Today, in the US, we're celebrating Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays. I LOVE the food, for one thing. Turkey and dressing and gravy and rolls! Yum. I can eat my weight in it, and then still want pumpkin pie.
But I also just love how laid back and family-focused it is. It's like the last calm before the scurry and hurry of the Christmas season, a deep breath to be still for a moment before going full-throttle to the end of the year. And let me tell you, I need a few minutes of just being still after this crazy busy year.
​But I still have plenty to be thankful for ... despite all the craziness that came with 2022.

How do you do it all?
I get that question ALL THE TIME. A lot of times, I say something about "I just do it." 
But then I think. No. It's not just me.
My husband helps A LOT. He makes sure I can carve out time for writing/editing/marketing. He nods and waves me on when I schedule a book signing or register for a conference to help me improve.
He takes on so much with the children, and always makes sure I get a shower by myself. Lovely!
He takes out the trash each week, including the dirty cat litter. And often ends up doing the Goodwill runs, too.

My daughter is a book worm, in case you haven't picked up on that. She reads every hour (and I mean that literally) she can each day. So, when she started talking about what theme she wanted for her birthday party this year, of course it took a bookish slant.
At first, she went back and forth between just books in general or Nancy Drew. But since a lot of her friends are behind her in the reading department, we figured most of them hadn't read Nancy Drew. So, we went with a more general theme.

Have you ever thrown an axe?
No, that's not a crazy question. It's a new-ish trend from the last few years. There are escape rooms. There are putt-putt and bowling and other places like that. Or you can go axe-throwing.
I haven't been to one of the places in town that offer such fun, but last weekend, I was blessed to go on a retreat and it was an event we could sign up for.
​So, of course I did. ;)

I have a water bottle with lines on it. The lines have various times of the day and encouraging little phrases supposed to help me drink more water. I can normally fill and empty it about twice a day if I pay attention.
The other morning, it was sitting on the table at breakfast and still had some water left in it from the night before. My kids studied it while downing their toaster pastries.
"Mommy, did you not drink enough water yesterday?"