Jessica L. Elliott's Blog, page 19
April 24, 2013
Being Sneaky
So, I've learned something as a mother. My mom is one of the sneakiest people I know. Seriously, she could get us to eat our vegetables, drink three glasses of milk a day, and get us to settle down for "quiet time". And me, being the gullible child that I am, I fell for it every single time! Here are some examples:
Schofield children (and it turns out Elliott children) do not like naptime. So my mother taught us how to build a nest using our blankets and pillows. Then we were to pretend to be baby birds. It gets better. She'd say, "Baby birds sleep in their nests, so why don't you lie quietly and pretend to sleep?" How long can a child pretend to sleep before they fall asleep for real? The answer is not very long. (In my house it averages five minutes.)
The first time my mother made Spaghetti Monterey, she told us that it had spinach it and we promptly turned our noses to it. About a month later, mom made it again, but told us she had tried a new spaghetti casserole recipe that she was sure we would all love. Her six gullible children ate it, loved it and it has become one of our favorite recipes (and one of her favorite stories).
Growing up, my mother knew the importance of getting enough dairy into our diet. And so she had a rule; milk was for breakfast and dinner unless she said otherwise. We could pick whatever we wanted for lunch (anyone who has recently been in a school cafeteria is already laughing). At lunchtime there were only two choices anyway: white milk or chocolate milk. Occasionally there would be strawberry or vanilla milk, but no matter how you sliced it, we had milk for all three meals. I would come home and proudly tell my mother, "I had chocolate milk today," as though I had gotten away with something. And my mother would smile and ask, "Did you like it?" while getting me a glass of milk to go with my cookie and apple slices.
Sneaky woman, my mother. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have her knack for sneakiness. My son knows when I'm trying to pull something over on him. He must have gotten that from his father who is not as gullible as I am. So I have to just come out and say it. But there are a few things I've been able to sneak in. If I tell Gary that it's time for nest time, he'll gleefully pile up blankets and pillows with me and then we'll lie down together and I'll tell him stories until he falls asleep (about five to ten minutes). If I say naptime, I have an hour and a half long battle ahead of me. Nest time is ever so much pleasanter. :)
So with no sneaking about, I'm going to just come and say it:
I am still fundraising for Camp NaNoWriMo (www.stayclassy.org/jessicalelliott) and would love to have your help! :) If only ten people donated ten dollars each, I would reach my goal. One person has already graciously donated, so that leaves nine. Don't forget that I have a few perks for donating:
-Highest donor will get a cameo appearance in my next book, which will be one of the Charming Academy sequels.
-All donors will get to pick a character name for my November novel, which is still a secret at this point. :)
-Those who cannot donate monetarily, but who "like" and leave a message on my Facebook fanpage (https://www.facebook.com/JessicaLElli...) will get a note back and my gratitude.
It's not a lot and I realize that it may seem insignificant. However, I truly believe that supporting this program will help reach out to more authors to stretch beyond what they thought they were capable of. It gives them the opportunity to dare, to grow and to share. It is what gave me the courage to take an insignificant bedtime story, and turn it into a series that people love. So if you have the means, make a small donation today. You are making a difference and you are appreciated.
Thank you! :)
Schofield children (and it turns out Elliott children) do not like naptime. So my mother taught us how to build a nest using our blankets and pillows. Then we were to pretend to be baby birds. It gets better. She'd say, "Baby birds sleep in their nests, so why don't you lie quietly and pretend to sleep?" How long can a child pretend to sleep before they fall asleep for real? The answer is not very long. (In my house it averages five minutes.)
The first time my mother made Spaghetti Monterey, she told us that it had spinach it and we promptly turned our noses to it. About a month later, mom made it again, but told us she had tried a new spaghetti casserole recipe that she was sure we would all love. Her six gullible children ate it, loved it and it has become one of our favorite recipes (and one of her favorite stories).
Growing up, my mother knew the importance of getting enough dairy into our diet. And so she had a rule; milk was for breakfast and dinner unless she said otherwise. We could pick whatever we wanted for lunch (anyone who has recently been in a school cafeteria is already laughing). At lunchtime there were only two choices anyway: white milk or chocolate milk. Occasionally there would be strawberry or vanilla milk, but no matter how you sliced it, we had milk for all three meals. I would come home and proudly tell my mother, "I had chocolate milk today," as though I had gotten away with something. And my mother would smile and ask, "Did you like it?" while getting me a glass of milk to go with my cookie and apple slices.
Sneaky woman, my mother. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have her knack for sneakiness. My son knows when I'm trying to pull something over on him. He must have gotten that from his father who is not as gullible as I am. So I have to just come out and say it. But there are a few things I've been able to sneak in. If I tell Gary that it's time for nest time, he'll gleefully pile up blankets and pillows with me and then we'll lie down together and I'll tell him stories until he falls asleep (about five to ten minutes). If I say naptime, I have an hour and a half long battle ahead of me. Nest time is ever so much pleasanter. :)
So with no sneaking about, I'm going to just come and say it:
I am still fundraising for Camp NaNoWriMo (www.stayclassy.org/jessicalelliott) and would love to have your help! :) If only ten people donated ten dollars each, I would reach my goal. One person has already graciously donated, so that leaves nine. Don't forget that I have a few perks for donating:
-Highest donor will get a cameo appearance in my next book, which will be one of the Charming Academy sequels.
-All donors will get to pick a character name for my November novel, which is still a secret at this point. :)
-Those who cannot donate monetarily, but who "like" and leave a message on my Facebook fanpage (https://www.facebook.com/JessicaLElli...) will get a note back and my gratitude.
It's not a lot and I realize that it may seem insignificant. However, I truly believe that supporting this program will help reach out to more authors to stretch beyond what they thought they were capable of. It gives them the opportunity to dare, to grow and to share. It is what gave me the courage to take an insignificant bedtime story, and turn it into a series that people love. So if you have the means, make a small donation today. You are making a difference and you are appreciated.
Thank you! :)
April 17, 2013
Hurtling Writer's Block with Creative Genius!
Sometimes I have off days. Sometimes I have off weeks. And right now it's felt a bit like an off month. My characters are being slow at telling me their stories which is making my writing go about the pace of a frozen snail.
And yet amid the blocks I've had a few burst of awesomeness. Moments when the words flew from brain to fingers to keyboard and the screen seemed to sing in an angelic chorus "She's back!" Then I read through the awesomeness and think. Hmmmm, not so awesome as I had hoped, but it works for now.
And that is the key. "It works for now." Everyone needs motivation. Everyone needs to feel like their goal is worthwhile and accomplishable. Those moments when I'm staring at my less-than-stellar word count are the times when I sit back and say (figuratively) "Alright, characters, go time!" And I stop thinking and I let them take over.
Sometimes this backfires and all I hear is crickets. They're pretty loud sometimes, crickets. So I have to listen harder and somewhere behind the cricket chorus is a little-known character saying, "Did I tell you how I became a figure skater?"
"A figure skater? No, you didn't. Please do."
And then I find myself with a burst of genius that may or may not actually have anything to do with my story, but it kept me writing. And even if it doesn't stay in this story, it may find its way into a different story. And even if I read through it and go, "Blah. Not so awesome." It works for now. It fills the page, it keeps me writing and that's what the rough draft is really all about.
And now for some updates:
"Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down" is in the editing and illustrating stage. My awesome missionary brother is now back in the States and beginning work right now. He hasn't given me an estimate of how long he's thinking it will take, so I'll keep you posted on that.
My mystery is coming along slowly, but coming. Much of that is finding time to sit down and write since we're in the process of moving. Between packing, cleaning and everything else, writing is taking a bit of a backseat. But have no fears! I am planning on getting those 30000 words done! In fact, my very awesome mommy received their New Mexico magazine and she says it's got some good research potential for me. Score!
Charming Academy and Finding Prince Charming are both still available. If you have not yet had a chance to read this story, visit www.JessicaLElliott.com to find out how you can get it today!
My fundraiser has been going rather slowly too. So far I have only one person donating on my page. Visit www.stayclassy.org/jessicalelliott today to find out how you can help a great organization! Don't forget that there are prizes as detailed in my previous blog post, Camping Out. Share this link with your friends and family and spread the word about an awesome cause!
And yet amid the blocks I've had a few burst of awesomeness. Moments when the words flew from brain to fingers to keyboard and the screen seemed to sing in an angelic chorus "She's back!" Then I read through the awesomeness and think. Hmmmm, not so awesome as I had hoped, but it works for now.
And that is the key. "It works for now." Everyone needs motivation. Everyone needs to feel like their goal is worthwhile and accomplishable. Those moments when I'm staring at my less-than-stellar word count are the times when I sit back and say (figuratively) "Alright, characters, go time!" And I stop thinking and I let them take over.
Sometimes this backfires and all I hear is crickets. They're pretty loud sometimes, crickets. So I have to listen harder and somewhere behind the cricket chorus is a little-known character saying, "Did I tell you how I became a figure skater?"
"A figure skater? No, you didn't. Please do."
And then I find myself with a burst of genius that may or may not actually have anything to do with my story, but it kept me writing. And even if it doesn't stay in this story, it may find its way into a different story. And even if I read through it and go, "Blah. Not so awesome." It works for now. It fills the page, it keeps me writing and that's what the rough draft is really all about.
And now for some updates:
"Mischief, Mayhem and NOT Burning the House Down" is in the editing and illustrating stage. My awesome missionary brother is now back in the States and beginning work right now. He hasn't given me an estimate of how long he's thinking it will take, so I'll keep you posted on that.
My mystery is coming along slowly, but coming. Much of that is finding time to sit down and write since we're in the process of moving. Between packing, cleaning and everything else, writing is taking a bit of a backseat. But have no fears! I am planning on getting those 30000 words done! In fact, my very awesome mommy received their New Mexico magazine and she says it's got some good research potential for me. Score!
Charming Academy and Finding Prince Charming are both still available. If you have not yet had a chance to read this story, visit www.JessicaLElliott.com to find out how you can get it today!
My fundraiser has been going rather slowly too. So far I have only one person donating on my page. Visit www.stayclassy.org/jessicalelliott today to find out how you can help a great organization! Don't forget that there are prizes as detailed in my previous blog post, Camping Out. Share this link with your friends and family and spread the word about an awesome cause!
April 9, 2013
Camping Out
Hello dear readers!
It's been a busy couple of weeks, hence my temporary absence. April 1st began the first session of Camp NaNoWriMo and I am busily chipping away at a 30,000 word goal.
"Wait," you ask, "not 50,000?"
Nope. This year they are allowing members to set their own word goal. With two little ones at home, I am very grateful to be able to set a goal that will be challenging, but doable. And so it is that my mystery story is forming. I'm still doing bits of research on the side, but the story itself is getting fleshed out fairly nicely. At least, the first 7,000 words have. :)
But this is great time for me and I enjoy the opportunity NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo give me to recommit to writing and find the time to do it between caring for my babies, taking care of the house, and the general busyness of being a stay-at-home mom.
Because I love these programs so much, this year I'm trying something different. I'm fundraising to help them cover their costs. These programs are free to the general public, reaching writers young and not-so-young around the world. They work under the non-profit Office of Letters and Light. But they need the financial support from donors like you and me to stay afloat.
Times are tough and I know that very well. So like my word goal, my fundraising goal is low. Just $100. What good does that $100 do? I'll let the Office of Letters and Light tell you:
"Well, what difference does that really make?" you may wonder.
I'll tell you. It gives writers like me who may have been writing for years the opportunity to stretch and grow. Before I found NaNoWriMo, I had written several stories but they always ended up gathering cyberdust inside my computer and then when it crashed, they vanished. No one ever read them. No one ever knew they existed. Those stories were lost without ever having a chance to be heard. NaNoWriMo encouraged me to not just finish writing the story, but to share the story. Do you enjoy reading my blog posts? Have you enjoyed reading the books that I have published? Are you anxiously awaiting the next story to come out? Well, you have NaNoWriMo to thank for that.
So this is what I'm asking you to do. If you have it within your means, make a small donation on my page: www.stayclassy.org/jessicalelliott. If you can't help monetarily, don't worry! I need lots of moral support too. Take a moment to "like" my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaLElli.... Then write me an encouraging note to keep me typing away.
Your help in this will be appreciated not only by me, but also by the thousands of people who take the challenge each year to release that story hiding deep within them. So, check your pennies and see what you can do today. :) I'll keep you posted on how things go. At the end of the month, the highest donor will have a cameo role in my next book. It isn't much, but you can consider it your fifteen minutes of fame! :) All donors will be invited to choose a name for a character in my November novel. Curious to find out more? So am I! :)
Thank you to all my readers. You guys are great and it's encouraging to think that the stories I hid deep inside have been able to reach out to people across the country and even into other parts of the world. Keep reading, keep encouraging and if you have the means, donate a little to an organization that is as awesome and wonderful as you are.
It's been a busy couple of weeks, hence my temporary absence. April 1st began the first session of Camp NaNoWriMo and I am busily chipping away at a 30,000 word goal.
"Wait," you ask, "not 50,000?"
Nope. This year they are allowing members to set their own word goal. With two little ones at home, I am very grateful to be able to set a goal that will be challenging, but doable. And so it is that my mystery story is forming. I'm still doing bits of research on the side, but the story itself is getting fleshed out fairly nicely. At least, the first 7,000 words have. :)
But this is great time for me and I enjoy the opportunity NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo give me to recommit to writing and find the time to do it between caring for my babies, taking care of the house, and the general busyness of being a stay-at-home mom.
Because I love these programs so much, this year I'm trying something different. I'm fundraising to help them cover their costs. These programs are free to the general public, reaching writers young and not-so-young around the world. They work under the non-profit Office of Letters and Light. But they need the financial support from donors like you and me to stay afloat.
Times are tough and I know that very well. So like my word goal, my fundraising goal is low. Just $100. What good does that $100 do? I'll let the Office of Letters and Light tell you:
As a Beloved Guide, your $100 will make sure you and thirty-nine other writers can continue to hone your world-shaping tools, dig through the ruins of legends past, and tell stories around the virtual campfire. And when you're staring up at the night sky, we want you to know that that shining swath of starry light is made up of the stories you've helped bring to life.
The crisp mountain air, the scent of burning logs, the sound of fingertips on a keyboard click-clacking away... Camp couldn't happen without you.
"Well, what difference does that really make?" you may wonder.
I'll tell you. It gives writers like me who may have been writing for years the opportunity to stretch and grow. Before I found NaNoWriMo, I had written several stories but they always ended up gathering cyberdust inside my computer and then when it crashed, they vanished. No one ever read them. No one ever knew they existed. Those stories were lost without ever having a chance to be heard. NaNoWriMo encouraged me to not just finish writing the story, but to share the story. Do you enjoy reading my blog posts? Have you enjoyed reading the books that I have published? Are you anxiously awaiting the next story to come out? Well, you have NaNoWriMo to thank for that.
So this is what I'm asking you to do. If you have it within your means, make a small donation on my page: www.stayclassy.org/jessicalelliott. If you can't help monetarily, don't worry! I need lots of moral support too. Take a moment to "like" my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaLElli.... Then write me an encouraging note to keep me typing away.
Your help in this will be appreciated not only by me, but also by the thousands of people who take the challenge each year to release that story hiding deep within them. So, check your pennies and see what you can do today. :) I'll keep you posted on how things go. At the end of the month, the highest donor will have a cameo role in my next book. It isn't much, but you can consider it your fifteen minutes of fame! :) All donors will be invited to choose a name for a character in my November novel. Curious to find out more? So am I! :)
Thank you to all my readers. You guys are great and it's encouraging to think that the stories I hid deep inside have been able to reach out to people across the country and even into other parts of the world. Keep reading, keep encouraging and if you have the means, donate a little to an organization that is as awesome and wonderful as you are.
March 25, 2013
Meet Fiona Deal!
Hello readers! This is a new thing I'm going to be doing as often as my budget permits. I love to read and I love to write. Well I'm not the only one in the world who does! So each month (as I have funds to do so) I will read a book by an Indie writer and then do an interview so that you can get to know them too.
So my first book was an Egyptian mystery, Carter's Conundrums by Fiona Deal. I've always loved a good mystery and I've also always loved ancient Egypt. Putting them both together made an irresistible story! :) So I purchased the book and then eagerly began reading. You know what happened? None of my housework got done because I was so engrossed in this captivating story. I also got several cricks in my neck craning over to read while trying to feed my baby at the same time. Not easy to do, but well worth it!
So, without further ado here is the email interview I did:
1) First tell us a little bit about yourself.
I've always loved to travel. My Dad worked as a sales rep for an airline (Swissair) when I was growing up, so we were lucky enough as a family to get concessionary rates on travel. I was fortunate to visit places such as Rio de Janeiro, Thailand, Australia and the United States as a youngster. I was bitten by the travel bug! But the place that captivated me was Egypt. My parents took my brother and me when I was sixteen. I believe travel is a great education - different cultures, climates, histories and people. Sadly, the concessionary travel finished when I grew up! But I've kept on travelling as far as the pennies allow. Egypt has been my enduring favourite. I've been eleven times - greedy huh? I work full-time. I'm part of the top team for a British housing association, based in the southeast of England. My background is human resources and training and I'm responsible for delivering the 'people' side to a staff of 850. I'm married, and live in Kent, England with my husband and our two Burmese cats.
2) What inspired you to become a writer?
I've always scribbled here and there. I took about fifteen years (!!) to pen my first novel - a family saga called 'Shades of Gray' (no, not fifty of them !!). It's available on Amazon - simply because I thought it might as well sit on a bookshelf there rather than gathering dust on one at home! My excuse for the years it took to write is probably familiar to many ... I was working hard to earn a living ... and life got in the way ! It's written under my maiden name of Fiona Wilson. But I've always been a reader. Over recent years I've read everything I can lay my hands on about Egypt - both fact and fiction - from historical novels to biographies and text books. In the end I decided to have a go at writing in the genre I love to read most ... light escapist fiction, but with a good historical background. Writing about Egypt seemed the natural leap. And so the series following Meredith Pink's Adventures in Egypt was born.
3) Give us a brief description of Carter's Conundrums.
It's a modern adventure story, set in Luxor and Cairo - but with an ancient mystery attached. I've always thought Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb one of the most thrilling stories of recent history - who doesn't love a story about finding buried treasure ? It got me wondering ... what if he found something more ...? The story starts with Meredith Pink (Merry) being locked inadvertently in Howard Carter's house (now a museum) overnight. Trying to escape, she smashes a picture and finds a coded message from Carter himself hidden inside the frame. It sets her off on a kind of treasure hunt of her own. Along the way, she hooks up with the rather lovely Adam Tennyson ... and dashes around some of the Egypt's most fascinating historical sites.
4) Where did the inspiration for this novel come from?
I visited Howard Carter's house in March 2011. It was just after the Egyptian revolution. Tourists were staying away. So I had the place to myself for a while. It was hugely evocative. I kept thinking I was going to turn around and see Howard Carter himself standing in a doorway, or sitting at his desk. I've read enough about Howard Carter to know the rumours that he may not have been 100% on the straight and narrow. It got me thinking ... Carter's Conundrums is the result.
5) Do you have other books available?
Yes, I've written two sequels to Carter's Conundrums. Together they stand as a trilogy. I plan to develop them into a series. The next two books are called Tutankhamun's Triumph and Hatshepsut's Hideaway.
6) Do you have a project you are currently working on?
I've just started work on Book 4 of the Meredith Pink series - it's called Farouk's Fancies.
7) What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Now, there's a question! Fitting in the writing itself is a challenge! I work full time, and commute 3-hours on most days. I manage to write because my husband does occasional night shifts - so I get some time to myself some evenings and weekends! This year I've been dragging my backside into the twenty-first century and learning how to use social media. I've created a website, and try to put out a blog about Egypt about once per week. I squeeze in seeing friends and family where I can !!
8) What is your favorite book?
I love the Amelia Peabody series written by Elizabeth Peters - a massive inspiration for me. Hard to pick a favourite. I started with Crocodile on the Sandbank and went from there !
9) Is there anything else you'd like readers to know?
I'm happy to answer any questions if anyone would like to contact me directly via my website www.fionadeal.com or via my facebook page, where Jessica found me!
10) Where can readers find your books?
They're available in both paperback and kindle versions on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
So my first book was an Egyptian mystery, Carter's Conundrums by Fiona Deal. I've always loved a good mystery and I've also always loved ancient Egypt. Putting them both together made an irresistible story! :) So I purchased the book and then eagerly began reading. You know what happened? None of my housework got done because I was so engrossed in this captivating story. I also got several cricks in my neck craning over to read while trying to feed my baby at the same time. Not easy to do, but well worth it!
So, without further ado here is the email interview I did:
1) First tell us a little bit about yourself.
I've always loved to travel. My Dad worked as a sales rep for an airline (Swissair) when I was growing up, so we were lucky enough as a family to get concessionary rates on travel. I was fortunate to visit places such as Rio de Janeiro, Thailand, Australia and the United States as a youngster. I was bitten by the travel bug! But the place that captivated me was Egypt. My parents took my brother and me when I was sixteen. I believe travel is a great education - different cultures, climates, histories and people. Sadly, the concessionary travel finished when I grew up! But I've kept on travelling as far as the pennies allow. Egypt has been my enduring favourite. I've been eleven times - greedy huh? I work full-time. I'm part of the top team for a British housing association, based in the southeast of England. My background is human resources and training and I'm responsible for delivering the 'people' side to a staff of 850. I'm married, and live in Kent, England with my husband and our two Burmese cats.
2) What inspired you to become a writer?
I've always scribbled here and there. I took about fifteen years (!!) to pen my first novel - a family saga called 'Shades of Gray' (no, not fifty of them !!). It's available on Amazon - simply because I thought it might as well sit on a bookshelf there rather than gathering dust on one at home! My excuse for the years it took to write is probably familiar to many ... I was working hard to earn a living ... and life got in the way ! It's written under my maiden name of Fiona Wilson. But I've always been a reader. Over recent years I've read everything I can lay my hands on about Egypt - both fact and fiction - from historical novels to biographies and text books. In the end I decided to have a go at writing in the genre I love to read most ... light escapist fiction, but with a good historical background. Writing about Egypt seemed the natural leap. And so the series following Meredith Pink's Adventures in Egypt was born.
3) Give us a brief description of Carter's Conundrums.
It's a modern adventure story, set in Luxor and Cairo - but with an ancient mystery attached. I've always thought Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb one of the most thrilling stories of recent history - who doesn't love a story about finding buried treasure ? It got me wondering ... what if he found something more ...? The story starts with Meredith Pink (Merry) being locked inadvertently in Howard Carter's house (now a museum) overnight. Trying to escape, she smashes a picture and finds a coded message from Carter himself hidden inside the frame. It sets her off on a kind of treasure hunt of her own. Along the way, she hooks up with the rather lovely Adam Tennyson ... and dashes around some of the Egypt's most fascinating historical sites.
4) Where did the inspiration for this novel come from?
I visited Howard Carter's house in March 2011. It was just after the Egyptian revolution. Tourists were staying away. So I had the place to myself for a while. It was hugely evocative. I kept thinking I was going to turn around and see Howard Carter himself standing in a doorway, or sitting at his desk. I've read enough about Howard Carter to know the rumours that he may not have been 100% on the straight and narrow. It got me thinking ... Carter's Conundrums is the result.
5) Do you have other books available?
Yes, I've written two sequels to Carter's Conundrums. Together they stand as a trilogy. I plan to develop them into a series. The next two books are called Tutankhamun's Triumph and Hatshepsut's Hideaway.
6) Do you have a project you are currently working on?
I've just started work on Book 4 of the Meredith Pink series - it's called Farouk's Fancies.
7) What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Now, there's a question! Fitting in the writing itself is a challenge! I work full time, and commute 3-hours on most days. I manage to write because my husband does occasional night shifts - so I get some time to myself some evenings and weekends! This year I've been dragging my backside into the twenty-first century and learning how to use social media. I've created a website, and try to put out a blog about Egypt about once per week. I squeeze in seeing friends and family where I can !!
8) What is your favorite book?
I love the Amelia Peabody series written by Elizabeth Peters - a massive inspiration for me. Hard to pick a favourite. I started with Crocodile on the Sandbank and went from there !
9) Is there anything else you'd like readers to know?
I'm happy to answer any questions if anyone would like to contact me directly via my website www.fionadeal.com or via my facebook page, where Jessica found me!
10) Where can readers find your books?
They're available in both paperback and kindle versions on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
March 22, 2013
Dreams and Wishes and Dirty Dishes
Haha, got your attention, didn't I? :)
Oh that stage in life where you know what you want and it's so close that you can almost reach it and yet seems so far away. The student stage near graduation. You've probably been there before. The stage where you feel like your lunch choices are mac 'n' cheese (again) or ramen noodles. The stage where you live with in an apartment with neighbors who are loud and obnoxious and you think to yourself, "Oh what I wouldn't give to live in my own house right now!" The stage where you look at that new release on the store's DVD shelf and think, "Maybe next month." It's a tough stage to be in. And when you have kids, it's even more so. Mostly because along with that new release you see the really cute clothes, the awesome toys and the adorable board books and have to say, "Not this time."
But it's a good stage too. It's a stage of dreams and hopes and wishes. It's the stage when you start formulating your future in all the brightness and beauty of career-budget grandeur. No more mac'n'cheese, now you can graduate to that really interesting salad recipe you've been meaning to try. No more loud and obnoxious neighbors because there's that beautiful house with the white picket fence and all the trimmings. No more passing by the DVD shelf with wistful wishing, now you can pick it up and say, "This will be my little splurge." Yes, when you look at the post-graudation budget it seems so much bigger and so much brighter than what you have right now. That old adage of "the grass is always greener on the other side" rings very true to you.
Now I really can't complain too much. Jonathan and I have been incredibly blessed with supportive parents, wonderful friends and the means to take care of our needs. And as we've looked into the future, we have enjoyed dreaming of the possibilities. But as reality always does, we've started realizing that the big beautiful career-budget isn't as big as perhaps we dreamed. So we've adjusted and found ways of still making our dreams come true. Now we're looking at the beautiful house, though it does not have a white picket fence, and seeing how to make it ours. My wonderful sister helped us search and find information on First-Time Homebuyer's grants and such. Looking through that we will more than likely qualify for that which will make our dream of owning a house hopefully a reality.
So as I finish cleaning the dishes and thinking of the future, things are still looking bright and beautiful. Life is good and where there's a will there's almost always a way!
Make sure you tune in to the blog on Monday when I share an interview with author Fiona Deal about her book, Carter's Conundrums.
Oh that stage in life where you know what you want and it's so close that you can almost reach it and yet seems so far away. The student stage near graduation. You've probably been there before. The stage where you feel like your lunch choices are mac 'n' cheese (again) or ramen noodles. The stage where you live with in an apartment with neighbors who are loud and obnoxious and you think to yourself, "Oh what I wouldn't give to live in my own house right now!" The stage where you look at that new release on the store's DVD shelf and think, "Maybe next month." It's a tough stage to be in. And when you have kids, it's even more so. Mostly because along with that new release you see the really cute clothes, the awesome toys and the adorable board books and have to say, "Not this time."
But it's a good stage too. It's a stage of dreams and hopes and wishes. It's the stage when you start formulating your future in all the brightness and beauty of career-budget grandeur. No more mac'n'cheese, now you can graduate to that really interesting salad recipe you've been meaning to try. No more loud and obnoxious neighbors because there's that beautiful house with the white picket fence and all the trimmings. No more passing by the DVD shelf with wistful wishing, now you can pick it up and say, "This will be my little splurge." Yes, when you look at the post-graudation budget it seems so much bigger and so much brighter than what you have right now. That old adage of "the grass is always greener on the other side" rings very true to you.
Now I really can't complain too much. Jonathan and I have been incredibly blessed with supportive parents, wonderful friends and the means to take care of our needs. And as we've looked into the future, we have enjoyed dreaming of the possibilities. But as reality always does, we've started realizing that the big beautiful career-budget isn't as big as perhaps we dreamed. So we've adjusted and found ways of still making our dreams come true. Now we're looking at the beautiful house, though it does not have a white picket fence, and seeing how to make it ours. My wonderful sister helped us search and find information on First-Time Homebuyer's grants and such. Looking through that we will more than likely qualify for that which will make our dream of owning a house hopefully a reality.
So as I finish cleaning the dishes and thinking of the future, things are still looking bright and beautiful. Life is good and where there's a will there's almost always a way!
Make sure you tune in to the blog on Monday when I share an interview with author Fiona Deal about her book, Carter's Conundrums.
March 18, 2013
Conference and New Ideas
So this is a couple of days late and I apologize. Life is ever busy and crazy over here! :) I'm writing from my hotel room in Meade as my little family is checking out our soon-to-be hometown.
But, first things first: writer's conference. It was fabulous! I had a great time and met some new people, made some friends and hopefully got the word out on my books to a few more people. The speakers were really fabulous. Most of them are local authors and it was great to see and hear some success stories. When you're new to the game it can, at times, be discouraging as you're looking at minimal sales and too little time to do what you want. But I learned some new tips and got some new ideas. The keynote speaker was Jenna Blum, a down-to-earth and very engaging writer who recently made the New York Times Bestseller list. She talked a lot about finding your belief in yourself but also in your story. It was very inspiring and I can tell you that my green pen (I like to be colorful) was fast at work taking notes. I was relieved to find that I'm not the only one who's gotten rejection letters. If she could get well over 90 total rejections and eventually get published and make it to the bestsellers list then why can't I? The answer she pointed out was I can! It's just going to take a lot of work, a lot of determination and an unfailing belief that my story is worth telling and worth reading. My other favorite speaker was the last one and now I can't remember his name. But he said, "Use every color on your possible palette." He really talked about bringing your story to life and making it real through description.
But as I said, I got some new ideas from the conference as well as just pondering things going on. Here are my new ideas:
1) Have a mailing list. I seriously had never even thought of doing something like this. I tend to rely pretty heavily on word-of-mouth and social media to get the word out. But I suppose you can't get the word out if you don't know what the word is! So, if you are interested in being part of a mailing list, go to www.JessicaLElliott.com and go to the contact page. Fill out the form and let me know that you would like to be on the mailing list. Once you are added to the list, you will receive emails about upcoming novels, specials and new releases. If you've enjoyed any of my books, this would be a great idea! :)
2) Get some postcards. I love to travel and I love those little mementos that I can look at from time to time. As I've worked on resurfacing my writing desk, I've realized that there are some blank spots that would be hard to fill in. So, I'm thinking of putting in some postcards. I don't have any postcards right now and I'd only be able to get some from Kansas in the near future, so here's where you come in. If you would like to send me a postcard from where you are, go to the contact page of www.JessicaLElliott.com and send me a note saying so. I will then tell you where to send it. If you want to write an encouraging note, do it on a separate piece of paper and I will put that with your postcard on the desk.
3) Tell my readers how awesome they are. I mean it, you guys are the greatest! Your support and encouragement mean the world to me. With you behind me I know that I can become the successful writer I want to be. So keep being awesome, my friends. You make this writer feel very loved and special and that's what keeps me keepin' on. :)
Thanks for everything! Now I'm going to get ready for dinner. :) Ciao!
But, first things first: writer's conference. It was fabulous! I had a great time and met some new people, made some friends and hopefully got the word out on my books to a few more people. The speakers were really fabulous. Most of them are local authors and it was great to see and hear some success stories. When you're new to the game it can, at times, be discouraging as you're looking at minimal sales and too little time to do what you want. But I learned some new tips and got some new ideas. The keynote speaker was Jenna Blum, a down-to-earth and very engaging writer who recently made the New York Times Bestseller list. She talked a lot about finding your belief in yourself but also in your story. It was very inspiring and I can tell you that my green pen (I like to be colorful) was fast at work taking notes. I was relieved to find that I'm not the only one who's gotten rejection letters. If she could get well over 90 total rejections and eventually get published and make it to the bestsellers list then why can't I? The answer she pointed out was I can! It's just going to take a lot of work, a lot of determination and an unfailing belief that my story is worth telling and worth reading. My other favorite speaker was the last one and now I can't remember his name. But he said, "Use every color on your possible palette." He really talked about bringing your story to life and making it real through description.
But as I said, I got some new ideas from the conference as well as just pondering things going on. Here are my new ideas:
1) Have a mailing list. I seriously had never even thought of doing something like this. I tend to rely pretty heavily on word-of-mouth and social media to get the word out. But I suppose you can't get the word out if you don't know what the word is! So, if you are interested in being part of a mailing list, go to www.JessicaLElliott.com and go to the contact page. Fill out the form and let me know that you would like to be on the mailing list. Once you are added to the list, you will receive emails about upcoming novels, specials and new releases. If you've enjoyed any of my books, this would be a great idea! :)
2) Get some postcards. I love to travel and I love those little mementos that I can look at from time to time. As I've worked on resurfacing my writing desk, I've realized that there are some blank spots that would be hard to fill in. So, I'm thinking of putting in some postcards. I don't have any postcards right now and I'd only be able to get some from Kansas in the near future, so here's where you come in. If you would like to send me a postcard from where you are, go to the contact page of www.JessicaLElliott.com and send me a note saying so. I will then tell you where to send it. If you want to write an encouraging note, do it on a separate piece of paper and I will put that with your postcard on the desk.
3) Tell my readers how awesome they are. I mean it, you guys are the greatest! Your support and encouragement mean the world to me. With you behind me I know that I can become the successful writer I want to be. So keep being awesome, my friends. You make this writer feel very loved and special and that's what keeps me keepin' on. :)
Thanks for everything! Now I'm going to get ready for dinner. :) Ciao!
March 1, 2013
Thanks Everyone!
Well, it is March 1st and my fundraiser is over. Total sales were 7 books. That was only half of my goal, but thanks to a couple of donations, I was able to raise the money needed to attend the KWA Scene Conference in March! So my registration is sent in and I'm getting ready to go! It should be a great experience so to everyone who "shared" my posts, bought a book, or sent me support and encouragement I send you a big thank you!
I will be continuing to work on my mystery novel set in New Mexico. Right now I'm doing quite a bit of research centering around the Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi). I think the book is going to focus on their roads, many of which seem to lead to nowhere leading archaeologists to wonder why they were built. It will be interesting to see how it develops and I hope to have it ready for publication this summer.
I'm also working on "Mischief" and will hopefully be able to have it ready by April for a spring release. More than likely it will be out in May or early June so that my amazingly talented brother can have some time to do the illustrations and cover art. He's currently in Iceland serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but gets home in mid-April.So depending on how long it takes him to do the illustrations will determine when that book is released.
Thanks again to everyone who reads my books, my blog posts, and supports me in various ways. You're awesome and I appreciate you. :)
I will be continuing to work on my mystery novel set in New Mexico. Right now I'm doing quite a bit of research centering around the Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi). I think the book is going to focus on their roads, many of which seem to lead to nowhere leading archaeologists to wonder why they were built. It will be interesting to see how it develops and I hope to have it ready for publication this summer.
I'm also working on "Mischief" and will hopefully be able to have it ready by April for a spring release. More than likely it will be out in May or early June so that my amazingly talented brother can have some time to do the illustrations and cover art. He's currently in Iceland serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but gets home in mid-April.So depending on how long it takes him to do the illustrations will determine when that book is released.
Thanks again to everyone who reads my books, my blog posts, and supports me in various ways. You're awesome and I appreciate you. :)
February 24, 2013
Day 6 - Happily Home
It's nice when you're traveling to have one day where everything goes smoothly. Apparently we'd used up all our smooth days in the first part of the trip. Monday morning there were no alarms set so we all just slept in. For Gail and I that meant 7:30, but I'm not going to complain. That's much better than the 6:15 she normally gets me up at. As people started waking up, we took inventory on how everyone was feeling. I felt fine without any residual nausea. Jonathan was feeling mostly better with a little nausea. Gary and Gail couldn't really tell us, but Gary looked a bit better than he had been. We went over to Mom and Dad's room to see how people there were doing. There were still sickies over there, but we all decided that we wanted nothing more than to go back home. We decided that Mom and Dad's car would go straight home while Jonathan and I would head over to Topeka to see his folks and switch cars with them before then heading down to Derby. We said our goodbyes and then started off.
The drive to Topeka was fairly uneventful. No one was sick and we only had the normal stops to take care of the two children. Unfortunately it was still a pretty long drive and we didn't arrive until about 2:30 with less than an hour before we had to be back on the road so we could try to get Jonathan to work on time.
As we made the familiar drive down 135, I reflected on how nice it was to be home. I had missed the open skies and rolling fields of Kansas. There's a freedom in being surrounded by openness that I miss every time I travel. In Utah, though it is lovely, I felt boxed in by mountains and canyons. But here I was at home, the wide open skies stretching around me inviting me to take it all in. The gentle roll of the fields stretched out for miles on either side seemed to whisper with the wind "freedom". Though I hadn't felt tense before, I felt myself relax. Here in the golden fields and deep blue skies, I was home.
We arrived in Derby and Jonathan quickly changed for work and I dropped him off before then heading to my parents' house to help with unpacking things and see how I could help them out. We also desperately needed to do some laundry since Gary had thrown up on everything he'd worn and a lot of our stuff too. When it was time to get Jonathan from work, we had one load of laundry done and both Gail and Gary were upset. As Jonathan got in the car, the screaming escalated and I was hard-pressed not to speed to the apartment. Then Gary started to gag and he threw up again, all over his blanket and carseat. We walked inside and started trying to get things cleaned up again. But we were home and that relieved feeling of knowing that there were no long car drives, no carseats, and no hotels on the horizon made everything so much easier. We were home at last.
The drive to Topeka was fairly uneventful. No one was sick and we only had the normal stops to take care of the two children. Unfortunately it was still a pretty long drive and we didn't arrive until about 2:30 with less than an hour before we had to be back on the road so we could try to get Jonathan to work on time.
As we made the familiar drive down 135, I reflected on how nice it was to be home. I had missed the open skies and rolling fields of Kansas. There's a freedom in being surrounded by openness that I miss every time I travel. In Utah, though it is lovely, I felt boxed in by mountains and canyons. But here I was at home, the wide open skies stretching around me inviting me to take it all in. The gentle roll of the fields stretched out for miles on either side seemed to whisper with the wind "freedom". Though I hadn't felt tense before, I felt myself relax. Here in the golden fields and deep blue skies, I was home.
We arrived in Derby and Jonathan quickly changed for work and I dropped him off before then heading to my parents' house to help with unpacking things and see how I could help them out. We also desperately needed to do some laundry since Gary had thrown up on everything he'd worn and a lot of our stuff too. When it was time to get Jonathan from work, we had one load of laundry done and both Gail and Gary were upset. As Jonathan got in the car, the screaming escalated and I was hard-pressed not to speed to the apartment. Then Gary started to gag and he threw up again, all over his blanket and carseat. We walked inside and started trying to get things cleaned up again. But we were home and that relieved feeling of knowing that there were no long car drives, no carseats, and no hotels on the horizon made everything so much easier. We were home at last.
February 23, 2013
Day 5 - Yakking to York
It's bad when one person gets sick on a road trip. It's especially bad when that person is little because along with the sick is the inevitable crying and yelling. It's worse when two are sick and the worst is when EVERYONE in the car gets sick. I woke up Sunday morning and tossed it. I felt awful. My stomach was churning and I wanted nothing more than to be at home in my own bed. But there was a long day of driving before I would make it that far. So as soon as I was feeling somewhat human, we packed everything up, put our upset children in the car and started on our way. I tried desperately to get comfortable so that I could sleep, but it didn't work out to well. So I dozed fitfully for about an hour until Gail started screaming because she was hungry. Jonathan pulled off at a sideroad and then circled around to make it easier to get back on the road. Unfortunately it was also enough motion to make my weak stomach give out again. (I'm sorry Bekah; we used your bowls. But they are nice and sparkly clean again now!)
The trip continued and as I got a little sleep here and a little there I began feeling better. But as I got better, Jonathan started to feel worse. We stopped for lunch at a KFC under the thought that mashed potatoes are gentle on the stomach. Unfortunately I couldn't even walk into the restaurant without feeling nauseous. I don't like KFC on good days. When I've been sick I like it even less. So I stayed out in the car with Abigail so she could eat and skipped lunch. I didn't feel like throwing up yet again. Once everyone had eaten, we started on the road. It wasn't long before Jonathan asked if I was feeling well enough to take a turn driving.
"Sure, honey," I said. "I'm feeling much better now. If you need a break, just let me know and I'll take a turn."
"Well," he hedged, "I just want to know if you want to."
"Jonathan, if you're tired and need a break say so. Don't try to tough man it out."
"I wasn't."
I just raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned sheepishly. "Alright, next stop I'll give you a turn."
Soon I was driving and Jonathan was fitfully trying to sleep in the front seat. His color was off and to add to the misery Gary had started getting sick again. It didn't take long before I was pulling over at every rest stop and exit so that we could either clean Gary up, change Gail, or so Jonathan could be sick. By the time we reached York it was late and everyone was exhausted. Dad and I got out of our cars to deliberate. I told him that everyone in my car was sick with the exception of John. He said that everyone in his car was sick except Eliza and himself.
"There's a Motel 6 across the way over there," I said pointing. "Maybe it would be best if we all stopped for the night and tried to get some rest. I know our family isn't going to make it any farther tonight and I've already called Jonathan's folks to let them know." We had planned on stopping in Topeka for the night.
"I think you're right. I'll follow you over there then."
"Sounds good."
We got back into our respective cars and drove to the hotel. A sign read "The newest rooms in York." As we walked in we could see why they said that. Under renovation, the entire place smelled of wet paint. The manager welcomed us and we paid for the rooms we would need. "All of the usable rooms are upstairs," she said, "because of the renovations."
"That's fine."
We started bringing people and things in. I warned Jonathan ahead of time that it smelled like wet paint. "Just brace yourself," I said. "It's pretty strong." Once everything was in, I really looked at the room. Mom said it looked like 1968 all over again. Everything was either orange or yellow and very minimalist. There were no dressers, no closets, not even a clock. There were lots of plain shelves set up and the TV looked like something out of a scifi novel, melded with the wall with buttons and gizmos around it. A strange shelf had hangers on it and the towels were rolled into a weird orange display in the bathroom. We were grateful for the wood-wanna-be flooring as it was very easy to clean up as people got sick.
Jonathan beelined for the bed and within minutes it seemed had fallen asleep. Gary threw up twice more before also falling asleep. By eight-thirty everyone in the room was peacefully sleeping and I hoped that no one would get sick during the night. I was too tired to try to clean anything up. Luckily, the night passed without incident and in the morning, our last leg would be taken.
The final chapter, Day 6 - Happily Home, will be posted tomorrow.
The trip continued and as I got a little sleep here and a little there I began feeling better. But as I got better, Jonathan started to feel worse. We stopped for lunch at a KFC under the thought that mashed potatoes are gentle on the stomach. Unfortunately I couldn't even walk into the restaurant without feeling nauseous. I don't like KFC on good days. When I've been sick I like it even less. So I stayed out in the car with Abigail so she could eat and skipped lunch. I didn't feel like throwing up yet again. Once everyone had eaten, we started on the road. It wasn't long before Jonathan asked if I was feeling well enough to take a turn driving.
"Sure, honey," I said. "I'm feeling much better now. If you need a break, just let me know and I'll take a turn."
"Well," he hedged, "I just want to know if you want to."
"Jonathan, if you're tired and need a break say so. Don't try to tough man it out."
"I wasn't."
I just raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned sheepishly. "Alright, next stop I'll give you a turn."
Soon I was driving and Jonathan was fitfully trying to sleep in the front seat. His color was off and to add to the misery Gary had started getting sick again. It didn't take long before I was pulling over at every rest stop and exit so that we could either clean Gary up, change Gail, or so Jonathan could be sick. By the time we reached York it was late and everyone was exhausted. Dad and I got out of our cars to deliberate. I told him that everyone in my car was sick with the exception of John. He said that everyone in his car was sick except Eliza and himself.
"There's a Motel 6 across the way over there," I said pointing. "Maybe it would be best if we all stopped for the night and tried to get some rest. I know our family isn't going to make it any farther tonight and I've already called Jonathan's folks to let them know." We had planned on stopping in Topeka for the night.
"I think you're right. I'll follow you over there then."
"Sounds good."
We got back into our respective cars and drove to the hotel. A sign read "The newest rooms in York." As we walked in we could see why they said that. Under renovation, the entire place smelled of wet paint. The manager welcomed us and we paid for the rooms we would need. "All of the usable rooms are upstairs," she said, "because of the renovations."
"That's fine."
We started bringing people and things in. I warned Jonathan ahead of time that it smelled like wet paint. "Just brace yourself," I said. "It's pretty strong." Once everything was in, I really looked at the room. Mom said it looked like 1968 all over again. Everything was either orange or yellow and very minimalist. There were no dressers, no closets, not even a clock. There were lots of plain shelves set up and the TV looked like something out of a scifi novel, melded with the wall with buttons and gizmos around it. A strange shelf had hangers on it and the towels were rolled into a weird orange display in the bathroom. We were grateful for the wood-wanna-be flooring as it was very easy to clean up as people got sick.
Jonathan beelined for the bed and within minutes it seemed had fallen asleep. Gary threw up twice more before also falling asleep. By eight-thirty everyone in the room was peacefully sleeping and I hoped that no one would get sick during the night. I was too tired to try to clean anything up. Luckily, the night passed without incident and in the morning, our last leg would be taken.
The final chapter, Day 6 - Happily Home, will be posted tomorrow.
February 22, 2013
Day 4 - "Ugh"ing from Utah
There's only one problem with being around lots of family and it's a good problem; you spend way too much time gabbing. I can't blame my dad at all for taking advantage of the opportunity to talk to his brothers and sisters. We live far away and he doesn't get to see them often. But when we finally got on the road it was after 1:00 in the afternoon. A very long day on the road was ahead of us and Gary still wasn't feeling wonderful. Grandma had expressed her doubts that we would make it to Cheyenne where Jonathan and I had reservations for the night already set up. But what she seems to forget is that the Schofield family crest is very accurate; we're all bull-headed and stubborn to the bone. And Jonathan fits well within our family. Once he gets an idea in his head it's nigh unto impossible to get it out again. So I knew that no matter how long it put us on the road, Cheyenne would be the stopping point of the day. Now don't get me wrong: Jonathan is a very considerate driver. He stopped every time he was asked to without complaint. We took care of Gary and Gail as well as keeping in touch with Mom and Dad's car so that we could meet together for meals. Steven spent most of the day in the car with us watching movies with Gary and Gail or playing with them and when they were both napping, he would either talk to us or take a nap too. For the most part things were going great.
Until nightfall. Gary was starting to feel uggy again. To be honest, I wasn't feeling real great myself. I switched to the backseat to try to keep the kids content and sneak a nap. Jonathan likes to talk to me while he's driving and normally I love this time to chat together. But today I needed sleep. Having Gary sick all night had taken away several hours of sleep for both of us. Especially as he kept changing his mind on who he wanted to be with. I had planned on being a relief driver for Jonathan once we got to Rawlins, but it didn't end up happening. We stopped at a Village Inn with my folks and had dinner. My stomach was already starting to churn, so I decided I'd best stick to light, breakfast foods that wouldn't irritate me further. One sickie on the road was too many as it was.
We got back on the road headed for Cheyenne. It was late and everyone was tired. I sat in the back again with the kids, trying to keep them both calm. By now the novelty of traveling had completely worn off and the carseat was akin to the devil. Gail screamed as we put her back in the car and Gary whimpered and whined, "No. No. No! NO! NO!" It's hard to think with one child yelling at you. It's impossible with two.
Somehow I managed to get them both to sleep and I quickly took advantage of the silence to try to get a little more sleep myself. But they both woke up as we got into Cheyenne and the screaming match began all over again. We got to our hotel, gave Mom and Dad better directions to get there (I'm terrible with directions which is why I normally drive and Jonathan reads the map). Once inside, we tried to calm everyone down and get the to sleep. Tomorrow would be the longest leg of the journey and who knew what the next day would bring.
Tomorrow's post will be Day 4 - Yakking to York
Until nightfall. Gary was starting to feel uggy again. To be honest, I wasn't feeling real great myself. I switched to the backseat to try to keep the kids content and sneak a nap. Jonathan likes to talk to me while he's driving and normally I love this time to chat together. But today I needed sleep. Having Gary sick all night had taken away several hours of sleep for both of us. Especially as he kept changing his mind on who he wanted to be with. I had planned on being a relief driver for Jonathan once we got to Rawlins, but it didn't end up happening. We stopped at a Village Inn with my folks and had dinner. My stomach was already starting to churn, so I decided I'd best stick to light, breakfast foods that wouldn't irritate me further. One sickie on the road was too many as it was.
We got back on the road headed for Cheyenne. It was late and everyone was tired. I sat in the back again with the kids, trying to keep them both calm. By now the novelty of traveling had completely worn off and the carseat was akin to the devil. Gail screamed as we put her back in the car and Gary whimpered and whined, "No. No. No! NO! NO!" It's hard to think with one child yelling at you. It's impossible with two.
Somehow I managed to get them both to sleep and I quickly took advantage of the silence to try to get a little more sleep myself. But they both woke up as we got into Cheyenne and the screaming match began all over again. We got to our hotel, gave Mom and Dad better directions to get there (I'm terrible with directions which is why I normally drive and Jonathan reads the map). Once inside, we tried to calm everyone down and get the to sleep. Tomorrow would be the longest leg of the journey and who knew what the next day would bring.
Tomorrow's post will be Day 4 - Yakking to York
