Our Remodeling Projects: Before and After

If you're like me, you love seeing transformations. It doesn't matter if it's weight loss, home improvement, or even hairstyle changes--we love to see the "before" and the "after."

This summer, my handy husband and I bought a new house and tackled a slew of remodeling projects. I'm happy to announce--they are all finished! We have plenty more projects to tackle, but it feels great to have the big ones done.

I promised I'd share the before and after pictures, and here they are.

Let's start with the entrance. The original picture doesn't accurately show the drip marks and general disarray of the original green door. The frame's paint was peeling willy-nilly, and it just looked sad. :(

We stripped the old paint from the frame, re-painted it, and gave the door itself two coats of gray paint. I love it!

Next up...our family room!

The family room had green carpet with mysterious brown stains and signs of severe wear. We loved the fact it had a fireplace, but it wasn't quite our style. We replaced the carpet with a neutral taupe carpet and retiled/repainted the fireplace. The walls also transformed to light gray.

Moving on to the big project...the kitchen.

The original kitchen felt very cramped, which was odd since the space is adequate. It featured four levels of wallpaper (bottom section, top section, middle border, and top border), dated lighting fixtures, faded laminate counters, and linoleum floors. It was in livable condition, in fact, someone with different taste than mine might have loved it as is. We decided to tackle this job right away to improve function and to give the whole space a "craftsman" feel.

Here's another view: My husband ripped out the soffit above the old cabinets to make more room for our new cabinets. It was such a big, tedious job. He also demo-ed a desk area to create a large pantry. He installed the tile backsplash (I helped grout!) and plumbed the sink and dishwasher. I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am to him. He worked extremely hard for two months to bring this all together.

Not shown--we ripped out all the flooring throughout the house. My husband replaced every light fixture and door handle too. :) We had new can lighting installed in a few rooms. We still have a few rooms to de-wallpaper, and our deck is pretty worn and rickety, but it feels fantastic to have come this far!

And, for the final before and after pic--our mailbox. :)

Thanks for letting me share our adventures in remodeling-land. We are thrilled to be done with the big stuff!

Have you remodeled anything? Was it a difficult process for you? Did you love the end result?

Have a fabulous Wednesday!

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WSG 25: Lousy First Sentences

I'm starting a new book today. Yay! But with a new book comes anxiety.

* Will this book be as good as my last?
* What if I start writing and realize it isn't very good?
* I avoided the saggy middle last time, but what if this middle becomes a lumpy mess?
* Will the romance journey be swoon-worthy?
* Will the spiritual journey be realistic and relatable?
* Will readers empathize with my characters?

But before any of these fears can circle my brain, one BIG fear trumps all.

Will my first sentence be a big pile of dog doo?

My initial attempts at the first sentence usually should be swooped into a "doggy waste" bag. I struggle to find just the right words to start a story. I've been known to lose hours, in some cases, days, trying to figure out the perfect opening line.

My solution? I no longer obsess about it. I write any old thing and MOVE ON. For some reason, giving myself permission to not write the perfect opening frees my brain to write the actual story. And, at some point, the right first line comes to me. Sometimes this doesn't happen until the revising stage, but what does it matter? It's the final result that counts. :)

Another thing that helps me get over this block is to read past winners of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction contest. This contest exists to reward writers who come up with the worst first line! I enjoy skimming through previous years' winning lines. Some of them will cause spontaneous, loud laughter. You've been warned!

How do you get past the pressure of writing the perfect first sentence? Share your tips!!

Have a wonderful day!

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Surviving October of an Election Year with Jill Kemerer

I love being an American. I think it totally rocks that I get to vote! We live in a society where the barriers have come down--it doesn't matter what gender or race you are--as an American citizen (with some restrictions), you can vote. What a blessing!!

But with this voting ability comes relentless advertising, political maneuvering, and personal rants about why one party is better than the other. For years, I've been a firm believer that when it comes down to it, most Americans want the same things--safety, freedom, and security to name a few--we just have different ideas on how to achieve those things.

With that spirit, I've become more careful about how I share my views. I would never want people who don't share my political ideas to feel attacked or belittled by me. Too often, politics become weapons to hurt or shame others--or worse, to make us feel superior.

October of an election year ratchets up tensions. I'm here to help!

If you're struggling to tune out the meaningless chatter, here are my strategies on how to survive October of an election year!




Do you have any tips on how to survive the final month before a major election?

Please, no personal politics in the comments. Let's respect each other by keeping it neutral. Thank you!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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The Block Schedule Experiment

Last year, I experimented with different schedules. My goal was to find a way to manage my day so I could maximize my writing, keep social media to a reasonable percentage, and carve out times for errands, prayer, and my own life. It worked wonderfully!

But...

When I stopped paying attention to my "blocks," my writing life slipped into a big blob of do-it-however-I-can. I'm much less productive when I don't have a system.

Sure, I write out my daily goals, but too often, I don't meet them all, or I let the other things important in my life slide behind less important tasks.

Now that I've returned from conference, I'm starting a new book. It's the perfect time to bring back my block schedule! I've decided to make it a 6 week experiment. At the end of 6 weeks, I'll evaluate what I've accomplished, how I felt during the process, and if anything could be adjusted to make life better.

So what is a block schedule? It's where you carve your time into blocks and assign each block a task.

I'm very, very blessed to be a stay-at-home mother with kids in school full time (lest you get TOO jealous, remember, I don't collect a paycheck! Trust me, there is a downside!). I have different time opportunities than someone with a full time job or with small children at home.

We all have to look at our days and be realistic about what we can do with them. Some writers may only have 30 minutes a day to devote to writing. Some might only have one day a week. Others might have every day available.

I spent years with little to no time for my writing, and I waited patiently, always learning, always reading, until the day came I could devote a large chunk of my day to it. I do NOT take a single minute for granted. After 4:30pm, my focus shifts to my family. I'm often shuttling kids to activities and sports, helping with homework, cooking, and trying to fit a short walk with my mini-dachshund in. So I limit my block schedule to the time I have available.

I break my day into 30 minute blocks. I work from 8:00am to 4:30pm. This gives me 17 blocks to work with. Since writing or writing related activities (plotting, writing, revising) are always my top priority, I reserve roughly 50% of my blocks (8 or9) for them. Sometimes I'll take 1 or 2 blocks away to write blog posts or critique.

Social media is fun for me. I didn't spend much time online all year, but I miss it and want to get back into it on a regular basis. I reserved 4 or 5 blocks for this, which ends up being between 24 and 29% of my workday.

For over a year, I became too obsessed with getting things done, and my eating habits and quiet time went haywire. No more. I set one block aside for lunch, and I set another block aside to have quiet time (and afternoon tea!) with God. These two blocks are very important to me. They keep me calm and focused.

Since my kids come home during this time, I also reserve one block to just relax with them and hear about their day. That's important to me too. :)

That's my schedule. What do you do to lasso your day?

Have a fantastic day!

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WSG 24: Expand Your Bubble

Writer's Survival Guide 24: Expand Your Bubble

Writer.

So many labels apply to that word.

Introvert. Creative. Sensitive. Unrealistic. Starving. Wealthy. Smart...

Unless you have a writing partner, one label stands out. Independent.

Writers have to be independent. No one is forcing us to write. We do it because we want to--because we're independently motivated.

But with that independence comes a side-effect. It's true, no one can do the hard work of writing for us, but too often we drift into a bubble, a bubble of one.

When I'm in a bubble, I miss out on opportunities. I get closed into my own small world. I see things through narrow eyes. I miss the big picture. And my writing suffers for it.

Recently, I expanded my bubble. I reached out to a few writer friends who I'd become lazy with. I purchased a new book on the writing craft recommended by a good friend. I took a workshop from one of my favorite authors. I Skyped with a friend to practice pitching my book. I listened to advice from an editor. I added "Make the Effort" to my goal list.

All of these things were outside of my comfortable bubble. But they improved my writing life. The friends I reached out to strengthen me regularly. The book on writing is giving me new ideas on how to keep the middle of my book lively. The workshop refreshed my knowledge of story structure and the inner journey. The Skyping session gave me confidence to pitch my book. And the advice from the editor came in time for me to tweak my first chapters before it's sent out to the world.

Sometimes expanding our bubbles is hard. Sometimes we don't like what we hear. We wonder why we even bother. But every time I take a chance, I feel better about myself. :)

How do you expand your bubble?

Have a lovely Monday!

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How Christian Music Uplifts Me

Seven years ago, I did the unthinkable.

I set the radio station to SmileFM and left it there.

Yeah. Me. Miss Christian-music-isn't-cool (even though I am a Christian--wow, what an ego I had!).

Shortly after I tuned into this fresh, upbeat, very contemporary music, more things started clicking with me and my faith. I've been a lifelong Christian, but I never utilized all of the amazing tools so readily available.

I started shopping at Christian bookstores. Buying devotionals. Slipping inspirational cards into my kids' lunch boxes.

I started having afternoon tea with God. Reading a chapter of the Bible every morning along with a short devotional by Max Lucado.

I started fretting less, and feeling good even when I had to make difficult decisions based on my faith.

Basically, the more I let God into my life, the more He changed me to be a godly woman. Don't get me wrong, by godly I don't mean perfect! I'm about as imperfect as they come! But God extends His grace to me every day and helps me do His will.

Even when I get too busy and "forget" to have afternoon tea with God or stop letting the radio station linger on Christian stations, God finds ways to bring me back.

I've been reading Married for Real by Eddie and Tamara George. In it, Eddie shares his journey in becoming a top running back in the NFL. It was not an easy road, and he had several periods of almost non-activity in his career--yet, he never gave up or even slacked off on his training. He attributed it to God and his strong faith. He shared a song he listened to every night, "Could You Believe," by Al Jarreau. I downloaded it. When I hear this beautiful melody, heartfelt lyrics, and Al's passionate voice, I want to shake my fist in the air and yell, "Yes! I, too, can believe!"

Christian music uplifts me. Every time.

If you find yourself feeling a little lost or overly busy or confused or just depressed, go ahead and listen to Al Jarreau's song. We all can believe.

What music uplifts you? Do you have a go-to song?

Enjoy your weekend!!

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Celebrity Reports: ACFW 2012

I recently returned from the 2012 ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference. Many of you know I LOVE magazines, so while I was there, I couldn't help thinking the conference was a celebrity event. No, Jennifer Aniston wasn't there. Nor was Denzel Washington or Sandra Bullock. These stars are small fries compared to the big potatoes I saw!

Only the BIG celebrities were at ACFW, and I got to meet many of them!

First up, the shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Who did I ride with? None other than the super cool Amy Clipston! Amy writes Amish and contemporary Christian fiction, and she was so friendly and welcoming, I couldn't believe my trip had started on such a high note!

Within minutes, I'd shoved my junk into my hotel room (see the stellar view from our room below) and sprinted back down to the lobby. I did not want to miss my two superstars arrive--Cynthia Herron, my fab roomie, and Jessica Patch, my dear friend. But before they showed up, I met Jennifer Fromke!! Jennifer writes women's fiction AND she's familiar with mid-Michigan where I grew up. It's always fun to use the words "tractor pull" and "demolition derby" in a sentence and have someone nodding in complete understanding. :)

I can't even begin to tell you how many friends I finally was able to meet in person. I just started writing them out and had to come back and delete because I realized this post would be forty-five pages long! Before I continue, though, I have to say I've been beyond blessed to deepen my friendships with both Cynthia Herron and Jessica R. Patch. These women are genuine, honest, and classy. I'm honored to know them.

It's funny how certain people have an automatic "buzz" around them. People clamor for their attention. We get excited and elbow each other when they're near. Who are these people? Every agent, editor, and best-selling author there! If only I had pictures to show the ACFW version of  "Stars: Just Like Us."

You'd see for yourself that editors get their own coffee (shocking!) and they wait in line to buy a Diet Coke in the gift shop (what??). Agents GO TO THE BATHROOM (I know!! Who knew they had bladders?). Best-selling authors? They attend workshops! (Wow!)

While I get as star-struck as anyone, the people I completely flipped over (besides my friends) were(in the order I met them) Becky Wade, Lisa Jordan, Liz Johnson, and Judy Gann.

I'd read My Stubborn Heart over the weekend and concluded I could NEVER write as good as Becky Wade, and if I could meet her at the conference my life would certainly be complete. Well, guess what? She was in the first-timer's meeting too! I may have (definitely did) overly hugged her, but she was just awesome, which made me love her even more.

Lisa Jordan and I have been friends for a long time online, and she's always so warm and friendly that I couldn't wait to meet her. She's even more beautiful in person, and she gives the best hugs, and she even forgave me for completely blanking on life details when we first met, which I thought was very classy. Let's just say this little brain can only handle so much information in a conference full of people and it had reached its limit! Watching Lisa accept the Carol award for her short contemporary romance, Lakeside Reunion, brought tears to my eyes. Congratulations, Lisa!

Moving on to Liz Johnson. Liz and I share the same agent so I knew we'd get along great--and we did! Liz is even more down-to-earth and fantastic in person! Liz, too, was up for a Carol award. It's probably wrong to say she was robbed so I won't. :) So now I have an out-of-control girl crush on Liz, too. I might have to form a fan club or something...

One of my new favorite friends is Judy Gann. Judy is a Bookie (represented by Books & Such Literary Agency) too, and I met her on her birthday! Happy Birthday, Judy! Judy and I bumped into each other off and on throughout the conference, and I'm convinced God sent her to help me. I realize with all the exclamation points it looks as if I had the time of my life. Let me set you straight. The conference was a real challenge for me. Judy comforted and encouraged me throughout my stay, and we were able to have a nice long talk on the final day. I'm SO blessed by Judy!

There are dozens of other people who made a huge impact on me. Susan May Warren is such a special person. I know she personally touched many writers' lives over the weekend, and I'm very thankful to her. I could go on and on, but I'll save my other friends for another post.

The bottom line? The conference solidified one thing I already knew: it's not what I can take away from a conference, but who I can add to my life that makes all the difference. I'm SO blessed to have new friends.

What did you do last week? What are you doing this week? I've missed you!

Have a blessed Wednesday!

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