This year is rushing by like a puppy who stole something. I’m pretty sure I just did one of these updates last week, right? *laughs and cries because quarantine has made time meaningless*
I’ve spent this quarter both world and injustice weary and exceedingly blessed and surprised by what God is doing. I can’t wait to see what happens next. 😉
(Note: I’ve been in a quarantine-world for this entire quarter except when my state opened up for a couple weeks.)
I can barely believe we’re already three months into this year and three days into April. And yet, it can almost feel like it’s been three years since Christmas and New Years’ just because of how full and crazy this year has been already. 😉
My own personal full plate has been a mixture of good and bad, exciting and worrying, and through it all, God has been with me.
So if you’d like, picture this “full plate” as a Thanksgiving platter with a problematic laptop, a cake cookbook, headphones, wedding programs, a choir folder, a library book, a Kindle, and sixty-million post-it notes representing my ideas all stacked up on it. 😉
(Please note, some of these have mild content issues or I watched them on a filter. Feel free to comment with questions, and I’ll be sure to answer.)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies with my family. ❤ It’s been lovely. I love all the movies except one or two, and we’re waiting for the next one.
Newsies (1992), twice. SQUEEEEE! Jack Kelly is my child.
The Last Jedi–perfect for snapping green beans to. I’ve missed all the characters, and Rose is the queen.
Karate Kid (1983) with my family. Boy, do I love that movie. ❤ I was really surprised and delighted with it.
Danger Man (1961-1968) with my younger sisters. It’s our lunch time tradition. I know we’re going to run out soon, and I’m sad. 😉
A Bear Named Winnie. Oh, I cried! Great historical movie. 😉
A rewatch of “Rose” with the Doctor Who Lockdown crew. Such fun!
What have I been WRITING?
Reviews, and until I finished a book last night I was almost caught up. 😉 #oops This quarantine has me busier than before for some reason.
39,632 words on “Awake” finishing out the first draft! 😀
Blog posts, wahoo! 😉
Textses, yay
Story notes, and there is literally no system to which notebook they go in.
What have I been LISTENING to?
Dear Happy by Gabrielle Aplin. I love her music (most anyway) so much, so I was super excited when her album dropped. 😀
Zion by Aaron Shust. (Thanks so much to the blog follower who sent it to me! You know who you are, and all the scenes of Aliyah in it make me so happy and homesick.)
Say I Love You by Scott Mulvahill + all the livestream concerts he’s been putting on. Follow him if you don’t already. He’s the best.
The Generous Mr. Lovewell by MercyMe. I love God so much… He’s using this album, the soundtrack to some of the most hurtful times in my life, to heal me now, and the words have been speaking to me so much more than they ever did before.
Searching for Us by Skye Peterson. Guys, this whole album!! It just brings all the tears and joy. ❤
Coffee cake… I found the ultimate recipe and someday when I can find it again I will share it here and yes.
Pandemic masks… Nuff said.
Orange Julius, lowkey, no ice cream. I figured out I like orange juice more with the acid toned down, so milk and vanilla added is amazing.
MINI DOUGHNUTS. Two of my siblings got me pans for my birthday, and I am so happy and I could bake for a billion years. Now that we found flour (my mom is a shopping ninja), I’m going to make some really, really good ones.
What have I been MISCELLANEOUSING?
(Please note, any activities outside of the house happened waaaay earlier this year. I haven’t left the house in almost three weeks…)
When you’re baking and listening to a concert…
Started a job as a virtual assisant (basically a secretary through online and phone calls)
Spoke at a book club with the most welcoming, fun girls ever. ❤
Volunteered at my church in child care and the choir. These are honestly huge highlights of my life, and I can’t wait to get back to them. ❤
Attended two weddings. It was cool to see some friends I haven’t seen in forever.
Packing food with a huge group of friends before everything shut down. It was lovely to volunteer with them.
Celebrated my birthday. It was really the most lovely day I could have asked for, and there were some big surprises I would never have dreamed of. ❤ One of them was my rural neighbors randomly setting off fireworks. We decided they were celebrating me. 😛
I’m continuing to work, write, bake, and hang out with my family. I’m looking forward to participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this month, reading a new Bible study book my parents gave me, and having more virtual movie watches with my besties. 😉
What are some of your first-quarter highlights? What are you looking forward to in the next few months?
I also hung out with my nephews a lot, baked TONS for our church picnic and Thanksgiving, and watched “Harriet”. (It was amazing. ❤ ) I also got to use watercolor paint for the first time (thanks for teaching me, Emma!) and finished my rewatch of BBC Sherlock (on a filter).
This month, I’m looking forward to celebrating Advent and Christmas with my family and continuing to write more of this story I’m really loving. 😉
How was your November? What are you looking forward to this month?
I also attended an amazing ladies’ retreat with my church, celebrated Pearl’s birthday with family and cupcakes and Rogue One, worked with my beta-readers, enjoyed/analyzed some new movies and TV show episodes, and had some amazing hangout time with my nephews. Also, I bought my first Funko Pop. 😀
(Waiting in line to buy giveaway stuff and a Cindy-Lou Who Funko Pop. 😉 )
This month, I’m looking forward to sending “Sincerely, Jem” to my editor, starting up some new projects, and continuing to read through the Bible. (We’ve been stuck in the prophets for a while–which is actually pretty amazing–but chronologically we’re almost to Jesus. 😀 )
How was your September? What are you looking forward to this month?
August was a good, FULL month, and even though it’s still two weeks until autumn officially begins, I fell like that was the summer “season” finale. XD (Here’s hoping!)
Last month’s full plate was piled with movie popcorn. 😉
Here’s an update on my full plate…
Pleasure read:
The Pioneer (three stars, excellent sci-fi worldbuilding)
Outcast (family read-aloud for homeschool history class)
I also had some amazing family hang out times (including s’mores and a really cool liturgy), shopped the back-to-school sales (because notebooks), watched Overcomer and cried my eyes out at the beauty, and did some training for a new volunteering opportunity at church. 😉
This month, I’m looking forward to working with beta-readers on my Christmas novella “Sincerely, Jem”, enjoying the real coming of autumn, and getting to further incorporate into my new church family.
Oh, and I still have this cool thing to do…
How was your August? What are you looking forward to this month?
Summer is just flying! Which is a good thing considering how warm it gets where I live. 😉 I’ve been so busy that I absolutely missed updating you all on June, so I’m gonna do these “evil twins” together… 😉
Had a fantastic meeting/hangout with Generation Rising friends
Looved Men in Black: International
Celebrated the first bonfire of the season ❤
Ate an Oreo ice cream bar from the ice cream truck
Celebrated Independence Day! (sooo awesome)
Helped extended family move
Did miscellaneous Generation Rising stuff 😉
I also went to the library for the first time in forever, attended a Christmas in July cookie decorating party, took some rigorous personality and Spiritual gifts tests, and went to a cool ladies’ event with my mom and a sister. And we won’t mention how I bawled my eyes out at the profound and perfect end of my favorite show… 😉
This month, I’m looking forward to some more writing, hosting an upcoming giveaway, finishing up summer reading, tinkering around a bit with my website, and whatever else God brings my way. 😉
How was your June/July? What are you looking forward to this month?
Does anyone know what happened to May? I have my calendar here to prove that it happened, but still… 2019 is galloping by. XD
Last month’s plate was full of… more cake. I love this baking thing. 😀 (Oh, and this series is actually named after the idea of a “full plate” being all the responsibilities and projects and celebrations in life, but I still mention food because I like to.)
Anyway, here’s a quick update on my full plate last month…
I also had some amazing celebrations/hangouts with family and friends, ate the world’s best Oreo ice cream, and enjoyed a double buddy read with Mikayla. 😉
In the remainder of this month, I’m looking forward to releasing “The Night Archers”, prepping for the Generation Rising booth at the homeschool convention next month, and experimenting with some web design. And we’ll see what else God sends my way. 😉
How was your May? What are you looking forward to this month?
Loved The Lego Movie: The Second Part with my family ❤
I also celebrated Christian Passover and Passion week with my family (watched The Passion for the first time O.o. ❤ ), did many writing sprints with my youngest sister, revealed the cover for “The Night Archers”, and made cake and cupcakes for various celebrations.
This month, I’m looking forward to releasing “The Night Archers”, enjoying a new series that is coming out, and finishing writing this novella. Also, I want to experiment with some more cakes. 😉
How was your April? What are you looking forward to this month?
(For the sake of not skipping March’s update, I’m slipping this in here on the weekend since the weekdays are filled up with Camp NaNoWriMo currently. 😉 )
March just marched away, and here we are in April. 😉 March was a nice month with some wonderful spring weather for a few seconds there. 😉
Last month’s full plate was filled with celebratory treats and pizza from a restaurant we just tried. 😉
Anyway, here’s a quick update on my full plate last month…
Bawled happy tears over “How to Train Your Dragon 3”
Went to an awesome baseball game
Quilted!
Adored “Into the Spiderverse”
I also had tons of fun replying to mail from a fan, attending a Princess Bride showing with friends, and hanging out with my family just doing regular things, trying out a pizza place, and doing devotions together.
This month (which is currently happening), I’m looking forward to Camp NaNoWriMo, working with beta-readers on “The Night Archers” (and revealing the cover!!), and celebrating passion week. 😀 And whatever else God decides to bring me. 😉
How was your March? What are you looking forward to this month?
I just realized that February is over, and I almost can’t believe it. Maybe that’s because it’s two days shorter than all the other months? XD February was a nice, COLD month.
This month’s full plate was a nice mishmash of cold weather food, Valentine’s Day snacks, and victory chocolate.
Anyway, here’s a quick update on my full plate last month…
Played dolls and taught my youngest sister to make doll skirts
Welcomed home all my new books XD
Enjoyed our crazy (for the Southwest, anyway) weather ❤ ❤
Deep cleaned the house and weeded the yard
Named my new stuffed animal Book Hedgehog “Oregano” ❤ (Thanks, Perry!)
Bound minibooks
Loved the movie “The Kid Who Would Be King” (Arthurian legends for the win!)
I also had tons of fun putting together a giveaway, hung out with my amazing nephews, and celebrated Valentine’s Day with my siblings by eating cool snacks and binge watching a kid’s show. I also filmed a really goofy video with Anna and Paul that should be up sometime soon. 😉 We had too much fun. XD
This month, I’m looking forward to overhauling “The Night Archers” and getting it ready for beta-readers, planning a new writing project, sharing part two of my collab with Lilian, and celebrating the beginning of spring. 😀 And whatever else God decides to bring me. 😉
How was your February? What are you looking forward to this month?
Once Upon An Ordinary 