Here in the states, it's Thanksgiving day. In my family, that means watching the parade on tv (although someday I want to go see it in person), eating way too much turkey and dressing and pie. Family time. Naps. I love Thanksgiving.
While I agree it's a great tradition to have a day to remember to be thankful, I've made it a habit over the last few years to always start my prayers by thanking God for at least a few of the blessings in my life. Because there are so many.
This year alone, I've gotten more contracts, had multiple books published, gotten to get back to a more normal lifestyle, have fairly decent health, a silly but wonderful family, and so many friends. And that's just the beginning.
I hope you're ensconced with loved ones today, and that you eat more than is probably wise. And remember to send up several prayers thanking God. For the big and little things in life.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! I'm thankful for all you sweet readers, too!

Ever feel like it's hard to find time to make romance when life gets super busy? There are still ways! Guest author Teresa Tysinger is here today to talk about how a cup of coffee says love louder than a lot of other things. Read on!

​My husband and I have been married almost twenty years. From the early days, he was good at the grand gestures of romance. Planning nice dinners for anniversaries, picking out thoughtful gifts, and even saving mementos like one of the cookies I baked, decorated, and mailed him one year in college! But as the years have ticked by, I’ve come to realize that there’s an equal amount of romance, if not more, in the small ways he shows me he loves me every day.
As I’m sure is the way with many of you, life these days is hectic. There are morning routines to get out the door, sports activities around town for our daughter, and chores/errands galore. (Oh yeah, plus a full-time job and part-time writing gig!) My husband and I often feel like those proverbial ships passing in the night. He’s found a way, however, to satisfy both my need to know he is thinking of me and one of my greatest loves: coffee. 

Every now and then, I look down and think, "Ugh. My belly doesn't look like I've lost any weight at all. Inches, either."
I get frustrated and berate myself for that third cookie I ate the night before. Promise to do some extra workouts the next week when I have more time.
Then, I'll turn a different way and catch my reflection in the mirror. And you know what? The belly may not be completely flat like I want, but it's also not sticking out as far as I thought it was, either.

What does your plate usually look like at dinner?
Meat, starch and a veggie or two? That's what I was brought up to believe the perfect balance was. My mom was a home ec major (back when such things existed), and she always tried to make sure we had at least one vegetable at dinner.
She also tried to make sure our dinner was more than one color. In other words, if we're eating chicken, rice, and corn, all those tend to be a yellowish hue, so we'd need something else with it to mix it up. I honestly don't always follow that rule anymore.
But, the veggie one I try to keep. Some days are easier than others.

Have you ever grown tomatoes?
They're not terribly hard plants to maintain. Good soil, enough water and sunshine, a bit of support around the edges. And you'll get terribly spoiled with fruit that tastes so much better than anything you can find in a store.
​Sure, there are bugs and birds who don't always want to leave the pickings for you and steal a bite or two. But for the most part, they don't eat much.