Blogger is Messin' with Me

I can't comment on blogs!  Even on my own.  Every time I go into the blog viewing screen, the info at the top doesn't recognize that I'm signed in.  So, I click "Sign In" and I get sent back to my dashboard, where I am already signed in.  So, I tried another blog.  Same thing.  SO frustrating!  It's been doing this for weeks.  Help!

Does anyone have an idea of how I fix this? 

Not So Hungry Anymore

This spring and summer I attended two writing conferences. 

Of course, everyone in the writing business wants to know: What's new? and What's hot?

Over and over, I heard people saying dystopian is the new BIG thing.  

The consensus was that The Hunger Games is the new Twilight.

In April, I had not read the series, so I did this summer.  When I attended PNWA in August, I had the third book in my car, but I wouldn't let myself read it, because I needed to write. In fact, when I met with one agent, she asked me what the last YA book I'd read was.  When I told her the third book was in my car, she laughed out loud.  "Oh, yeah," she said.  "Those are so addicting." 

I came home and devoured the final installment, Mockingjay.  If you haven't read the series,WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! 

Until the final book, I really did think The Hunger Games was the new Twilight and would go on to be a billion-dollar empire in print and film. Then I read that third book. 
I was so disappointed with the ending that I don't even want to see the movie. 

The thing is, a book sells on fifty pages.  Really, agents and editors don't read entire novels in the beginning.  They decide if they like the concept and they read a few pages, and if they like it they request more.  As a reader though, Mockingjay proved the power of the right ending, because the ending of that book spoiled the whole series for me.  Seriously, I was like, "If I had known Prim was going to die anyway and Katniss was going to marry that dork, Peta, I would never have read the stupid books."

I understand the author wanted the ending to be a surprise.  Maybe she was trying to make a point about how war is costly and life is bittersweet, but I don't care.  I want a good ending, one that feels right and makes me so happy I can't wait for everyone I know to read the books.  I was so mad about about those final pages, that I texted my friend at 11:00 at night.  "This is the wrong ending!"
Because, really, would The Twilight Saga be the same smashing success if in Breaking Dawn,
Bella suddenly decided to marry Jacob and have puppies? (That's for Earlgirl).
Would you love Harry Potter if Voldemort killed Ron and Hermione in the end?  NO!

So, for what it's worth, here is how I think Mockingjay should have ended:

Crazy Peta, who tried to kill Katniss and wanted to change,

should have died saving Prim.  Katniss and Gale should have gone back to live in 12,

and the final scenes should have been of the two of them teaching their children to hunt and fish

in the woods where they met. 

But, who am I to criticize? 

Suzanne Collins got a three-book deal,

and I can't get anyone to look at my manuscript. 

Well, Hello There!

Hi, remember me?  What happened?  I simply don't know, but I think it has something to do with this:

*We moved, and it took me two years to decide I liked my new life.
*But, I still hate what I live in.... Oh, don't even get me started on this step down in the world!
*I now home school all my kids.  Did I mention we live in less than 1000 square feet? 
*While I am an educated teacher, I feel like a constant failure, because home school doesn't look, feel or act like real school. 
*I still feel like home schooling is the right thing to do, so I am making my peace with it.
*I am still failing at getting my novel published.  Even though I attended two conferences, networked with some agents and editors, so far it has been "No, thanks."
*Now I am applying for a Master's degree.  Crazy. 

So, if anyone wants to pick up where we left off, I think I am ready to blog again.

The Big Day

Today was Josie's big day....

She had her tonsils and adenoids out.  The tonsils were moderately enlarged, but when the surgeon got in there he said, "Oh, my gosh!  The adenoids are huge!"

She's always spoken like her nose was stuffed up, even when she wasn't sick.  It's affecting her speech development, so now was the time to finally take action.  Don't be fooled by the happy face in the photo.  That was after they gave her the "happy medicine."  The surgery went great and she's happily sitting on the couch eating an ice cream bar and watching Strawberry Shortcake.  It looks like our week is pretty much planned.  Ice cream.  Netflix.  Repeat.

Mini Vacation

If there's one thing I have learned from moving around so much, it's that you should see the sites close to you while you're there.  For the past year, I kept thinking we should take the kids to Seattle.  We were supposed to go last summer, but it just didn't work out and our cousins went without us.  This past weekend, though, we packed up the family and headed west.  We got the Seattle CityPass so we could take in as many sites as possible.  Here are just a few highlights:

Like the Hippo behinds in the background?  We saw more behinds than faces there.

In the birdhouse.  Nathan didn't want to get any closer to the tree-- afraid of getting pooped on.

At the top of the Space Needle.

Seattle from the Harbor.  The harbor cruise was actually my favorite part.

A bunch of fat sea lions in the harbor.  The life of a sea lion seems ideal.  Eat.  Sleep.  Bask in the Sun.

Butterfly House at the Pacific Science Center.  The butterflies were VERY cool!

We had fun, and Nathan, who is totally not a city-vacation kind of guy, was a really good sport about the whole trip.  So, I have now checked Seattle off our must-see list.

On a fun side-note, I have successfully raised three thrifty kids.  They all had their own allowances to take with them.  What did they buy?  Almost nothing.  Stretched pennies were the souvenir of choice.  Just $.51, except at the Space Needle, then it was a whopping $.76.  Mazie splurged and bought a stretched penny collectors book for $4.99.

What I See

I don't know what you see when you look at this....

...but I see an ER visit waiting to happen.  So, like any responsible parent, I grabbed my camera.  I am happy to report that no one ended up broken or bleeding.  Maybe next time.  'Cause, you know kids.  There's always a next time.

Unintentional

I didn't mean to give up blogging.  I really like blogging.  I just haven't gotten around to it lately.  Like the last four months.  So, I was going through the pictures on my camera, and I realized how many fun things I could have blogged that I didn't.  It made me kinda sad.  Today, I captured a total blogging moment with my kids, which I will have to post this week.

So, I intend to turn over a new leaf.  Will you all come back and visit if I start posting again?

Hubby and I at Dead Horse Point, Moab UT.  

Summersick

(The Homestead last spring)

This time of year is hardest for me.  The holidays are over.  I've packed all the pretties away.  The new year has begun and I am ready for warm weather.  Then guess what?  Winter just goes on and on and on.  I am homesick for summer-- summersick. 

Saturday Nathan pruned the raspberry bushes.  All of us were out there, bundled up and picking up sticks.  The kids built a tepee with the cast off canes.  I kept looking around and thinking how much I want to be able to sit outside in the sunshine.    I want to wander around in a sweatshirt without gloves and be warm.  I want it not to be dark by 4:30 p.m.

Today, the clouds hang low again.  The color is washed from the sky.  I keep reminding myself of the song we sang in church yesterday...  "There is sunshine in my soul today..."  I wish it was warm enough to kick all the kids outside without finding them coats and shoes.

No comment

So, I couldn't figure out why no one was commenting on my last post.  Then I came back to my blog today and realized that I didn't post it.  There was a reason I didn't post it.  The bulk of my photos are on the other computer.  Once again, someone else is using it when I am ready to blog.  Tomorrow.... Will you come back?

I hope so!