I just started this wonderful memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, and I have to admit that I really want to reprise my study of the Italian language! If you aren’t aware, eat, pray and love chronicles her year spent in Italy, India and Indonesia after divorcing from her husband. It is a year that she has taken off from work as a writer/journalist to discover her true self.  She is funny and heartbreaking at the same time. I’m still just in the beginning of her travels, having only arrived in Rome a few weeks ago. I’m loving it like no other book.

Peace,

Kris

Here are my two presents from my two boys. How appropriate - flowers! Hopefully the one on the left will last all spring/summer, and I know for sure that I can plant the crocus bulbs on the right to enjoy next spring.

Hope your day is good. If you’re a mom, Happy Mom’s Day! If you’re not a mom, make sure you send some wishes to your mom today and every day. After all, she’s the one who brought you here!

Peace,

Kris

Yes, I’ve been sucked into this show. But in my defense, it’s only been for the last two seasons. I’d listened to my sister and niece talk about the show for years, and I finally succumbed. I have to admit that it is entertaining, and by watching it on TIVO, I can skip through any parts (or singers) that I don’t want to hear.

This brings me to David Archuletta. Am I the only one on the planet who doesn’t like this guy’s voice? I have nothing personally against him - he seems like a great, down-to-earth, guy. But there is just something about his voice that makes me press the fast forward button immediately when he comes on stage.

I much prefer the voice of rocker David Cook. Now that’s my kind of singer. There’s substance to it, gritty, volume. I hope he wins it all.

I’m winding down a very, very busy week. Today I plan on doing nothing but my current wip. It has got to get done, and no one else is going to get it done except me. Next weekend the hubby and I are heading to Ohio for a RWA conference, and I’ll be lucky enough to meet my agent face-to-face. I can’t wait. I have to be able to tell her that I’m almost done, like 80% done with my edits. If not, I’m afraid she’ll kick me to the curb - cliche, I know.

Have a great day, and if I don’t write before, have a great weekend.

Peace,

Kris

There are mixed feelings in the Yankee household today.

Spring hockey season is over for HockeyBoy. A week or so ago, he said he was happy and sad about it. Happy, because his time wouldn’t be all hockey and no playing with friends. Sad, because if he could, he’d be on the ice every day.

Today, his story was a little different. When asked, he said he wasn’t too sad about it because he wouldn’t have to hustle. He had just finished his last game against one of the better teams in our league. Two of his friends are on that team, and HockeyBoy was hoping that his team was cream their team. No such luck - it was 5 to 2, the other team.

Travel hockey has a much faster pace than house. Yes, HockeyBoy is used to skating fast. He’s not used full-tilt, all out skating for up to two minutes. When he gets off the ice, he usually sits down and drinks a bunch of water.

I asked HB if he’d rather go back to house, skate fast, but not hustle every second of his shift. His reply was quick, “Hustling is my speed.”

Good thing because we’ve signed him up for two summer camps that will last almost the entire summer. One starts June 3rd and ends August 7th. That one is once a week, 1.5 hours each time. The other starts June 23 and is twice a week, 1.5 hours each time. He should be really prepared for try-outs in July.

So, for at least the next month, I won’t be sitting in a rink 2 - 3 times a week.

What joy!

Peace,

Kris

The month of April has flown by so quickly. I know that my perception of time has changed as I grow older, and I can only attribute that to the amount of things I do each day. Some days are filled with obligations, and those are the ones that fly by almost instantaneously. Other days are slower, but seem to go by just as quickly. Why does this happen? I don’t know, and if I think about it I’m sure I’ll start a rant about how mothers don’t have enough time in the day. But that’s old news, and I’m tired of it. I’ve realized that I need to make myself a priority in order to be happy.

So, In order to combat the endless chatter that goes on in my head (and keeps me awake at night), I’ve taken up yoga. I have to tell you that I love it. When I’m done at my class, I feel so happy it is not even funny. After the first time, I asked my friend who’d joined me, “Do you feel good?” She gave me a strange smile and shook her head. I thought it was because I had finally taken the step to making time for myself. After speaking with another friend who is very close to becoming a certified yoga instructor, she told me that one is supposed to feel like that after yoga. She told me that I was able to connect the poses within me, and that was the reason I felt so good.

Now when I go to yoga class, I anticipate feeling good. Sure the vinyasa yoga is tough on the upper body, but I love it. I love how I feel when I’m done. My mind is clear and, amazingly enough, I feel energized. I’ve even started doing an AM Yoga practice and sometimes a PM Yoga practice - all depends upon when I decide it’s time to go to bed.

Another thing that I’ve been trying to do it relish the sight of my spring flowers. They truly are gorgeous. Here. I’ll show you some - please note that these photos do not do them justice.

I love this picture of my salmon colored tulips. These are almost now depleted. They lasted at least five days, and I enjoyed them every day.

This one shows all the colors of the tulips that have bloomed in my front yard. The salmon colored tulips are in the row beneath the hummingbird feeder - note: the boys have seen the hummingbirds, but I haven’t. I can’t wait to see my first hummer of the season!

Our Weeping Cherry is more beautiful each year. I can’t wait until it is huge and all those pretty lilac blossoms are everywhere.

So there is a bit of Michigan spring for you all who live elsewhere. I’m certainly enjoying it. I hope you are too where ever you are. Remember to take some time for yourself. You’re important too!

Peace,

Kris

Ok, been very busy with work, the kids, life, everything. Just wanted to drop in, say hi! I promise to blog more. Work, although busy at times, should be slower this week, and I should (read that as I hope) to be able to write, write, and what was that? Oh yeah, write.

Talk with you soon.

Peace,

Kris

Well, I’m in the middle of several large editing projects at the moment for work, so my own wip has been sitting on the floor next to my desk screaming at me every time I look at it.  Do I dare say, “Shut up!”? It’s ironic to me that when I finally secure an agent, the other parts of my life become hectic. Sure, some would say that since I’m a contract worker for Nelson, I should be able to tell them I’m not available. The problem with that is my work ethic. If I tell someone that I’ll have something done by a certain date, I’m driven to do that. My agent, bless her heart, doesn’t give deadlines. She told me this in the beginning, and I inwardly said, “Uh oh.” Even my own self-imposed deadlines for this aren’t working.

I guess I need to get myself a true critique partner and not just a beta reader. Perhaps with someone cracking the whip, I’d get my butt in gear and get my own edits completed.

Peace,

Kris

This morning the youngest came down stairs, flushed and cranky, stating in a loud, whiny voice, “I feel like I need to stay in bed all day long!” After taking his temperature (102.8, thank you very much), I had to concur.

I.AM.SO.SICK.OF.EVERYONE.BEING.SICK!!!

I swear, I’m going to completely disinfect my home with all those chemicals that I NEVER use. I can’t stand the fumes nor what those chemicals do to my hands. But by God, I have got to get this house healthy! Maybe if I’d been using those horrible chemicals, everyone in the household wouldn’t have gotten sick. Oh well.

Yesterday we had lovely 71 degree weather. I opened the windows, hoping that the fresh air would clean out the mustiness that has settled into the carpet, furniture, and us over the winter. It was nice to have the breeze and to hear the outside world. Today, it’s about 50 degrees and sunny. Word is is that it’s going to rain. Who knows - I don’t trust the weather people even with their Doppler 1Million. They don’t really know if the wind pattern is going to stay the same. Oh well.

So anyway, I’m home, catching up on some work, need to read a few manuscripts for Nelson, and of course, need to work on my own edits.

Life is just all right right now. It could always be worse!

Peace,

Kris

Well, the respiratory flu has finally hit the last of the Yankee clan. The youngest came down with it, but Thank God! it wasn’t as bad as the rest of us. He came down with a cold and fever. Today the fever is gone, and he’s feeling much better. Hopefully the fever won’t come back, and he’ll be able to make it into school tomorrow for his t-shirt tye-dyeing extravaganza!

I’m so tired of everyone being sick in my house! Today the temperature is supposed to be in the mid-to-high 60’s, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Spring has officially sprung in SE Michigan!! My flowers are sprouting up, just waiting to grow and bloom. The birds are back, singing and getting ready to make their nests in the neighborhood. I’m just so excited to have the sunshine.

Peace,

Kris