Here’s wishing everyone a very joyous and safe Christmas. I couldn’t resist this picture from A Christmas Story, my favorite holiday movie. Well, that and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Since I’ve got two little boys, the first movie really rings true. It looks like we’re in for yet another green Christmas this year in Vancouver. Last year we got spoiled with a rare cold, snowy winter, and it made the whole holiday season magical. I guess I should be grateful it’s warm this year. At least my kids can’t stick their tongues to frozen metal poles! As for snow, we might head up to Pemberton (just outside Whistler, where the Olympics will be held in February) and stay with my sis-in-law/best pal for a few days between Christmas and New Year’s. The kids will get all the tobogganing they can handle, and we might even hit the ski hill.

My shopping is done, the house looks amazing, I have a Starbucks nonfat half sweet hot chocolate in my hand (I seriously have an addiction problem here), and one of Loreena McKennitt’s Christmas albums is playing on my stereo. I love her music! If you haven’t listened to her, give her a try. She’s awesome to write by. All I have left to do is wrap the stocking stuffers. It’s a lot of extra work, but that’s how my mom always did up our stockings and it’s way more exciting to open up a bunch of little presents than just dump out a stocking. Here’s a shot of our living room (AKA parlor, since it’s a Victorian house), with the arbor and one of our five Christmas trees tucked into the corner. You can see my treasured Santa sitting in his antique chair next to the fireplace. He stays out all year long, because he’s too big and too delicate to go into storage. The lighting isn’t great in the photo, but you get the general idea.

On the weekend we hosted our annual Christmas bash, and even Santa came to take pictures with all the children. The next day I escaped the house (and the rest of the mess we didn’t clean up on Saturday night!) and spent the day at the spa using the gift certificate I got last year. I had a massage (most people never realize how touch starved most RMTs are, but we are!), facial, manicure and pedicure. She even did some nail art for me 🙂Recognize Frosty the cartoon character there?

In writing news, I’ve finished with the galleys for Relentless (book 4 of the series), and am just waiting for a release date. I expect it will be next fall sometime. And, I’m over 75% through the draft of Turbulence, so the finish line is almost in sight. Yay! Another couple of months and it should be ready to send out.

Those of you that know me understand what a huge Civil War buff I am, so I wanted to include this picture of a Christmas Eve in the early 1860s. Let’s not forget all our soldiers spending this Christmas overseas in harm’s way and far from their loved ones. Keep them and their families in your thoughts.
Have a wonderful Christmas!