Wordless Wednesday: No Room for Jesus...

"...because Mary and Joseph bought a couch."  ~ my four-year-old

'Tis the Season ... to be Tired

I've been so tired and lazy-feeling since Christmas.

Can anyone else relate?

We had a lovely Christmas with the Dashingly Handsome Sidekick's family here in town.

Then on Boxing Day we drove over to the populated side of the state to visit my aunt and uncle and their boys. My California aunt and uncle were in the area, so we got together with them, too, as well as my cousin and his adorable family.

So the season was filled with love and laughter and eating and joy and eating and driving and eating and....

I'm exhausted!

I did get some writing done the first week of winter vacation. I actually finished my second draft of my China novel. Now it's resting. I am determined to dive back into it tomorrow, but I've been saying that for the past two days: "I'll dive back into it tomorrow." We'll see....

Last night I wrote a picture book draft. Today I edited it. I know it's not ready for anything, but I'm already feeling paralyzed. Picture books terrify me more than novels because I don't know what to DO with them. The task of looking into publication seems so much more daunting. Is it only me?

As I collect my thoughts and prepare for the New Year--and a more serious post where I stop rambling and use my brain-- I'd like to hear from you. How was your holiday? What was your favorite part about it?

Mine was spending time with these cute people (and the grown-up ones, too):

The stair steps: my kids with their second cousins.

My crazy bunch on Christmas morning

Santa's littlest helper

Don't forget to tell me about your holiday in the comments!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Just a few pictures to help you feel warm and cozy this Christmas season...

It's too cold to snow. Instead, we get hoar frost...

Which is so beautiful...

I don't mind the absence of snow.

Especially when I can come home to a lighted tree covered in homemade decorations...

And stockings over the fireplace... *

And a Hero Factory robot attacking the Wise Men. Life doesn't get much better than this!

Stay warm and cozy, everyone

&

enjoy the Season!

*You may notice that one of these things is not like the others. This is what happens when you move to America from China and then have a surprise baby -- you end up with one too few silk stockings! (Thankfully I had the stocking from when I was a kid to fill in the gap!)