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! :)
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