Write On!

I'm very proud of my literary boys this week. Mike finished the second draft of his science fiction novel about accidental time travel. I read the first draft and was pleasantly surprised at how engrossing it was even for me, a non-sci fi nerd. He's sending copies out to friends and family now for input before he starts soliciting agents. He has started writing at least 3 novels since we've been together but this is the first that he has actually completed so I'm especially proud of him, even if it never gets published beyond the Kinko copy he is carrying around doing line by line edits as we speak.

A great inspiration for Mike's perseverance is one of his best buddies Brian Katcher. This shot is from our New Mexico Adventure last summer with he and his super sweet wife Sandy. Brian has had 2 Young Adult novels published with another on the way next year. He's also working on a sci fi series with another publisher but I'm not sure about that release date. Brian recently won the 2011 Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award, which is given to "works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience."

“A young adult novel about a transgender girl—told from the perspective of the straight boy who falls for her—“Almost Perfect” is exceptional. The writing is sensitive, haunting and revelatory,” said Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Award committee chair Lisa Johnston.

He's been getting a ton of great press since the award including this write up in the St. Louis Post Dispatch and even a mention on the Onion AV club. It really couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Brian and Sandy are probably the most easy going and non-judgemental people I've ever been fortunate to know.

If you have teenagers I would highly recommend his first two books, including Playing with Matches, which is actually my favorite by a slim margin of the two so far. Kai lists Brian as his favorite author on Facebook and has actually read Playing with Matches multiple times which is unheard of for him.

Sets for everyone!

I have been having the worst blogging block I've ever experienced. Every time I sit down to my computer with a few minutes to blog I come up completely empty. The last few weeks have been really busy at work and I'm still coming out of my mid-winter blahs but hopefully I can find some inspiration soon. I need to visit my favorites and get caught up on all of your doings and that would probably get me motivated again but it's finding the time to do it. I'm hoping for another snow day tomorrow which would be the perfect time to do some blog hopping. We are supposed to get another 3-6 inches which should be enough for a day off.

So I'm posting pictures of all the sets I made for my girls for Christmas. Jess and Kate both wanted such drastically different colors that I made them each two sets, one for really cold days and one more for fun. In the top shot they are also playing with their crazy new toys I got them from Cranky Yellow which were a huge hit. Kate particularly loved her David Wolk doll with its Barby legs and bulging eye head. She said she couldn't wait to show it off (and freak her friends out).

The first adorable little girl is my niece Savannah looking all sweet in her funky new set. The second adorable little girl is Sophie, our good friend's Brian and Sandy Katcher's imp.

Snow Day!

I haven't dropped completely off the planet but thanks for those who expressed concerns for my well being. I am starting to come out of my funk (my code word for major depression). I've been to my doctor, had my meds adjusted, and I'm taking some positive steps toward changes that I hope will make for a happy new year.

Today is a snow day for both Mike and I so we got to sleep in late and I spent all morning/early afternoon going through my knitting books & magazines looking for the right vest pattern to make for myself. I found it in an old Vogue magazine. It even uses one of my absolute favorite stitch patterns, the Seafoam pattern. I used my gift card from my MIL to Webs to buy the yarn for the vest and a lace shawl I'm also going to make for myself. I usually spend my gift cards on yarn for the business but this year I decided I really wanted to knit myself some nice things to wear to craft shows and for fun.

These pics are from our last snow fall on Christmas Day with the girls on the farm. Kate is all bundled up in the wild scarf/hat set I made for her with pom pom yarn. I hope you are warm and cozy where ever you are today!

Favorite Gift Given

I've been pretty out of it lately and not feeling too up for being social either on-line or off. I just wanted to share my favorite gift that I was a part of this holiday. My uncle asked me to take pictures on the farm that spelled out LENOX for my Mom. I think it came out really well. It was funny how my niece Jess knew instantly where each of the letters came from. My Dad who has spent practically his entire life on the farm had to stop and think about a few of them.

I'm going to have one made for myself using the alternate fall color letters below. I will also try to spell out GEORGE here in St. Charles and hang them together. I'm planning on shooting all of the letters when I get back to the farm with plenty of time. It was fun but challenging. The L was actually the most tricky to get right for some reason.