Eleanor dressed herself today.  She did an AWESOME job. I got out of the shower with her and sent her to her room while I dressed the baby. After several rounds of yelling “Did you put your panties on???” She walks into the nursery- fully dressed – in her pastel stripe tights – a pink polka dot scooter skirt, black MaryJane shoes and a white tee-shirt with butterflies that match the skirt.

I was astonished.

It was the Mona Lisa of Toddler self-dressing.

She was adorable and I was thrilled.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed a tiny flaw in her logic, just a wee err: She had put the tights OVER the shorts of her scooter skirt. But, as we were running late, I shrugged my shoulder and said “Eh?” and pulled her out the door.

She spends the whole day this way – and every now and again she stops mid-whatever to pull out the wedgie. She naps this way. Tony chases her around the park this way. We go to dinner this way. Not until we get home – and I am helping her into her jammies – do I notice she’s got her panties on sideways.  That’s right. The Princesses – who usually are polar North – were heading East.  Evidently she put both legs in through the left leg hole, and then one foot out the waist band and the other out the last leg hole.

Talk about a youth crack problem.

Even now, I am laughing so hard I can barely see. Anyway, I look at her and say, “Hey, what’s with the panties?”

She looks down, checks to see if there’s a tag, and says “Heh, Heh. Oops.”

YOU try going through your whole day with your Skivvies Askew.  She may be all pastel stripes and polka dots, but she’s made of some pretty tough stuff.

Here we go again. House #7. It’s the neighborhood fixer upper. Forclosed. Bargain basement cheap. On top of that – we’re low-balling it.
I won’t waste my electrons here, but perhaps it will work out. Seven – seven lucky sevens…

I actually really love it when FireFox updates in the middle of the night and wrecks my session while I sleep. It gives me that little “Well, this is embarrassing…” page.  OOps! We’ve forgotten the 3 bagillion pages you left open.  Wanna start a new session?

Sure I do. It’s nice the way they take responsibility, and then move on. (Take note Cheeta Tiger Woods.) So here goes.

I haven’t blogged in 2 weeks. ANYWHERE – not seriously anyway. This is embarrassing. Forgive me?

Whew! Now that the grand apology is out of the way. HI! I’ve been really busy lately. Holiday. Book publishing. Whatnot.

The Thanksgiving holiday went great. People came. My parents cooked the bird. Everyone else brought sides. Very warm room. I loved my tasty mushroom loaf. Very few leftovers.

Speaking of pigging out, the diet and exercise are paying off. As of my trip to the gym yesterday – the official weigh in place – I’m down 19 pounds. Very pleased.  (Yeah, I was just too weak to write before, that’s it!)

Looking for a house – still – this is embarrassing! Too annoyed to discuss, so I will just sum up: 6 houses offered on – no contract. BA!

Eleanor is a working hard on her preschool Christmas play – she’s a cow. She has several speaking lines – mostly of the “moo” variety. He principal says she know ALL the words to ALL the songs, and she was rather impressed with Eleanor. I am, too. She is very attached to the Little Mermaid soundtrack we have on endless loop in the car. Filling the roll of both diva and director, she assigns parts to everyone, “YOU! You’re the sisters, you are Sebastian, Sara – this song is your favorite! Now, Mommy, YOU sing!” Eleanor and Saralyn are ALWAYS Ariel. I need to get Tony to secretly video the two of them singing “Part of that World.” Elly is rather off-key and Sara doesn’t know how to speak all the words. It’s about the most charming thing ever.

As for my third baby – my book – I have my first books signing coming up next Saturday – 12/12 at 12-noon. Sara’s Godmother Sam is offering up her shop on Main Street for me to have this shindig. I’ve spent hours on Vistaprint designing tee-shirts and post cards  and trying to figure out how to get the most free stuff. I’m getting pretty good at it. Who wants a Chenda Tee? I have been invited to two Sci-Fi Conventions – Chattacon in January and Deep South Con (Charlotte) in June. I’m frustrated at Chattacon already (my contact there is way slow with the details) but have high hopes for DSC. That reminds me – I need headshots.  Who will trade Photography Services for books? Anyone?

This weekend is the Lilburn Christmas Parade – an annual tradition for me. I really like this parade. I hope to see you all there! But, if you see me, don’t bring up my dearth of blog posts; it’s just too embarrassing.

Here it is: My book is available at AMAZON.com

Check me out!

I’m tickled. My tail has been wagging all week.  This is one of the greatest things I have ever done!  I love that it’s out there. Forever. (Gulp!)

I proud and thankful and just a whirlwind of emotions. Thanks to everyone who supported this effort. Now – go buy the book!

After 4 days of walking around – yesterday we hit 13 miles on the pedometer – Elly says, “Mommy, my feet don’t feel good.”

Hilarious.

I just ordered a proof copy of my book, CHENDA and the Airship Brofman! That means the book could be available as soon as next week!

YEA!  It IS the happiest place on Earth!

So – the Daniel fast was a success. I feel better. I’m about 15 pounds lighter. I’m converted.

I’m thinking about being a vegan for a while more. Vegan with a caveat. For so many reasons, I see meat as being on the way out. Meat three meals a day – it’s not good for me. I’m really not happy with the idea of the American meat,  egg and dairy agricultural systems. God didn’t give animals to the world for us humans to treat them so heartlessly. So, Vegan*.

Oh, you’ve noticed the *, huh? I like meat. Tastes good, you know? Lots of protein. I think meat – in and of itself – is a good thing. I love me an omlet. Cheese makes the world go round. BUT. But. I don’t approve of the factory farm. So, no farm meats, eggs or dairy.  I do not, however, have a problem with wild caught fish. I think a fish out in the world, has a pretty decent life, and – possibly – its last few moments might suck when caught by a fisherman, but I think it would be little different if it was caught by a wild Kodiak. Know what I mean? I feel the same way about wild game of most types: deer, duck, whatnot.  I suspect I would also happily eat the eggs and / or chicken from my friends who have nice, roomy chicken tractors – chickens who are given a protected happy, healthy life. I also won’t be one of these rude butt-munches who are wildly painful to go out with. Please – I don’t mind if you eat a cheese burger across the table from me. Your life – your choice – your food.  I can eat vegan just about anywhere; most meat heavy places offer a salad or a plain baked potato. I don’t mind bringing my own food to places. No one need be bothered to accomodate me.

I’m going to try it for a while. I’m going to see if I can live this way.  I think it’s the right thing to do.

I gots the shot today. I am covered – assuming I don’t already have the disease swarming in my body already. The girls gots the stick in the arm, too. The doctor is concerned about Saralyn’s weight. Too heavy. What do I do about it?

What’s new with me – I’m grooving on a spiritual fast. It’s really been going very well.  I’m on day 6 of a 21 day fast and am very happy.

Why? Good question. I’m tired of being angry all the time, and needed to refocus. I’m tired of being tired all the time and having my clothes not fit. I’m too busy to be unhappy – so a friend suggested the Daniel Fast, and I took a leap of faith, and started it on a whim last Friday Morning.

To sum it up, you give up just about everything except for water, fruits, veggies and whole grains. I’ve made some changes to the rules to suit my life and body, but that’s hardly the point. On a fast, one spends one’s time in reflection, the food is just a conduit for that focus. It’s really nice to be in touch with the Lord that way.

What are my variations? I eat fish every other day. I just know me and I need the protein and essential fatty acids. I’ve given up bread in exchange.  It’s a trade off that works for my body.

I feel focused. I feel happy. I knew I needed something to get me through the Halloween season without feeling ashamed of myself.  It’s doing that. I thought I would try it for 10 days, but the traditional fast is 21 days or 40 days. Now, on day 6 – 21 doesn’t seem like too far of a goal. Really – I feel great! I love any challenge that breaks me out of a rut, or challenges my skills as a cook. (I just made up a vegan avocado cream to top the Veg Chili for to night. Awesome!)

Before you all ask, no, I’m not taking the family along with me on this one. I make food for them that suits them: meats and cereal and sandwiches. I enjoy my (mostly) vegan meals and everyone is great.

By the way – I’m losing about a pound a day. That’s a sweet payoff. Hoping that my pants will loosen up by day 21, because I’m NOT going to buy new fat pants.  Uh-uh. No way. Praise the Lord to that. Amen.

PS – read the article in June’s O magazine on relaxing yourself thin. It helps soooo much.