It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas....

The granddaughters spent the night on Friday and helped me wrap the presents that had piled up in the corner of my bedroom waiting for just such an event. We also watched Miracle on 34^th Street (the remade version, not the original, black and white just doesn’t hold their attention) while munching on a tray of homemade goodies. We’ll gather at one son’s house on Christmas Eve and another son’s house for Christmas Day and I’m looking forward to watching the girls tear into their gifts. The little one hidden amongst the presents in this picture wants a specific princess kitchen so badly she shivers when talking about it. (That present has been wrapped for some time and I sincerely hope ‘some assembly required’ doesn’t take hours!)

Today I will make a trip to the grocery store to purchase the times I need to create the dishes I will bring to both gatherings, and we have a lunch date with our oldest granddaughter. She turns six today and with the holidays so close, we’ve made a tradition of celebrating it early and going out to eat at the restaurant of her choice on her actually birthday.

One the writing side, all is going well. I had the unique opportunity to write a Christmas story during the Christmas season. It seems I’m usually writing about July in December and vise versa. HQN asked me to write a story for their 2013 Christmas anthology in November, and just this week I received the edits. I plan on completing them this coming week. Anna and Tanner’s story will be released next October. 

It’s hard not to think about all that’s going on around the world, and the tragedies right here in the United States. Please say a prayer, offer sympathy and empathy, but also take the time to reflect upon your blessings. All that you have and hold dear. That’s my Christmas wish for you.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake

Isn’t it adorable? Our daughter-in-law made it for our granddaughter’s birthday party yesterday.  If you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you’d love this cake! It tasted just like one, except a bit sweeter maybe. There was also a large chocolate cake, complete with candles, so party goers had their choice. (I had one of each—small ones—I had to try this one!)

Our granddaughter loved the baby dolls we bought her, and the stroller. She plunked one of the babies in it and made Papa take several walks up and down the block, her pushing the stroller, him following. 

Next weekend is our neighbor’s birthday. It’s a huge pot luck party that includes several rounds of skeet shooting and we all look forward to it all summer.  Oh, and speaking of neighbors, my other neighbor brought over some of her amazing dill pickles. They are so delicious! 

On the writing side—Here’s the cover art for Unclaimed Bride. Lovely.

Monday brought me some fabulous news. Harlequin offered me two contracts of three books each. One is for three Undones to be released in 2013 and one for three full length Harlequin Historicals. The first of those will be released in July, which means I need to have it turned in to my editor by mid-September.  A challenge for sure, but my wonderful editor brainstormed with me until we came up with a wonderful synopsis and then I hit the keyboard. I already love this story. It’s set in 1884. He’s a Pinkerton agent looking for train robbers. She owns a mercantile in the Dakota Territory, and is unwed and pregnant—which no one knows about. Yet.

If you have a chance, stop over at www.cowboykisses.blogspot.com this week, I’m interviewing two more authors from the Honky Tonk Hearts series. 

Smile, and spend some time simply enjoying the wonderful summer we’ve been blessed with this year.   

The snow is all gone!

 It may be back, for this is Minnesota, but for right now the snow is all gone and the weather is gorgeous. We have certainly had an interesting winter, and I’m not complaining! I made the appointment to get my Mustang out of winter storage this evening. YeeYaw! 

Celebrated our youngest son’s birthday this weekend, which was a lot of fun, and we had a wonderful barbeque at our other son’s house the evening before. Family and fun, the best way to spend weekends!

I’ve been invited to participate in a new group blog. Cowboy Kisses. There are an even dozen of us over there and we’ll be blogging about writing stories that include a kiss or two, I’d imagine. Stop on over and say hi when you have the chance. And don’t forget to hop over to check out all the wonderful posts at Sweethearts of the West. 

I have my RWA writers group meeting this coming weekend, and am looking forward to seeing all the wonderful writers over at Northern Lights Writers. With birthday parties and such I’ve missed the last couple meetings. This Saturday DH and I will be attended the National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet. That’s always a good time and such a wonderful cause.

The final edits for Unclaimed Bride have been approved. I’ll let you know when I get the official release date and of course the wonderful cover. 

Enjoy the day, enjoy the week, enjoy your life. It’s yours!

Happy Birthday

Yep, today is my birthday, and it’s already been an awesome day with lots of phone calls and birthday wishes. Thanks to all!

This is the whole gang (minus Hayley who was napping and James and Daniel who hadn’t arrived yet) at my mom’s birthday last March. Now that was a birthday party! I’m so glad we celebrated her birthday with such a grand event.

The kids called Jess yesterday to find out what kind of cake I wanted for this evening. He told them a coconut cream pie. He knows me so well. But we’ll have to put a (one is enough) candle on it. Historians say the Greeks placed candles on cakes so the smoke could carry their wishes and prayers to the Gods. A lovely tradition for sure. 

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Take time to celebrate, birthday or not, every day gives us things to be grateful for.

Lots and Lots of Snow

Like 12-15 inches of snow since yesterday, and it’s still falling. I do believe I’m snowed in. DH left with the plow truck a couple hours ago, and I can’t even see the trail he left in the driveway. Since I don’t have to go anywhere today, it would be a perfect day to write, but the black moment in my latest WIP needs to be fleshed out a bit more. I do that best when I’m busy, so I’m thinking about painting my kitchen. I did the downstairs bathroom last week and really like how it turned out…We’ll just have to see what the day brings.

We celebrated our granddaughter’s birthday on Saturday. (She turns two on Thursday.) Papa is her favorite word and person. As guests started to arrive, she snuggled up next to him and didn’t move until it was time to open gifts, which she tore into like a well-seasoned pro.

I received a lovely review from the Long and Short of It Reviews for Guardian Bride last week. Reviewer Camellia said, “With memorable metaphors and a special guardian angel, Lauri Robinson sweeps the reader into the Quinters’ lives…”

That’s about it from my little spot in the world today. I’m off to scrub the kitchen walls. Maybe they don’t need paint….

I hope you’re enjoying your day, whether it’s sunny or snowy, warm or cold.