Going GREEEEENNNN!

Source: b-moviestar.com via Marjion Pinterest

Not really - but sorta! Even though there is Irish running through our veins (well mostly on dear hubby's side. I've got more of a Scottish ancestry.) I've never really celebrated St. Patrick's Day.


That's changing this year.


To start, I purchased an inexpensive glass pitcher, I needed a replacement for one that broke last year anyway, and a tall cup that fits inside it. The cup will end up as a gift for my sweet hubby, but for Saturday it's going to hold some lime slices in place in the glass pitcher. I found the idea on Pinterest, but I wanted to go green! Will have some fresh white flowers with lots of greenery in the final product, I think. I'll post pics when I'm done with them.

Source: marthastewart.com via Marji on Pinterest

Then I found a baked egg recipe. I'm mostly just using the picture, but I'm making them for breakfast. Canadian bacon slices in the bottom of muffin cups with an egg on top and a smattering of bread crumbs. I'm actually going to crumble up some whole wheat crackers for that. Start by spraying the muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray. Add a slice of cooked Canadian bacon, or a couple of slices of thin-cut deli turkey to the bottom of each cup (one for each person). Add a sprinkle of shredded colby jack cheese. Break an egg into each cup to have a pretty design or do what I'm going to do and stir them up, one at a time with green food coloring - of course! Sprinkle each with the whole wheat bread crumbs (or just salt and pepper) and bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until the eggs are set and opaque. Yum!

Source: cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com via Marji on Pinterest

That's just the beginning. I'll be making Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with green sauce, cupcakes with shamrocks and rainbow decorations, Lucky Charms Treats, and Lime Jello Parfaits sort of like the blues ones you see only ... well you get the idea. I've got a large lemonade dispenser where I'll float my leftover lime slices in green lemonade. Hey, it beats the green hot dogs and mac and cheese that I usually offer. (Do you know how hard it is to get got dogs to stay green?)

Source: Uploaded by user via Marji on Pinterest

I've also purchased a few gifts. I plan to put each in a bag and send my teenagers on a clue hunt to find them - just because I can. Hey, I'm a mystery writer, for pity's sake. I can't just give away the gifts. They have to work for them. ;) Hope this little article inspires you and I hope your St. Patrick's Day is outstanding!

Wheels Go Round in a Circle

See the little guy behind the wires? She's actually a girl.

Me.

Notice the eyes? The look of panic? The weak droop at the side of her mouth. Yep. She's tired.

I can so relate!

I think I might have told you about my new project. I've been recruited to help with a homeschool prom. Okay take all of the pictures that you have in your head of prom and throw them away. This event has all the earmarks of a royal ball crossed by a Mary Kay Convention.

No I'm not kidding. This thing has won national awards and is the largest homeschool prom in the nation - probably the world.

What have I gotten myself into?

This week, I took over the volunteer work for the event. Every family with a ticket has to have volunteer hours so there are literally thousands of people to schedule. Luckily I've got a gal who has done this work for years heading up my team and a brand new program that is tracking things in detail.

And that's what I've been doing for the last 4 days. Tracking everything in detail and learning how to work with this process so we can keep the train moving.

But I so feel for the guy on the wheel. Just when I think I'm reaching a ledge and can stop prom work and do some actual writing, another thing comes down the pipe. Well, it IS the season with only about 6 weeks left. But it leaves me in chagrin of what I love.

So I focus on the good things. I got to add 2k to my WIP over the weekend. That felt so good and I tried so hard to continue - ah well. I'm working on this project with some GREAT ladies and getting an opportunity to create a truly unforgettable night for our teenagers. I'm also getting to use my organizational talents along with developing some new abilities as I work with the programs and people. That's been fun, too. Oh and I got to design a new blog with all kinds of information about medieval times. Loved setting that up!

And today's only Wednesday. My WIP is still on the top of my stack of things to get to. I will hold out hope!

News. Reviews. Previews.

This was a happening week on this little blog guy, but I'm nowhere near finished. If you're reading this at marjilaine.blogspot.com, know that I have moved and will continue to move to marjilaine.wordpress.com. There's a little follow button at the top of the screen. You would make my day if you clicked it.

And though the circumstances of this week jolted up and down, I'm satisfied with what I accomplished. In this weekender, you'll get the chance to see:

• Some amazing articles, hand-picked by me. 
• The articles you might have missed from last week.
• My ROW80 writing challenge update.
• The articles you'll get to see this week.

NEWS

I'm still working on this feature, though because some of my favorite blogs, like KeliGwyn.wordpress.com, RachelleGardner.com, and likeachildforJesus.wordpress.com, aren't showing up. I could add SteveLaube.com and others to that list as well. I'll stay with it.

REVIEWS

I was so pleased with the move to my new blog last week. Right away I started getting more visits at Wordpress than I did at Blogger. But then maybe that's because of the content on Monday when I compared Wordpress and Blogger. (A hard contest!) On Tuesday, I filled my docket with some inspiration from Ephesians. Wednesday, I added my ROW80 update to another observation about Wordpress. We're working through things. So on Thursday, I discussed the things I'm learning about myself and how they compare to the characters I set up. An author review with Fay Lamb rounded out the week on Friday.

ROW80

The requirements of some volunteer work I do intensified this week. Unable to write the first half of the week, I kept struggling to get to it the second-half but found myself out of practice. How can I get out of practice in only a few weeks. I mean I never REALLY stop writing, just stop working on the WIP. But then that's the issue. This isn't a non-fiction book that I can write a section at a time. A novel flows without stopping places - making placing a bookmark or putting the story down very difficult. So in taking a break from it, I really need to carve out a great chunk of time to settle back into the story world again. 

Along with a new goal of writing 1000 words every day, I'm toying with breaking my blog into chunks as well. Not many bloggers set up brand new articles every day, but I don't think I'm giving these articles my best effort because I have to churn them out, usually at night, with little time for inspiration or even editing. (I hate finding the mistakes!)

So as much as I'd like to continue with some of the daily plans I have, like my cool A2Z blog hop, (Second time through the alphabet!) I think I need to find a tighter niche for my writing. No big changes yet, but I'm looking for inspiration. I could use prayer for that!

PREVIEWS

Like I said, nothing really changes this week. On Monday, I'll be highlighting the Clash of the Titles winner from this week. Such a great way to get a chewy morsel from a book, like a sample off a cookie tray, to see if it resonates! Tuesday will be my regular A2Z article, but this one is extraordinary. I literally shed tears over it. Definitely a must-see. On Wednesday, I'll share another update and take you along on my journey for a bit. Thursday's offering will likely be linked to Social Media as it is beginning to consume every spare moment. And on Friday, I hope to have a new author interview to share with you.

So what are your plans for this weekend?

Interview with Author Fay Lamb

This story sounds intriguing and I love the fact that the author, Fay Lamb used her oldest grandson on the cover! So precious!

Marji - Every author has a diverse background, and just like the characters they write about, their own goals, ambitions, dreams and values. So before I ever get to the story itself, the burning question that I have is: what inspired you to become a writer?

Fay - For me, inspiration seems to say that I had a choice. As far as my writing, I don't believe I ever had a choice. I am a miserable human being when I cannot create with words, and from a very early age, I have been a storyteller.

Marji - What is your ultimate goal for writing in general?

Fay - My ultimate goal is to glorify God with what I write. For me, that means ministry--meeting a need, reaching out to hurting people that I could touch in no other way except through the stories I write. Most of the issues my characters face, I have faced, and the lessons my characters learn are lessons that I have been taught through God's loving hand.

Marji - And for some folks who don't read non-fiction, it is the only way to reach them. I love the ministry aspect of that. How does Because of Me satisfy that goal?

Fay - In Because of Me, promising young investigative reporter, Michael Hayes, allows ambition to blind him. He leads his fiancée, Issie Putnam, into a dangerous situation that changes their lives forever. Michael is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit, and Issie is left alone to face the consequences of his actions. When Michael returns to protect Issie from the man who attacked her that night so long ago, he finds Issie isn't alone. She has a seven-year-old son. While the boy does not belong to Michael, he is definitely on this earth because of him.


Because of Me is a vivid showing of Romans 8:28, in that all things do work together for good to them that love God. Michael doesn’t expect a blessing to come from Issie’s choice of keeping her son, but he receives one just the same—and in the end, they both realize that had things happened any other way, something precious would be missing from their lives.

Marji - What a deep and moving theme. What inspired this particular story?

Andrew-Lee Potts as Michael Hayes

Fay - The story actually began when Michael Hayes stepped onto the stage of my imagination and told me about the little boy he knew. He told me that Cole wasn't his son, but Cole was born because of him. That gained my attention, and as I wrote the story, I realized it was a love letter to my husband and to my sons. Not only do they love and support the crazy writer in their midst, but they are found within the pages. There’s something irresistible about a man who can love children that he didn’t bring into this world. The hero, Michael Hayes, and my husband have a lot in common. And Cole Putnam has a bit of both our boys woven through him.

Marji - Books are especially meaningful when they hold such a huge piece of our hearts. So while your husband inspired Michael Hayes, what actor might play him if they ever made a movie out of your book. And who would you wish to play Issie?

Fay - Michael Hayes is most definitely an English actor named Andrew-Lee Potts. I always saw Alicia Silverstone as Issie Putnam. Cole Putnam, well, the little boy on the cover--his name is Jacob Johnson, and he just happens to be my adorable oldest grandson.

Alicia Silverstone as Issie Putnam

Marji - I just think that's the sweetest thing. So what line might grab readers and last in their memories?

Fay - I tend to like the humorous lines the best, but my favorite comes from Ted McGillicudy, a crusty old man who looks out for Michael like a father would a son. When he sees Michael after a bit of an absence, Ted tells his wife, Roberta, "Well look a here. If it ain't the pain in my rear already returned. Roberta, where' my hemorrhoid cream?"

Marji - That's hysterical! And it would certainly stay with me. With so many demands on an authors time, how does writing fit into your regular day-in-the-life?

Fay - Well, my regular working day has been stretched to about sixteen hours each day. Writing is only a part of it. I do try to write 2,500 words a day, but I'm not always successful. If I find myself struggling to do that, I will usually work between 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. when my creativity is at its peak.

I really appreciate Fay visiting with us and hope that you are as curious about her book as I am! You can get  Because of Me at this link. From the back cover:

Because of Me:

Issie Putnam’s life took a detour the night she was raped at gunpoint in front of her fiancé, Michael Hayes. Instead of marrying Issie, Michael, a promising young investigative reporter, along with the man who attacked her, and the man who held the gun on Michael, are imprisoned for conspiracy to assassinate the local district attorney—a crime Michael was trying to expose but had no intention of committing. Issie’s name is ruined, she lost her perfectly-planned future, but she gained Cole, her son—born of that rape.

On the eve of her attacker’s parole, Michael, already released from prison, follows through on his plan to return to the small town of Amazing Grace and protect Issie from the madman who promised to seek revenge. There, he meets Issie’s seven-year-old son for the first time.

Can Michael learn to love the child Issie holds so close to her heart? Will Michael be able to protect the woman he loves from the man who will stop at nothing to destroy them all?

About the Author:

Fay Lamb works as an acquisition/copyeditor for Pelican Book Group (White Rose Publishing and Harbourlight Books), offers her services as a freelance editor, and is an author of Christian romance and romantic suspense. Her emotionally charged stories remind the reader that God is always in the details. Because of Me, her debut romantic suspense novel is soon to be released by Treble Heart Books/Mountainview Publishing.

Fay has a passion for working with and encouraging fellow writers. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she co-moderates the large Scribes’ Critique Group and manages the smaller Scribes’ critique groups. For her efforts, she was the recipient of the ACFW Members Service Award in 2010.

In 2012, Fay was also elected to serve as secretary on ACFW’s Operating Board.

Fay and her husband, Marc, reside in Titusville, Florida, where multi-generations of their families have lived. The legacy continues with their two married sons and five grandchildren.

News. Reviews. Previews.

I had so much fun planning this week. I've got some new blog ideas and am actually considering moving my blog over to Wordpress instead of keeping it here at Blogger. Have any of you done that? I'd love to hear your advice on the matter!

So I've got these new things that I'm so pumped about sharing. But I want to
wait to make it all just right before I do a grand opening! So excited!

Speaking of excited, did you notice the change in the header. I promise the picture that was there before was only a half-dozen years old, but it made me look much younger. So this one is only a few months old. My dinky twinky did a great job on it! (BTW, Dinky Twinkies is code for my twin girls. thus Dinky Twinky would be a single.) Precious Redhead said it made me look mysterious. I would be flattered except that yesterday she said my grin made me look constipated. I think I'll go looking for compliments elsewhere - just sayin'. :)

This weekender will offer:

• Some great blog articles from authors including Staci Stallings, Jody Hedlund, David Walker, and Julie Cantrell.
• Last week's blog review
• ROW80 Update
• Next Week's Blog Expectations

News

I'm getting better at visiting blogs, this week. Of course with my Grace Readers' Weekly, I don't have to rely only on my own blog touring. Some Twitter buddies offer their favorites as well.

Review

Last Monday, I got to share the Best Almost Kiss winner at the Clash of the Titles. I'm enjoying being part of their blog Alliance every other week. On Tuesday, I shared about my boy's rugby team at the University of Texas at Dallas in G is for Grrrrr! Highs and lows and how to live through them was my topic on Wednesday with another ROW80 update. Then I shared all I've learned about writing a Synopsis on Thursday. An interview with author and missionary Zeke Lam rounded out the week with a discussion of his book, Submission. Please visit the links here if you missed one of the articles!

ROW80 Update

Like I said, I'm inspired. I've written about 5k in a new story and am in the process of laying it out. I've taken two of my other stories, along with a serial I wrote using one of the characters, and am in the process of weaving the serial into my second story to connect them in a series. This third one that I'm writing now will complete the set and I'm really excited how things are going with it. 

I got better at blog visiting, started on Pinterest (I'm totally addicted!), began tweeting more regularly, and set up some new surprises for later. Oh and I also played volleyball for an hour and a half! So sore after sitting around for 2 weeks! Now if I could just get off of potatoes again!

Preveiw

I think my plans may change, but for right now, I'm planning to Review a brand new book by debut author Bonnie S. Calhoun on Monday. On Tuesday, I'll be highlighting the letter H. Hmmmmmm. I'll have another ROW80 update on Wednesday, along with an inspirational article about life and writing. On Thursday, I'll be chatting about learning styles and how they affect adults as much as kids. Then Friday will hold an interview with Author Fay Lamb. 

Hope you've had a productive week and will have a delightful weekend. I'm going to watch my Dear Boy beat up on the UT of San Antonio for the Texas State Rugby Championship! (That's the way I've pictured it in my head anyway.)

Have you blogged with both Blogger and Wordpress? Which do you prefer? Do you think I should switch to Wordpress?

G is for ...

... Grrrrrr

I've had a brand new experience recently. My son joined the University of Texas at Dallas Rugby team last fall and we got to recently experience our first game. I get. No I really do. But I have to admit it is quiet a spectacle for a new fan.

First, there's the scrum. That's where the 8 forwards from each team connect up and push against each other. One of the players rolls the ball into the center of the circle. Using their feet and sheer strength to push against the other team, the ball must be forced out behind one of

Yea for the Almost Kiss Winner!

*guest post by Raquel Byrnes

The Almost Kiss clash has been a whirlwind of romance, breathless moments, and possibilities! Your responses to the excerpts were amazing.Both books were great examples of riveting Christian Fiction available out there, but there can be only one winner and I am happy to announce that book is...

A Thyme for Love by Pamela S. Meyers!

Pamela's winning Almost Kiss excerpt was full of sparks and surprises.  Here's a small snippet of the great scene:

...Marc tipped my chin up with his index finger. “April, you’re sweating.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed my forehead. I had nowhere to look but into his eyes and, once there, I couldn’t pull my gaze away. Good thing I didn’t want to. His eyes went to my mouth and he leaned closer. I lifted my chin in anticipation. So much for the boss’s orders... 

He brought his mouth closer, and the tiny elevator started to spin. Then everything went black.

If you missed it, drop by Clash of the Titles to take a peek at One Breathless Moment... We received positive reader response for this spunky romance. "Great tension! I was riveted to every word!" "Love the anticipation and butterflies in the almost kiss scene..." "The setting was marvelous, the tension leaped off the pages." A Thyme for Love is a wonderful example of the awesome Christian fiction available.  This week, an exciting new Unpublished Novel Clash begins. It's hosted by our very own April Gardner! Make sure you come by for another chance to vote and WIN a free book!

Interview with Author, Joana James

Joana James is a young author that I've recently met through the Facebook group Grace and Faith Author Connection. You can find their blog HERE! It's a wonderful group that brings together authors and bloggers who support, encourage, and promote one another. Joana is fairly new to the group, and I'm delighted to welcome her to Faith-Driven Fiction today!

Her new Young Adult novel is available at Amazon for only $3.99.

Purpose

I visited a blog today that totally inspired me. My own little corner of this great virtual existence is tenincy. (Yes, that's a word I've used all my life! Long I in the middle - tea-nIne-cee.) I've been tickled that ANYONE came by and have LOVED "meeting" folks online. Some of them, I'm getting to meet up close and personal from time to time. That's fun!

But after almost nine months of daily blogging, I'm not quite reaching the goals I

F is for ...

Me and Sweet Hubby - I am so blessed!

Family.

I know I've already done an F entry for the week (you can find my original F entry HERE!) but being that it's VALENTINE'S DAY, I just had to give an online hug to my favoritest people in the whole, wide world!

Iron Man - Goofy Nephew and my amazing mom.

I just LOVE spending time with my kids, my brother and his family, and all of the extensions. 

My mom has the greatest sense of humor and it has spread to my brother, his son, and my son. As a result, we can't usually make it through a meal without laughing ourselves silly.

Dear Boy and Goofy Nephew
doing what come naturally.

(Yeah, I think the restaurant was really happy to see us leave!)


Speaking of laughing, I love to make my sweet hubby crack up. He's the quiet type, but he tosses in zingers every once in a while and when he gets tickled, his giggle is delightful.

"Granny" is Awesome Sis-in-law's Mom.  Goofy Nephew didn't
realize he was in this shot. Too funny!

Me with my mom and my brother. Yes, I'm a good little Texas
girl and I call my brother, "Bubba"!

All of our holiday and birthday celebrations include my mom and brother, his family and my sister-in-law's mom. We go together well.

Sis and her family with my dear boy.

One of the reasons we get to enjoy so many Christmas celebrations is because of the wonderful lady who became my dad's third wife. 

My wonderful step-mom and Dear Boy.

Though Daddy is gone, she makes sure we get to have family time at every opportunity. My sister and her kids complete our celebration. Don't kids just MAKE a party?

Delightful Dinky Twinkies.

DTs with Precious Redhead.

And speaking of kids, my house if filled with laughter and singing. Few harsh words and fewer raised voices. I love the sweet smiles of my girls and how they chatter and laugh together.

And I never even got to my excellent in-laws!

I'm blessed and I know it full well. 

Tell me about your family!

Writer's Tip: Polishing

I don't do it often, but once in a while, I treat myself to a manicure or a pedicure. Just the sight of my elegant fingernails or sassy toenails makes me beam. It's ridiculously inconsequential when taking in the broad scope of life, but it makes me feel so much better.
Adequate. More equipped to meet the task I must face and conquer that puppy.

You better believe I'll be sporting a new mani/pedi before ACFW conference next fall and homeschool prom this spring! Oh yeah!

It's the same thing with my manuscript. I know I've mentioned some of these tips before, but they are a timely reminder for me! This isn't the revision part of my project - the rewriting that takes my draft and puts it in a completed story form. I've finished major rewrites, but now I'm on a word hunt for any extra faux pas that I can fix.

First, I look for verb choices. I do a FIND action in Word and look for all of my wases and weres. Some of them need to stay, but I go through all of them to see if an alternative is better. I do the same thing with could, should, and would.

Next, a search for my pet words comes up. Mine are at least, and just. But I'm also guilty of repeating great words too quickly. It's not that they're pets. They got into my head and got used again to close to where they had been used before. That's a hard one because I don't know what word they are. It and that are search subjects, too. If I can eliminate them entirely, I do.

I don't stop with that polish, though. Checking out the beginnings of my paragraphs and my sentences to look for too much repetition is essential.

Finally, I check the endings of my sentences and especially my paragraphs to make sure I ended on strong words. Ideally, the strongest of the sentence.

So I'm putting on the final clear coats and giving Cat's Eyes a quick buff before placing it on my shelf. No, I'm not done with it. This one's good. It will be on a real shelf some day. But now it needs a brother or a sister to join it! :)

What are some of the key ways you polish?

Top Ten Reasons to Stay in Bed!

I'm not a lazy person. No wait let me clarify. I AM a lazy person who has spent her life overcoming natural tendencies. But today, I declare a moratorium on productivity. Like during the ice storm that never came this winter, I need to hunker down and recreate, repair, refresh, and a whole bunch of other res that I could think of if given a chance.

So here are my top ten reasons to drag my tail and leave my head on the pillow as long as possible:

D is for ...

... Doggies.

I love my puppies. Sometimes I think I’m the only one who does. But they’re so cute and predictable.

Marcie is my beagle mix. She’s almost thirteen and really acted it about a year ago. I wasn’t sure how much longer she would be with us. Sleeping all day and doing little else, I thought it might be her last year.

Books that are COMING SOON!

I am so excited about some books that are on the horizon and due out in the coming months! I've had the pleasure of "meeting" several of the authors and like them and enjoy their blogs so much that I'm chomping at the bit to read their debut books!

News, Reviews, Previews

What a great week full of HOPE and joy!
My weekender has stories about:

• Articles of inspiration and writing
• A review of last week's blog articles at Faith-Driven Fiction
• My Sunday ROW80 Update
• A preview of articles and specials coming next week

Challenges

I know this isn't what you want to see on a cold January day!

I thought about making this word my C word for the A2Z blog hop article this week, but I went with this word instead. Challenge is a better topic for this ROW80 Update anyway. If you're anything like me, you feel challenges at every side. I would say that right now I'm in a busy season, but the truth is, I'm ALWAYS in a busy season. I like it that way. It keeps me moving and I find I'm much more effective and efficient when

Research

I have spent every available hour for the last three days writing my little tail end off - well, you know - but not on my usual fare. I haven't added a letter to my new story idea, nor have I revised so much as a comma on my WIP, and I haven't even set up my blog articles for this week.

But I've had a blast researching the medieval time period and setting up content for a website and a blog full of articles. This year, the Texas Christian Homeschool Prom, in which I've been involved for going on six years, is themed The Kingdom and we're mixing the chivalry and elegance of the Medieval period with the amazing opulence and splendor of God's kingdom to come.

It's not really a stretch.

I've added articles on the feudal system, knights, ladies, armor, castles, and even the peasantry and I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. But seriously, these articles, for all the hours I put into them, are nothing compared to the prom itself. The team that puts them together pulls out all the stops to create the most amazing night full of memories. I'm so pleased that I've gotten to be involved!

By all means go wander through the beautiful pictures and interesting tidbits that I was able to uncover. http://TexasCHP.blogspot.com.

So as a result I don't have a book to review today, but I'd love to hear about a book that you've just finished! Please share!

News, Reviews, Previews

In my Weekender, find:

• Some awesome articles
• A blog review of the week
• My ROW80 update
• Next week's article run-down

Blogger Updates!

Woohoo! You know I've really been envious of the cool way that Wordpress blogs offer direct replies for their articles. If you haven't seen them, I could describe them. Oh, but I don't have to! Cause now Blogger has them, too!

Yea!

So when you leave a comment, you can either leave a general one or you can reply to someone else's comment, and I can reply back to them as well, instead of just doing a laundry list reply when I'm away from the computer. Ooooo - gonna love this!

News, Reviews, Previews!

Found some great articles by Tamela Murray, Staci Stallings, Camy Tang, and Melissa K. Norris!

This past week, I had some more milestones with my new goals for ROW 80 and an introductory Vlog.

Monday - Goals for the next 80 days both in writing and life.
Tuesday - An introductory Vlog for the A2Z-Take Two Meme. It's not too late to start!
Wednesday - My first ROW80 Check-in: Journaling my Writing Journey
Thursday - Writing Tip on Ellipses
Friday - Interview with Author Dana Pratola

Next week will have a couple of milestones of it's own - I hope!

Monday - Review of Cowboy by Staci Stallings
Tuesday - A is for ... (You'll just have to visit to find out!)
Wednesday - Journaling my Writing Journey, will I have an announcement?
Thursday - Writer's Tip: Research
Friday - Randomness: Let's see what topic pops out of the hat!

This week has been a struggle to get back in the swing of things. Have you found that rough patch after the holidays? My biggest challenge is getting to bed at a decent hour so I can get up early. After the lazies of last week, that's been QUITE a challenge! What's been your biggest challenge of getting back into the groove?