Task it Tuesday & Merry Christmas

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

As is expected this time of year, I'm a bit busy. We took the girls into NYC this weekend for our annual trip--which included less shopping than normal. Ate at Black Tap and Times Square Cafe, which was fun. Also saw the Radio City Rockettes.

Now that we are home, it's back to business. Grocery shopping and Christmas shopping are done. I'm taking a few days off from work to enjoy the family. Today I will be wrapping and we will decorate gingerbread people. 

Here is my task list other than that:

• Read a chapter from the Gospel of Luke each day (fell behind, so will catch up before month's end)
• Exercise twice (maybe walking through NYC and gift wrapping can count for this, LOL)
• Get 6 hours of sleep at least 5 nights
• Keep editing the new manuscript
• Complete four more pages of additional content for A Christmas Kindness (Still stuck, but need it done by January 15)
• Continue 2020 Business Plan
• Submit Clever Tom and another idea to my publisher (DONE)

Thank you to my loyal readers. I appreciate you. Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas. 

Task It Tuesday - Dec 17

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

We have a snow day today, so I'm trying to clean the bonus room. I'm not sure how far I will get. The rest of the week is a blur of things to do and then we leave on Sunday for NYC. God willing, all that needs to get done will happen.

Here is what I had planned for this week:

1. Read a chapter from the Gospel of Luke each day 
2. Exercise twice
3. Get 6 hours of sleep at least 5 nights  
4. Finish decorating
5. Wrap gifts
6. Write Christmas letter
7. Keep editing the new manuscript
8. Blog 
9. Complete four more pages of additional content for A Christmas Kindness (kind of stuck on this right now)
10. Write a chapter of Amelia's Mission 
11. Continue 2020 Business Plan
12. Submit Clever Tom and another idea to my publisher 

That is it from my neck of the woods. What is on your list this week?

Mailbox Monday - Dec 16

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Happy Monday, everyone! The countdown to Christmas has definitely begun. I finished shopping yesterday. Hope to wrap everything before we leave for NYC this weekend. Decorations are slowly going up. Cards aren't done yet, but the family needs to come first.

Maybe with the tree skirt placed under the tree, the kittens will stay out of the branches. Someone sent me this funny picture. This is a truly tempting idea. Travis jumped up and almost knocked the wreath off our wall the other day.

I haven't requested any printed books lately since Santa and his elves might gift me one or two. Instead, I picked up these two e-books for my Kindle.

Pelican Book Group is running a Countdown to Christmas sale. Some titles are on sale for 99 cents. 

This book was also on sale, but since I had a promotional credit it didn't cost me anything. 

That is it for me. I hope you have a blessed week.

Task it Tuesday...on Thursday

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

So, as you can see, my week has been nutty. I'm trying to get ready for Christmas, the girls have events, the kittens won't stay out of the tree or stop eating everything in sight so I can't decorate, and the cold temperatures just make me want to curl up in a comfy chair and read or write all day.

Here is what I had planned for this week:

1. Read a chapter from the Gospel of Luke each day (on track)
2. Exercise twice (I consider clearing snow exercise, so I was good this week)
3. Get 6 hours of sleep at least 5 nights  (Most days)
4. Keep editing the new manuscript (working on it)
5. Blog (a bit behind, but blogging)
6. Complete four more pages of additional content for A Christmas Kindness (not yet)
7. Write a chapter of Amelia's Mission (not yet)
8. Start 2020 Business Plan
9. Submit Clever Tom and another idea to my publisher (not yet)

I'm a bit stuck on the new content for A Christmas Kindness. I am halfway there, but not sure what else to add. I think Clever Tom will need to wait until after Christmas or between Christmas and New Year's.

How is your week going?

Mailbox Monday - Dec 9

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Only a few more weeks until Christmas and my trees aren't even decorated. The kittens might have something to do with that.

The lights are now up, but they bit a bulb off last night and wound up locked in the crate until we found it.

This is the first thing that happens when I enter my bathroom each morning.

I can honestly say we have never had cats like these.

In the mailbox this week an Amish fiction collection arrived.

I also borrowed these two from the library. Not that I have had time to crack them open.

That's it from me. The work and personal schedule will get hectic by Wednesday, so we will see how much reading I get done. Hope you have a great week.

Task it Tuesday - Dec 3

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

Welcome back to Tuesday. By the time this posts, I hope most of the snow is done. We had about six inches Sunday afternoon into Monday morning, and then a break until Monday evening when it started up again. We already have the two to three inches more they said we would probably get, so it can stop any time now.

With this being the last month of the year, I'm working on reviewing goals and finishing up what I can. I haven't felt much like working, but bills need to be paid so I'm forcing myself to stay on track. Here is what this week looks like:

1. Read a chapter from the Gospel of Luke each day 
2. Exercise twice 
3. Get 6 hours of sleep at least 5 nights  
4. Make 150 copies of Christmas ornament craft for charity event
5. Keep editing the new manuscript
6. Blog
7. Complete four more pages of additional content for A Christmas Kindness 
8. Write a chapter of Amelia's Mission
9. Start 2020 Business Plan
10. Submit Clever Tom and another idea to my publisher

That's it for this week. I have a variety of meetings for work and a holiday event to attend at the Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday with my husband. I've been shopping a bit, so hopefully there won't be a mad dash at the end for Christmas preparations. The kittens are still attacking the tree multiple times a day, so we haven't decorated it yet. Not sure if the tree will have anything else but lights this year. Oh, well. 

Hope you're having a productive week.

Mailbox Monday - Dec 2

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Happy Monday! It is a wet and white one around here. The first snowstorm of the season has arrived. It started Sunday afternoon and is supposed to go through Tuesday morning. Doesn't that sound like fun? At least it is pretty when it comes down.

We celebrated a nice Thanksgiving on Thursday with family. On Saturday, we took in a Springfield Thunderbirds game. Then Sunday, we went and saw one of our church family play at the Festival of Trees.

Sunday morning, we decided to test out how the kittens would treat the Christmas tree. A few hours later ...

I may end up with a tree that only has lights this year.

My physical mailbox didn't contain any goodies, but I picked up this Kindle freebie Friday.

Now, if I could just find my Kindle Fire. I am sure it is here somewhere. See what happens when you clean. 

What was in your mailbox? Did you celebrate Thanksgiving? Is your tree up yet? 

Seasonal Fiction: A Country Christmas by Debbie Macomber

A country Christmas might be the best Christmas of all…

Return to Promise

Rancher Cal Patterson and his wife, Jane—known as Dr. Texas—have recently separated, with Jane going back to her childhood home in California with their children. Now Cal, alone on his ranch, is forced to confront what he really wants in his life, what he needs. Jane is confronting the same questions. How seriously does Cal take his marriage vows? And how important is Promise, Texas, to Jane? Is there hope for a reconciliation—in time for Christmas?

Buffalo Valley

The town of Buffalo Valley, North Dakota—a community in farm country—is undergoing a revival. Vaughn Kyle, who’s just out of the army, is looking for a place to live, a life to live. While he’s waiting for his ambitious fiancée to make up her mind, he visits Buffalo Valley one snowy day and meets a young woman named Carrie Hendrickson. As they grow close, Vaughn has to question his feelings for the woman he thought he loved. He knows then that he wants to stay in Buffalo Valley, where life is about family and friends—not money and social standing. And not just at Christmas, but every day of the year…

File Size: 1577 KB
Print Length: 352 pages
Publisher: MIRA; Original edition (September 24, 2019)
Publication Date: September 24, 2019
Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.
Language: English
ASIN: B07L79LTRW


Purchase here!

Task it Tuesday - Nov 26

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

We are back to Tuesday. Thanksgiving is here this week, so there are a few things to accomplish for that. I'm looking forward to having family at our house. Here is my list:

1. Daily Bible reading. 
2. Exercise twice 
3. Get 6 hours of sleep at least 5 nights  
4. Start editing a new manuscript on Wednesday
5. Blog
6. Complete four more pages of additional content for A Christmas Kindness 
7. Wash floors on Wednesday
8. Make squash on Wednesday
9. Thursday - Enjoy family and cooking
10. Friday - Recover from Thanksgiving (LOL!) 
11. Write a chapter of Amelia's Mission
12. Start 2020 Business Plan

So far so good on my list. Hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Mailbox Monday - Nov 25

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope all my USA friends are prepared for Thanksgiving. I made myself a promise to shop early so I can avoid the grocery store this week.

With the work schedule slowing down a bit I was able to clean the living areas, put up some fall decorations, get some reading done, and enjoy lunch out with our church family. Since the church split up, we don't see one another as much as we used to, and we knew once the holidays are upon us we might not be getting together. What a tremendous blessing to see each other and spend a few hours catching up.

I still haven't settled on a new church. Nothing has felt right yet. Part of that might be because the girls remain angry over what happened and refuse to attend a new church, so I go by myself or with my mother-in-law when she is here. I would love to attend as a family again. 

My physical mailbox was empty, but I grabbed this Kindle freebie on Sunday. It is the first in a series. I hope I get to read at least one seasonal book before December ends. 

I pray all of those celebrating Thanksgiving find it to be a day filled with happiness and blessings.

New Release: Forever Christmas by Cat Cahill

A lonely cowboy. A young widow. A Christmas to remember.

Elizabeth Hartley Campbell arrives at the Crest Stone Hotel, widowed and searching for the brother she hasn’t seen in seven years. Distraught to learn he’s left, she takes a job as a Gilbert Girl at the hotel’s restaurant. She quickly befriends the other girls and finds comfort in helping the hotel prepare for Christmas–until a wayward cowboy wanders in from the snow and sits at her lunch counter.

Landon Cooper didn’t mean to stop at the hotel, and he certainly didn’t intend to stay longer than one night. After all, a job that will pay him more money than he could ever make as a ranch hand awaits him in Canon City–if he can stomach the thought of turning outlaw. But it’s hard to think straight when Elizabeth is nearby, and he finds himself hanging pine boughs and lugging a tree through the snow for her instead of riding away.

Even though Elizabeth fears falling for another cowboy and Landon knows she won’t forgive him if she knew what he had planned, they find themselves growing closer. With a blizzard threatening on Christmas Eve, both Elizabeth and Landon will need to learn to trust in love, or be driven apart forever.

Forever Christmas is the fifth book in the Gilbert Girls series, but can be read as a standalone novel. Like all of Cat’s books, this sweet and clean historical romance will warm your heart and fill you with hope.


File Size: 3268 KB
Print Length: 132 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publication Date: November 11, 2019
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07YX3DP7J

Purchase here!

Task it Tuesday - Nov 19

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

Last week and this week have been productive. I'm committed to ending the year strong.

Here is this week's task list:

1. Daily Bible reading - not quite
2. Exercise twice - not even close 
3. Get 6 hours of sleep at least 5 nights - maybe 3 nights
4. Start editing a new manuscript - not yet
5. Blog - yep
6. Complete two pages of additional content for A Christmas Kindness - yes
7. Prepare for a closing - yes, closed today

One project that wasn't on the list was cleaning my office closet and organizing all my books. That took a while, but it's done.

This week's list:

1. Daily Bible reading. I'm two days behind. (Hear me sighing now.)
2. Exercise twice (Want to bet on this one?)
3. Get 6 hours of sleep a night - not on Sunday or Monday
4. Start editing a new manuscript - should happen
5. Blog - definitely
6. Complete two pages of additional content for A Christmas Kindness - already done and have done two more. Only 14 more pages to go.

What are you hoping to accomplish this week?

2019 Goals Review

So here it is mid-November. How have I done? Pretty much blew these goals. I had more success with my writing ones. Let's take a peek.

PERSONAL GOALS

GOAL 1: Read the Bible this year

I made it through June before this fell apart. I am still reading from my Bible, but haven't caught up since I feel behind this summer. 

GOAL 2: Exercise on Tuesday and Friday mornings

I don't know how to manage this unless I find a way to change my internal clock. I've been a night owl my entire life. It's almost 2 am as I am typing this. If I could simply go to bed earlier and wake up earlier, I might have a fighting chance. 

GOAL 3: Learn to say "no"

Maybe I should just strike "yes" and "how can I help" from my vocabulary? LOL!  Volunteering is in my heart. I can't help it and I don't apologize for it. We are called to serve one another.  

REAL ESTATE GOALS

GOAL 1: Time block my calendar

I made it to April with this goal. I despise time blocking, so that is an obstacle. I am going to try choosing a theme for each day in 2020. 

GOAL 2: Double my volume

Systems. Systems. Systems. It all boils down to that. I will increase my volume again this year, but I didn't double it. This will be a 2020 goal for sure. 

GOAL 3: Read at least one business/sales related book each quarter

DONE! I read four books already. I might squeeze another one before the end of the year.

Did you set goals for 2019? How are you doing?  

Mailbox Monday - Nov 18

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Well, we are 10 days away from Thanksgiving. I think I'll play host this year. Last year we were away at my brother-in-law's place. I'm eager for turkey and all the fixings. How about you?

Last week was filled with appointments and I was elected as an officer of the REALTOR® Association of Pioneer Valley. I also sat on a panel with other longtime members to speak to a group of new REALTORs.

Photo credit: RAPV

What an exciting career choice this has turned out to be. I never expected to be so in love with what I do, and becoming part of the leadership team has brought with it so many rewards.

With a clean office, I feel more productive. I spent the weekend showing a house or two, mailing out marketing packets, and holding an open house.

The more exciting part of the weekend was the Fall Dance Show at Wilbraham and Monson Academy. The Lil' Princess has been on the dance team since last year. This group of talented teens always puts on an amazing show. During dress rehearsal, one of the team captains injured her ankle, which meant these kids had to learn new parts a day before the show. If the teacher hadn't told us, we never would have known.

 Photo credit: Bill Wells, WMA 

Lil' Princess on right doing splits

In my reading world, I'm trying to catch up on the dozen or so books I still owe reviews on. In my mailbox, I found this little gem to help bring me into the new year and the goals I am setting for myself.

What was in your mailbox? Any seasonal titles this week? 

Carol's Choice: A Western Christmas Carol by Kimberly Grist

After the deaths of her mother and stepfather, twenty-year-old Carol Stone finds herself in reduced circumstances with two younger siblings to care for. The suggested marriage of convenience is out of the question, so she stalls for time. When Carol learns she is the sole heir of a small home in Carrie Town, a newly expanded railroad village, she throws caution to the Texas wind and packs her bags.

Though warned of the extreme change in lifestyle, she’s shocked at the smallness of the Sunday House. And why didn’t she think to ask about indoor plumbing?

Leaving her lifestyle of shopping, lavish parties and holiday endeavors for a simpler life is a temporary solution until she can make a match of her own design. Carol struggles to let go of the past, embrace the present, and hope for a better future. What she doesn’t bargain for is the handsome livery-stable owner, who understands the true meaning of family and Christmas. Will love conquer lavish?

File Size: 4251 KB
Print Length: 116 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1082358932
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications (July 22, 2019)
Publication Date: July 22, 2019
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07VL5NP6K


Purchase here!

Task it Tuesday - Nov 12

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

In checking, September 24 was the last time we had a Task it Tuesday. I would say I've been a bit distracted. :) This is what the list looked like then:

• Daily Bible reading
• Exercise four times a week (never happening, but the doctor says so)
• Blogging
• Get the yard ready for winter
• Clean the house
• Finish cleaning my office
• Get 6 hours of sleep a night
• Edit a manuscript
• Compile additional content for the hardcover release of A Christmas Kindness in 2020

What did I accomplish?

• My Bible reading has been a bit more sporadic than I would like, but several times a week I am spending time in the Word. This will require some additional discipline in 2020.
• I have not exercised and I have gained a tiny bit of weight. I need to consider a plan for how to use my barre, the cookbooks, and the workouts I have here to exercise regularly; if for no other reason than to help me be in better shape in case I need to defend myself while out showing houses. 
• Blogging is fairly regular, but you'll see big gaps when I got so busy I barely slept. I've decided to stop populating my Christian book blog for a while. I will use this blog to post about those titles. I need to better focus my activities.
• Made good progress on the yard, but the vegetable garden still needs to be taken care of. Might try that this week. 
• My office is CLEAN!!! It took almost three days, but my closet is free of stuff I don't want; my TBR pile has been organized and I donated some books; all my real estate supplies now fit in the closet with the overflow of books in boxes; and I can see my floor. 
• My sleeping habits have definitely improved, but I still abuse myself a couple times a week and stay up too late.
• Finished that manuscript. Now, I am waiting for the copy to come back from the publisher so we can catch anything that might have been missed.
• Some material has been put together for A Christmas Kindness. 

Here is this week's task list:

1. Daily Bible reading
2. Exercise twice
3. Get 6 hours of sleep at least 5 nights
4. Start editing a new manuscript
5. Blog
6. Complete two pages of additional content for A Christmas Kindness
7. Prepare for a closing

What are you working on this week? Anything you need to stay focused on to complete?

Mailbox Monday - Nov 11

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

We are somehow at Monday again. This week we are expecting a bit of the wet and white stuff. Doubtful it will be much, but thankfully the leaves are picked up and the trampoline mostly dismantled for the season.

Since I was kind enough to myself to take a weekend off, I began the task of cleaning my office. I've done little pick ups here and there, but now that I am treasurer for two organizations and am sick and tired of boxes of books stacked in my upstairs hallway, I need to deep clean and organize.

These are magazines I saved for two decades for some crazy reason. They are getting recycled.

I've stopped most of my subscriptions because I never get around to reading them. Why waste the money?

My office closet floor is totally empty right now. That hasn't happened in I don't know how long. I'm going through the boxes of books to make sure I want to keep everything in them. If not, they are making their way out to the library. 

I won an Amazon gift card from a company event and used it to pick up three new books. Two arrived on Sunday.

I am expecting the final one tomorrow. 

On this Veteran's Day, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all who have served our country. May God bless you and your families. I was thrilled to hear President Trump proclaimed November as National Veterans and Military Families Month. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Mailbox Monday - Nov 4

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Welcome to the first Monday in November. The air has turned cool and crisp here. We had our first frost this weekend. In some ways, I'm glad. I love the fall scents that carry on the wind as I travel around town and visit houses. In other ways, it seems like I've run out of days in the year to accomplish goals I set in January. Some have been met, some are close to done, and some are too far away for me to imagine the end of the year will bring success. Such is the story of life these days. I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far.

In my reading world, I've tried to be kind and not request too many books for review. There are days I've stumbled, but overall I didn't do too badly. Bookworms can never have enough books anyway.

Here are some digital books I recently acquired:

I love children's books, so these will be fun reads. Look for my reviews at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection.

Hope you have a blessed week.

Mailbox Monday - Oct 28

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Welcome back to Monday. I thought my schedule would loosen up a bit, but it didn't. A new listing, a charity event, showings, preparing for two closings this week, and blogging at the 4RV Reading, Writing, & Art News and the Christian Children's Authors blog did not allow for a lot of free time. Oh, I managed an open house, a company meeting where I won an Amazon gift card, an educational panel on crumbling concrete, two doctors appointments, and an oil change and tire rotation on the car too. Where did making supper and doing laundry get done? Who knows, but somehow it came together.

I'm so thrilled that one manuscript I was editing is now done. I can't wait to see this book hit the market. I'm glad to know the author is working on a sequel.

My mailbox held a few treasures this week. I love seasonal titles. No one needs to give me an excuse to read one of Karen White's books either. Challenge is I haven't read the previous two books in the Tradd Street series; so now I need to decide if I read this one anyway or go back and read the others first.

I was asked to give a reading of my book, A Christmas Kindness, at an upcoming Christmas event at a local church. I ordered 25 copies, but didn't want to go too crazy. The publisher is re-releasing the softcover next year under my married name (I used my maiden name on this one) and also is releasing a hardcover version in 2020. I'm working on the additional material for the hardcover right now.

That's it from my neck of the woods. How about you? Any seasonal offerings in your mailbox? It is definitely that time of year.

New Release: Western Christmas Wishes by Brenda Minton and Jill Kemerer

Two tales of holiday homecoming.

Spend the holidays with family in these two Western novellas!

Home is where the heart is in His Christmas Family when Laurel Adams comes home and discovers a foster kid and a seriously charming horse trainer living on her grandmother’s ranch. And in A Merry Wyoming Christmas, single mom Leann Bowden is starting over when she and her daughter are rescued from a snowstorm. Might the dashing cowboy be the Christmas gift they’re dreaming of?

Series: Love Inspired
Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition (October 15, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1335479511
ISBN-13: 978-1335479518

Click here for online retailers!