Snow Angel

Took these great pics of my Babygirl--who isn't as such a baby anymore--playing in the snow. Oh, how I love them. Her. all of the above.

P.S. Look what I made for Valentine's Day:

Very crafty of me, huh? I found the template for it on Marthastewart.com. Only don't look too closely at it; it isn't a very professional example of the ancient German art of paper-cutting. But I felt very accomplished for making it. And festive.

Hating the things I Love

I should be writing right now. I mean really writing. Writing like working hard on my novel, constructing complex and multi-dimensional characters who face unbelievable conflicts and are forced to make life altering decisions, but always maintaining a touch of humor.

But I don't want to.

I don't want to because I have a bit of a headache and my cranky, eczema afflicted toddler has finally gone down for a nap, and I even baked bread this morning, so can't I take a break? Don't I deserve a leisurely hour or two after being so productive and patient and domestic this morning?

No?

Sigh. All right. I'll do some writing. But only 500 words, that's it!

grrr.

Writing about Writing

Right now I want to write about writing; because after all, Moi am a writer.


Depending on the day.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you all a bit about the project I currently have in the works. I'm doing this in hopes that writing about writing will re-excite me about my novel. You know, bring back that spark and motivate me to want to spend some quality (quantity) time together.

Side Note: the terms I'm using to describe my project have led me to the realization that my relationship with my novel is very much like a marriage--I won't say my marriage, that's grounds for giving too much info--just A marriage, and I'll tell you how; I love my project. I really do; that's why I committed to it in the first place. It's charming and funny and I enjoy spending time with it. But sometimes I get busy, and well, distracted. Then I start ignoring my novel so I can work on "more important things," and I think, "It can take care of itself for a while. Really, It won't even notice if I don't work on it for a few days. Or weeks."

But it notices. And gets moody. So then when I'm all geared up and ready for some prime writin' time, it refuses. Nothing comes. Sigh.

Then you have to work like the Dickens (Charles Dickens, in fact--who worked a lot at writing. If you don't believe me, read one of his books, any one will do; and you'll soon see what I mean) to get back on good terms with the novel. You know, reread previous material; freewrite; brainstorm, write pages upon pages of dribble, bake cookies; eat cookies; etc. until the novel is in a more congenial mood. (If you are guessing that this is precisely what I'm doing now, that is an astute observation.)

So, on to telling you about my masterpiece-in-progress (it can't hurt to flatter it a bit, can it? It works in marriages--so I've heard).

My novel is about a girl. Exciting, eh? Her name is Ginger. She is seventeen and lives in New York City where she works in the family bakery owned by her parents. Ginger has a knack for baking and can't imagine a happier life for herself than working in the bakery for the rest of her life and becoming a celebrated pastry chef like her father.

Ginger has an older sister (Rose) who is not interested in the bakery at all. In fact, Rose despises the bakery. She is extremely beautiful and ambitious (not necessarily in that order) and she is heavily involved in campaigning to reach her life's goal of becoming a supermodel. For real. Rose sees the family business as being 'small time," and a waste of time.

Ginger and Rose are very close despite their opposite personalities and Ginger has an immensely difficult time dealing with some drastic decisions Rose makes.

In the meantime, it is the summer between Ginger's Junior and Senior year in high school. She is working blissfully at the bakery full-time and trying to ignore the growing stack of college applications her father keeps piling in her bedroom. She has no desire to leave home, the bakery or her family for the unknowns of college. It is during this time that she meets Christian.

Christian is an amiable and disarming farm boy from Upstate New York who delivers fresh eggs to the bakery every week. Ginger is immediately attracted to him and a relationship develops between them that causes Ginger to question a lot of things about herself. This is the primary plotline that moves the novel.

While all of this is going on, Ginger becomes interested in reading the journals of immigrants who came to America in the early 1900's. She comes across the life story of an Irish girl (Margaret Murphy) and recognizes how much the two of them have in common despite being separated by over 100 years. The whole novel intersperses snippets of Margaret's journal with the experiences Ginger is having, comparing and contrasting them.

I can't tell you too much more about the story without spoiling it. But I hope it sounds interesting. I've certainly spent a lot of hours working on this, and am bound and determined to finish it.

Someday.

Hopefully when I do, it will be worth reading (or rather, publishing--which are two entirely different things, incidentally) and then you all will be able to know the whole story.

But for now, I have some serious writing to do.

Help a Cousin Out

Hello Devoted Readers,

It has been a long time since I posted anything on this blog--I've been busy on many, many exciting projects (more about that later) but I have decided to break my prolonged silence for a good cause. A charitable cause, even.

No, really, it's a charity.

My cousin, Dan Sloan, recently discovered that he has a very large brain tumor that really ought to come out. That costs a pretty hefty chunk of change. In order to raise money for his surgery a benefit concert has been organized with 100% of the proceeds going toward his medical care. If you are in the Salt Lake area on February 4th and enjoy good entertainment, or if you are interested in donating to the cause see the poster below:

Or visit his website:

Olde Fashioned Tidwell Family Christmas

Baking our favorite treats.

Visiting Temple Square with the fam.

Window shopping at the Grand America Hotel--where Pete and I spent the first two days of our honeymoon, incidentally.

Christmas Eve at Tad and Sarah's--where Paisley announced that she's going to be a big sister!

Christmas morning at home.

More spoiling at Grandma and Grandpa McKinlay's on Christmas Day.

The favorite gift of Christmas. Amelia positively squealed when she ripped back the paper and saw this baby doll and a stroller from Mimi and Bampa. She has rarely been parted from them since.

Exhausted after a long day of celebrating the season.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a long night.