was rapidly on her way. I was able to help in the delivery room - which was a blessing I'll never forget. ANOTHER STORY. I'm going to cry - and that's not the reason for this post.

I've also heard about adoptive parents with older kids - who have night terrors or trouble sleeping at all. I can't imagine what that must be like. To know your baby had such a hard time while you were waiting so desperately to bring them home...

Today, I was mulling over how parents cope with sleep. Do you have a "family bed?" or do you cherish your pillow time and relegate the little ones to their own rooms? R didn't sleep when she was a baby. That kid would wake up and want to play. She didn't sleep until I had E around, and then I guess she gave up on waiting for me. Now, she sleeps like an angel - and only rarely appears at my bedside in the night.

E on the other hand is having issues again. She hasn't wanted to go to sleep without one or both of us in her room. She's been scared of shadows. She's been needing water. She's been coming up with any excuse possible to delay the inevitable. SO, Perry had the brilliant notion this week to tell her -- you dont' have to try to sleep. Just lay back, close your eyes, and think of your favorite things. Sleep will find you. And, IT WORKED. I couldn't believe it. She stopped wandering the halls. She stopped screaming for me. She actually has slept through the night for three nights in a row.

Is there light at the end of the proverbial tunnel? Of course, we're going out of town for Labor Day Weekend - so all this hard work will probably be tossed out of the window. *sigh* BUT, I'm hopeful. I've slept through the night, and it felt GREAT!

If anyone has any sleep tricks they have to add, please do so!

I should be...

I should be doing the final edits on All or Nothing.
I should be writing a chapter on His Darling.
I should be reading something to improve myself in some manner.
I should pen an article for Constant Content that I've been mulling over.
I should be getting things ready for our Labor Day trek to Laguna.
I should be... sitting right here, listening to the birds sing, enjoying a gorgeous Tuesday morning.

It is a beautiful morning, too. The sky is just brightening to that pre-dawn, orangey-blue. And since when was it pre-dawn at 6:48 a.m.? The huingbirds are battling for position at their feeder. I really need another one. There are as many as eight out there, darting around like fighter jets. The birds are enjoying their feeders. The fountains are just getting started, with our latest edition - either "Shiney" or "Peek-a-boo" - whoever it was that decided to stay in our pond - is floating with his head up, like he loves to do. We have one red eared slider turtle now - the other decided to abandon ship or was absconded with, we're not sure which. We've thus far managed to convince the girls that we still have two. LOL.

Anyway, my goal is to finish the edits on A or N by the time I get out of here on Friday, so I can do a final run through on vacation. Ha! what a vacation. Rereading a story I've read a million times over. Maybe I'll read it backwards. I heard people do that sometimes. Pick each page apart individually, of its own accord.

What can you do to keep your story fresh? Any ideas? Back to edits. *SIGH*

Did I mention?! Ellie slept ALL NIGHT LONG in her OWN BED. And she's still asleep at 6:53 a.m. Lord, am I ever pushing it. I'd better go or I won't get even a page done.

Have a great day, everyone!

Feeding a Finicky Family

Okay - in 4 1/2 years, I still don't have this right. Meal time is stress time at our house. At least for me. Maybe it's because I work from home, so I'm here. Though if I were in an office, I wouldn't be thinking that there's nothing started for dinner at 3pm - but, since I'm right upstairs, I'm already consumed by the notion that 6 o'clock is approaching and nothing is defrosted.

I have to ask. How do you all decide what to do for dinner? Do you have the same 5 or so meals you cycle through like my mom used to? Or do you experiment and try new recipes? Does everyone eat the same thing at the same time? or do you try and cook for the kids and have "grown up food" for you all?

I have an issue with a husband whose mother raised him on meat and potatoes. When I serve him chicken piccata he blanches! give him a salad of any kind, and he looks at me like I've asked him to eat one of the bushes in the backyard. The man was never more excited than when I made chicken strips and fries for the girls. WHO KNEW?!

I've since stopped trying to impress him with my cullinary skills, and am turning my attentions to my finicky 4 year old. I've convinced her after the weekend that she must eat protein or she might shrink to the size of Thumbelina. SO, any suggestions for a kid that would rather eat corndogs than anything at all?

How to tame a toddler

There were posts going around on our message board for TWRP yesterday about writing with toddlers around. Yeah. That's a real trick, isn't it? Rachel's in that phase now that she can be kept busy for hours coloring, watching a favorite show, or working on her projects (see Rachel at the kitchen table with a pair of child-safe scissors and a bunch of hastily printed out family pictures. The kid is an amateur scrap-booker extraordinaire!)

Ellie is another story. The girl is a ball of energy, needing constant attention and wanting to talk all of the time. ALL of the time. These days, she still sounds vaguely like Elmer Fudd. All of her "L's" are "Yuh" sounds. Hear: Eh-yee instead of Ellie. Yost instead of Lost. At any rate, they've settled down again. I have a full day of work ahead of me, and we're going to race off with the "school kids" and meet our day care at the elementary school.

Will I have time to work on edits for All or Nothing today? I've reviewed the full MS --returned to me from Elizabeth on Tuesday--and I can absolutely make the changes needed in just a few short weeks if not sooner without breaking a sweat. The only question mark is with the kids! will they let me? Working on my writing before and after work, staying up late into the night, waking early in the morning, my friends ask me "When do you have time to sleep?" perhaps writing with small children in the house gives you just what you need to do that. I wasn't sleeping anyway...I might as well write.

Tessa Takes a Chance Released!

My free read was released today - and I'm sailing. I can only imagine what it's going to feel like to have my full length novel released! Wow.

SO - if you have 10 or 15 minutes - download Tessa Takes a Chance for a fun "mommy length" read.

As reviewed by my dear friend, Wendy:

Bravo!!!I loved the story. Just long enough for me to enjoy as I ate a quick lunch. Perfect Mom read without feeling mom focused. I really like Tessa.

Wendy

Saving Face...

I'm undergoing a little experiment. I've recently signed up for facebook and I'm trying to determine if it's a fun diversion or a time sucker.

Any thoughts on the matter?

Points for:
1. Finding old friends
2. Staying in touch with friends out of town
3. Networking with fellow employees
4. It's like instant messenger on steroids

Points against:
1. Time spent adding silly applications is basically wasted, while we pin flair on each other and serve up margaritas
2. Time wasted looking for people who I could care less if I ever talked to again
3. Be careful what you post online - see networking with fellow employees. ha ha.

The jury is out. Are any of you face-bookers? Feel free to friend me and we can chat about it!

~Ash

Three more chapters to go!

I've got three more chapters to go - or so - on my current work in progress (WIP). It's getting very exciting... even though I know what happens, you never know how the characters will end up working out their story.

I've already been suprised by my main character a couple of times, and the guy she loves is nowhere near the scoundrel I thought he was going to be in the beginning. More of a tragic hero, actually.

The bad guys have had their own suprises along the way-- which is also cool. The act of developing a story is just as exciting for the author as hopefully it will be for the reader. I look forward to reading the finished product as much as someone who plucks a book off of the shelf. I always know when it's ready when I can read it without a pen in my hand.

Does anyone else feel that way? When do you know if your story is truly ready to share with the world?

All or Nothing - Cover

Hey, everyone!

Good morning! we're freshly returned from Arizona - and I'm on my third cup of coffee, trying to get going before the "Momeeee!"s start at the top of the stairs.

I was scanning a week's worth of e-mail and found the note from Rae Monet and my editor that All or Nothing has been covered. Not just any cover - but a STUNNING cover.

Kimberlee Mendoza is my hero. She designed an incredible cover for All or Nothing - truly capturing what I wanted. It looks mysterious, intriguing, romantic, and a little dangerous...

Thank you, Kimberlee!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited...

What does it say to you?

~Ashley