Have just arrived in Maui with my two boys for New Years and finally have some internet connection and a working password for my blog again! I somehow got locked out but I’m back again. I did get to Hawaii on the 21st and then my boys arrived on the 26th, and that’s when we all finally celebrated Christmas. We’ve been passing the time on Oahu by playing on the beach, redeeming Christmas gift cards, and eating out since our new house is missing a working kitchen at the moment. But now, after four days of this and that, we’ve arrived on Maui to celebrate the new year. We thought it’d be fun to stay for a few days at a resort with an amazing pool so boys could swim and I could read. And read. And read.
It rained most of the day but Jake and Ty didn’t mind. It’s a warm tropical rain and the view of the ocean is gorgeous regardless. They spent the afternoon in the pool with the slides and chutes while I ate lunch and then found a dry spot to read a Mary Balogh novel. I know I’ve said this before–maybe even many times–but I adore Mary Balogh’s historicals. They are my favorite comfort read, so warm, so wonderful, so perfectly suited to my personality and my idea of a great historical romance novel. I used to read hotter romance, but I’ve discovered in the last few years that I’m happier with a book that offers more characterization and less explicitness. It’s not that eroticism isn’t appealing, but when I read I want to be swept into a world of interesting characters that are well motivated, and Mary’s novels do just that.
I heard from my editor in the UK about the book I turned in the first week of December and she wants a few tweaks but nothing too drastic so once I’m home, I’ll jump on those. In the meantime I have a stack of fun books next to my bed and hopes that surfer Ty can jet over from Honolulu tomorrow to join us for New Year’s Eve.
Tell me what you’re doing for New Years Eve by posting a comment below and you’ll be entered in my New Years contest. I’m bringing home tons of sweets and treats from Hawaii, including coffee and chocolate macadamia nuts, a Hawaii Starbucks card and a Hawaii 2009 calendar. I’ll draw a winner midnight on New Year’s Day and post the winner’s name on January 2nd. So bring me up to speed…tell me what you’ve been doing these past couple weeks, and/or your plans for the new year, and you’re entered! Good luck and fingers crossed, you’ll win. 🙂
Hope this is the right spot to post for the Hawaii goodies…I’m very new to this! I just read Flirting with Forty after missing the movie on Lifetime; hope they show it again!
Not doing much here for New Years Eve, but we never do. We’re not much into crowds, just each other! 🙂
Aloha,
So happy that you and yours are having such a wonderful Hawaiian Christmas and New Year’s time together. We had a few Christmas celebrations and dinners as family and friends were able to get here after having braved the snow storms. New Years will be quiet and cozy; however, New Year’s Day will be our Party time…Brunch, starting with champagne, and then it is on to playing pool, and watching any basketball or football skirmishes that might be televised while enjoying “snackies”. It will be a wild and raucous group! Wish you could be here as well…you’d fit right in:) Looking forward to your latest book. Wishing you and yours only the Best for the coming year.
Mary J.
Well, because of that dump of snow we got (and then got again and again LOL), I have basically been hibernating. It’s been forever since we’ve seen snow like that around here. Tomorrow night will be spent quietly with just us and our kids. I’m not even sure anyone will be awake to see Midnight, but our kids are still pretty young.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Happy New Year, Jane!
We don’t do much for NYE. The kids stay up late, and mom and dad do their best not to pass out on the couch by ten o’clock.
We’re celebrating our big family Christmas on 1.1, and then it’s time to hit the ground running for 2009!
The dream of a white Christmas almost turned into a nightmare because of not being able to drive, but streets were plowed (finally) and we got out and about. Families with kids were not able to make it Christmas Day, but we did get together on Sunday for lots of fun and then it was back to work on Monday. It was great while it lasted and I will keep the decorations and trees up until next weekend! I hate to give up the seasonal cheer!
We are traveling to Grandpa & Grandma’s on New Year’s Day, so no big plans for Eve except staying up and celebrating what we all hope will be a better year. Here’s to a very fine 2009 for you Jane, with more books published (movies, too, maybe?), and lots of great reading for all of us!
Well we used to go to parties for New Years but I think this year will be spent with Dick Clark, at home on the couch with hubby and kids.
Survived the snow and ice here in Washington!
My granddaughter is 23 months and she has spent lots of time with us and she brings so much joy into my life. We get to have her spend the night tonight and so we are going to have a kids’ celebration.
I have said it before and I will say it again…there is nothing like a little one to truly appreciate the holidays.
Glad you having a good time. Enjoy yourself and a happy 2009.
We stay home, try to stay awake and have sparkling grape juice at midnight. Not too wild, but loving and together at the start of a new year! Debbie
Jane,
I have spent the Holiday break at home with my kids as they enjoy all their new toys and Wii games! I don’t normally do anything for New Year’s Eve. I am a homebody and an early bird so staying up to midnight is sometimes a problem for me. But tonight we are going to my girlfriend’s house for dinner and possible champagne if we can make it with the kids but it is calling for more snow here in NJ and I am just going with the flow.
On another note, on Christmas, I was chatting with my “Nana” (I don’t think I can call her anything else even as I get older) and she was telling me about this movie she watched on Lifetime. It turns out to be Flirting! When I told her that was you…the author I love and have met and had dinner with…she was so excited. It was rather cool to see her face light up when I told her about you. I told her I would get her my books that I lent to my sister so she could read them.
Have a wonderful New Year’s with your boys and Surfer Ty!! And a safe trip home!
I got engaged on Christmas Eve, a wonderful holiday surprise, and have spent the days since then as I expect to spend much of the next year – planning the wedding! Happy New Years!
Sounds like you guys are having a wonderful time in Maui. By any chance, are you staying at the Grand Wailea Resort? My daughter and I were there in August for a week, and we just loved it.
My new years eve will be spent in Florida, at a beach hotel. We will be celebrating with my family. I’m not a night person, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to stay up until midnight!
I just watched Flirting With Forty on Lifetime over the weekend, and I just loved it!
Best of luck to you and the boys, and have a happy and healthy new year!!
Haven’t been doing much as my family is scattered across the country. Will spend tonight reading/watching movies/doing a jigsaw puzzle. Happy New Year!
I’ll be spending it with my two kids in the usual way. Pork and sauerkraut, veggies and dips, olive-cream cheese spread and crackers and our “special” punch as we watch a couple of movies. So glad you made it to Hawaii to be with Jake and Ty. Happy New Year to you all!
Jane –
Congrats on your book going to movie – I love Heather Locklear! I, too, love Mary Balogh and agree that I’d rather have more characterization than hotness factor in my books – not that I don’t like a good sizzling sexy scene! Having a bunch of my daughter’s friends over for New Years – she’s 19 and they’re all a lot of fun!
I will be spending New Years Eve with my daughters who are spending the weekend with me. I have been off for the break which has been a nice change since school is out for the holiday. Best wishes and happy new year.
I took two weeks off for the holidays and I’ve been spending it cleaning and organizing my house because it really needed it! I’ve also managed to work in some reading and movie watching, so it’s been pretty balanced. It’s been great.
Hope you have a great new year Jane. 🙂
We are taking the 6 pack- fosterkids to a New Years Eve Party. These people love kids!!! (Good thing!) We are busy packing 5 of them up. They are in their transition period. They are temporarily moving to a home closer to their mom’s so they can do many more visits and weekends at her house. She finished her parenting classes and has been off meth. for 4 months. We live 70 miles away from her. I leave on Sunday for my second career. I have always wanted to be a flight attendant and can’t wait to ask people whose (naughty) children these are- because I will know they are NOT mine!!!
Good Morning Jane. I am so glad you finally made it to Hawaii! What a lucky girl! I am here in Tipton, where the weather has been cold, but we have had beautiful crisp days where you can see the mountains covered in snow! But this morning I woke up to fog! Yuck. Oh well New Years wouldn’t be New Years with out the thick Tule Fog! Ha!
So as for New Years, my hubby and son have taken off and traveled to Oklahoma for a Sprint car race that my son will be racing in at the Chili Bowl. That leave me and the other two children to celebrate by ourselves and with this fog it won’t be out on the town. So we will be celebrating at home alone. I plan to give the kids a choice of whatever they want for dinner and to make brownies or something yummy for desert and watch movies for the evening. That’s how we’ll be ringing in the new year! I wish you all of the happiness in the world for 2009! Take care and enjoy your trip and all of the books you can read!!!!
hugs,
Micole
My mother in law is taking my two children over night so my husband and I can go out. We are excited…this doesn’t happen much! 🙂 We are going to a movie and dinner and then meeting up with friends. I am just happy to finally be getting out of the house. We had an insane amount of snow and ice and could not leave our house for two weeks! Ugh!
Have a Happy New Year Jane!
I and my girls will be frocked up in our sweats and jammies and welcome the new year by watching TV, listening to holiday music and probably falling asleep by the time the ball drops. 🙂
We are not doing anything for New Years. The past couple of weeks we have been just getting through Christmas and then it was my husband birthday on the 27. After that we have just been trying to clean up the Christmas decorations and mess.
I hope you have a very happy New Year!!
Glad to see you back online! I have been passing time by cleaning up the house and finding places for all the goodies from Santa (him and I need to have a serious talk about next Christmas LOL)! Tonight I’m going over my good friends house who has girls the same age as mine. I’m just looking forward to getting out of the house and some grownup time:0)
Here’s to a great 2009!!!
missed reading your blog- glad your back and had a great holiday!
spending new years eve with the fam and a few friends, making jambalaya + some other yummies. celebrating the sell of our house + moving into the new one in a few months!!
Happy New Year!
We were supposed to have dinner with friends at their house, but she has been under the weather so we’re putting that off until tomorrow. Meanwhile our neighbor decided to throw an impromptu party so we’re walking over there. She makes great martinis .
Happy New Year, Jane! I hope you and your family have a blessed new year with more joy than you know what to do with!
We’ll be spending a quiet evening at home…hopefullly sleeping thru all the fireworks that inevitably wake us at midnight. 🙂
I am not doing ANYTHING!! Eric and I just got back from a lovely vacay in Southern California and tonight will be our first evening at home, just chilling and relaxing by the fire with our cats and Pug. Happy New Year, Jane!!
Hello,
I just finished Odd Mom Out, Mrs. Perfect, and I am now devouring (and ABSOLUTELY LOVING!!) Flirting with Forty! Nothing like amazing books to enjoy while celebrating time with the family.
We have been making time for donating, giving to beautiful families in need, while treasuring our little family of four, eating, adventuring, exchanging and playing with all of our new games/toys/technological devices (when did life become so connected and complicated?), while cherishing the abundance and prosperity, and blessings!
For New Year’s Eve, (and a Happy one to you, and all who surround you!) we are going to spend some time reflecting over the ups and downs, and have a candlelight ritual, a feast, and a family walk at twilight to bring in the positive and the lightful for the year to come.
Hoping Hawaii fills your heart with warm memories, and love.
Wishing you a wonderful always!
Happy New Year Jane, Ty and your family!
Not doing too much here this New Year’s. I’ve come down with a nasty cold that my hubby got last week when his brother flew in from AZ. So I’ve haven’t done a darn thing all day. We are going to make a dinner tonight to include pork tenderloin, twice baked potatoes and a yummy dessert that I saw on Food Network. We will pop some champagne at midnight and then head to bed. 2009 is almost here! Yippy!
Jane,
Happy New Year!!! I wish I was in Maui too.. I’m so wishing I was there too and just read and read. If your looking for somewhere to eat, you should definitely try Mama’s Fish House. That place is wonderful and I fell in love with the place and the food!!!
For New Year’s the kids and I will stay home and watch tv all night long. My husband is a police officer and he seems to always be working on New Years Eve, but at least we have the New Year’s Day together.
wow, it sounds like you are in paradise. Sure hope surfer Ty gets there to see the New Year in.
We are watching movies, munching on goodies and wearing funny hats and blowing horns, etc.
Hi, Jane,
Happy New Year almost!
Dh and I are climbing into our bed with some wine, cheese, crackers and the two dogs and are watching the latest Mummy movie with (be still my heart, Brendan Fraser. I’m sure I’ll be giving dh and the dogs lots of head scratchies while I drool happily away!
Great news on your upcoming Presents!
Sending you lots of love and good wishes,
Debora
Happy New Years and thanks for the giveaway. I’m spending it home by the tree and fire watching the snow come down while my daughter has her first new years party!
Hi Jane! So glad to hear you are having a good time in Hawaii! I wish I were there…sigh. Anyway, today I took my kids to the park, I have been sick for just about 3 weeks and am just now feeling better,so it was nice to get out in the fresh air. This evening I’m going to a special NYE yoga class with my friend and then I’ll come home to a quiet eveing with my husband and kiddos. Happy New Year!!
Cathy
My kids are little (5,3 & 1) so they will be going to bed at 7:00 and my hubby and I are planning on playing some games and watching some movies. Hope all is well! I will mail your package tomorrow so you will have something fun to open up when you get home! Enjoy the New Year!
Melody
I’m still waiting on Christmas vacation or at least a moment to relax. It seems like I have been on full speed since the holiday started and have yet to have a break. For the new year… I want to relax more, exercise more, write more…
As for tonight… I am hoping to get my grocery shopping in while everyone is partying.
Sounds like a great time for your entire family in Hawaii.
Tonight New Years Eve I am spending it with my hubby and my oldest daughter.
I am trying to finish HelenKay Dimon’s HOT AS HEll
My youngest daughter is at a party at a friends house.
My hubby and I spent this afternoon in the doctor’s office he has a bad case of poison ivy and I have lets, just say I am on medicine now. hopefully I will feel better in a couple of days. Holiday stress has a way of making me sick.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your family!!
Oh, how I want to be in Maui driving on the road to Hana in a convertible with the top down and no serious plans other than to stop at one of the stands on the road and get some food. lol
Instead, I’m staying home on New Year’s Eve and plan to watch some movies with my husband.
Glad you made it there! I’m hanging out with the family- making cabbage rolls for the new year!
Safe travel home! Happy New Year!
Jane,
Glad to hear that you are safely in Hawaii with your boys and currently enjoying the beautiful weather. Soak it up while you can as it is freezing back here on the mainland.
No big plans for New Year’s. I like to have Chinese food and watch movies. Will surf the net for a bit and then either read or do word searches until the ball drops.
Have a Happy New Year!
Great to hear that you were able to leave the airport, as many folks were stuck for hours across the country.
Super plan to travel to Maui. Gorgeous hotels and great scenery.
I loved it there when I visited with my sister.
All the best to your growing child.
We are spending a quiet New Year’s on the desert just outside of Yuma, Arizona.
All the best.
Jodie
Happy New Year, Jane! Having a quiet, lazy, evening with my daughters. Just eating fruits, cheese and crackers, some wine and Sam Adams, watching TV and waiting for the ball to drop in NYC. I could use some of that warm tropical rain, though.
Best,
Marelou
Hi Jane! I’m just spending a nice, quiet evening at home with family. Still trying to rest up from the Christmas rush and shoveling snow. Happy New Year to you and your family!!
New Years was spent with good friends and awesome neighbors. But your trip sounds amazing. Enjoy!
Happy New Year! Well, almost. My three kids are sleeping, along with hubby and I’m going to celebrate by myself with some cheese and crackers and a movie. I’m not sure my husband has ever made it to 12:00. Oh, well. When my kids get a little older, I’ll have them 🙂
Laurie
We always get together and have bunco as a family. It’s fun for us old people! Hope you have a wonderful New Years Jane!
Jane, So nice to read that you are enjoying your Hawaiian retreat. I have been taking the time to relax, read, and just enjoy some downtime. We spent NYE with my sister’s family watching a great movie and just enjoying each other’s company.
I hope that 2009 brings only more good things to you and your family. Much Love, Kim
Happy New Year to All!! Well, I made it to midnight…barely! We spent the evening celebrating and visiting with my husband’s family. We had a delicious lasagna dinner that my sister in law made and then continued the party with card games, poker, and pool til midnight. We were on our way home by 12:01!! (Well, maybe 12:05!!) Anyway, it was a good one and today will be another fun day spent with friends along with more nibbles and card games. I am planning to wear my black ball cap that says “I did not come here to lose”…Although, I often do 🙂
Jane, it sounds like you are enjoying a wonderful, much needed break with your boys. Soak it up and enjoy. It also sounds like a new book should be out soon. Congrats!
PS I just gave my best friend/ “sister” a copy of “Flirting with Forty” for Christmas. Tomorrow, will be the 3rd year since her divorce was final and she’s just now starting to move forward and really live her life again. Your book and words are helping her to let go of the past and look toward the future. Here’s to an exciting, blessed new year!!!
Blessings,
Mandy
I played RockBand with my family and went to bed at one. Might be boring for some, but I was with the ones I love. 🙂
Had a smallish party at my house with friends and teens. Had a holiday brunch at my house today with oodles of food and mimosas. Napped the afternoon away after everyone left. Nice way to start the new year.
Teri
Hi Jane! I spent the night with my family — just snacking on some junk food and watching TV. It was a nice relaxing New Year’s Eve. So glad to hear you’re enjoying your vacation. Hope 2009 is a great year for you and your family!
We spent the night playing poker with some friends and got home about 4 in the morning
My birthday is NYE and my husband and I just stay in and enjoy one another’s company. December is a pretty hectic month for us; our anniversary, christmas and my birthday. Wheww! I love your books and can’t wait for the next one.
I bought The Frog Prince for myself the day before Christmas but decided to wait until I get to the beach in Hawaii to read it! My friend Ann (another nurse who lives on Maui) and I will surf and windsurf on Oahu and Maui… and I will enjoy my book that I can’t wait to read!
Hi everyone, #51 Jeanette Jackson is our winner for the New Years contest. Jeanette, shoot me a private email and I’ll get you your prize out in the mail Monday Jan 5th once I’m home! Congrats and thanks to everyone for participating. Happy New Year!
Congrats Jeanette!