“Did you get a first day of school outfit?”

Ahhhh, the start of a new school year! The butterflies. The school supplies. The new outfits. There is a routine that sets the stage for this seasonal change every year. And, as I considered this I realized that, even more than New Year’s Eve, my year truly begins when the school days start.

In fact, I missed this during those post school, pre-kids, days. My schedule felt off… like I was missing something important. And, I was. Because during the slower, mess structured summer days I end up doing a lot of thinking (and not a lot of writing). Summer is when I take stock of my year so far; when I dream about what could be and how to make it so. And then, when school starts I sit down and make my shiny new list of goals. 

Two years ago I told myself I would get my first book published… October 2011, BETTING JESSICA was released on Kindle. A year ago, 2012, I knew I would have to buckle down and do some real marketing for Soul Mate Publishing’s release of my 2nd book, UNTANGLING THE KNOT in Feb. of 2013… Now my marketing plan is filled out and actively referenced in all of the promotional plans I take on.

This year my head is filled with many dreams and plans. But the word I would use to describe all of them is expand.

-Expand my writing through a new creative project (which BTW – was my official 2013 New Year’s resolution so I better get to work on that:>)

-Expand my publishing through getting Molto Mayhem out there for my readers. One way or another you will finally get to see this story.

-Expand my marketing by building a fundraiser for Comfort Zone Camps and tied to UNTANGLING THE KNOT. 

-Expand my knowledge by learning about screenwriting and engaging with the film industry.

As the weeks progress there will be many great new things going on in my blog. And, I expect pieces of this will change, get dropped or reprioritized. But right now, as my daughter embarks on a new school year armed with a stuffed pencil case and stylish new clothes, I head into my new year with a fresh new coat of energy, ready to tackle whatever the year holds.

I’d love to hear about your back to school routines. Leave a comment for any of my blog posts and at the end of each month I will randomly select one visitor/commenter to receive a free download of BETTING JESSICA. (Note: winner will be notified by a comment linked to their comment…. So check back at the end of the month for  directions on how to claim your prize!) Good Luck! 
 
Here’s to a fantastic school year for all kids and moms alike.

“You can’t dye hair blonde, you bleach it.” (15 year old)

Isn’t it amazing the things you know at fifteen? Instagram – check, fad diets – check, manipulating the system – check; natural consequences – not so much.

This overhear reminded me of so many years ago when I was fifteen and still naïve about what really mattered in life. Long, blonde hair seemed incredibly important; as did (don’t laugh at the Brady Bunch context) a face without freckles. And I discovered great news; One household kitchen item could cure both apparently. Sitting in the sun with lemon juice on your face and hair was supposed to do the trick.

Ri-i-ight. Who in their right mind would ever think something like that was a good idea? Apparently me, and I ended up with a sunburnt, dried out, face and brittle, straw-like, hair.

Now I have come to love my freckles (although who knew that they would start to expand from those cute little dots they were back in high school to continent sized landmarks) and am amazed and grateful that my natural, strawberry-blonde hair hides the grey.

Still, while I have learned to accept myself in a way I never dreamed of in high-school, lately it seems like every dinner conversation at our house includes a dialogue with my husband over our need to lose some weight. And by lately here, I actually mean like for the last two years. So, we finally decided to re-visit Jenny Craig and become serious about it.

Funny, though, that the response I get most often upon telling friends that I am on the program is – “But you look fine. I don’t think you need to lose any weight.”

And, perhaps that is true… maybe I do look okay. But I’d like to pause here and re-visit some recent blog / social media posts.

1. Food has been featured in many (and if you haven’t found my Molto Mayhem blog with recipes from the novel
I am working on you may not realize this.)

2. I have been whinging a lot about the training I am doing for learning to kick a field goal (again, refer to my Field Goal blog)

3. The symptoms of menopause have been discussed in great length here over a period of time.

So, while I may not look like I need to drop some weight, the truth is, my body is telling me I do… and but
quick!

As well, though this is something else a fifteen year old might know but never say out loud, fortunately my daughter is only 9 and she had no qualms about it. She understood right away when my husband and I told her we were on a strict diet. “So then you’ll be able to wear that pink dress again?”

Yes.... it is all about fitting into my clothes comfortably and walking the hills around our house without wheezing.

She also went on to say, “Okay. So then if you and Dad are on a diet, does that mean I get to have the extra desserts every night?”

Big sigh….. “Sadly yes! Yes it does.”

Have you been on a diet you liked (or hated), or had a dress you really wanted to wear again from years earlier? I'd love to hear how you handled it and what people said if you told them. (I'd also love to know what crazy stuff you did at 15 if that is easier to talk about:>) Leave me a comment and share the journey.

Cheers,
Deanne