My little water baby is back in Bellevue and wrapped in warm winter threads, but his blue eyes and happy chortle remind me of Hawaii and the beaches and his dad.

Last night was a big night for Mac in other ways.  For the first time he slept in his crib in his own room and then proceeded to sleep through the night!  I spent the night staring at the baby monitor worried he needed me.  At five I finally got up and decided to start the day.  Mac, meanwhile, continues to dream away.

Now its time for me to turn my attention to writing.  I’ve a deadline approaching end of January and am already feeling the heat as I’ve got a wonderful premise for my story but not enough words on the page.  So as I return to my work outs, my writing sessions, and my determination to lose the rest of the baby weight, I’m curious–what are you hoping to do this month?  Any resolutions made?  Any personal goals?  I’m so glad the new year has arrived.  2009 meant the birth of Mac, but it was also very hard in other ways and I’m ready for change!

Share with me your goals or resolutions and you’re entered to win a surprise winter package that will be fun to open and I promise its something you’ll enjoy.  Blog contest will run through Thursday, Jan 7th at midnight PST and I’ll announce the winner Friday morning.  Hope this time it’ll be your turn to win!

Yesterday afternoon I was zipping around the house, wrapping gifts, sealing up boxes I still needed to mail, organizing presents for Hawaii and it hit me—I felt happy.

Happy.

The real happy.  The happy where you smile easily and you tease with your kids and you walk with a little more energy. 

And I realized it’d been a long, long time since I felt this way.  A year or more.  I didn’t feel “happy” during the pregnancy because I rarely felt good.  And then Mac was born and while I felt grateful baby was here, I also felt lost for quite awhile.  Those first seven months of Mac’s life I was just getting by but yesterday as I hummed and hustled up and down the stairs and knocked things off my to-do list, I truly felt…joyful.  I also felt thankful.  And lt blessed.

We can know in our heads that we’re lucky to have our family and friends, but its different when you actually feel it in your heart.  And what made me ‘feel’ it was action.  I did something that put me in the holiday spirit, that reminded me what the season is all about.  It’s about giving.  Giving thanks.  Giving love.  Giving hope.  Giving support.

I took my boys to Toys R Us Wednesday night and we filled a shopping cart with dream toys, the kind of toys my boys put at the top of their wish list when they were younger.  A massive heavy duty Tonka truck a toddler would love to push around the house.  A giant box of the newest Lego.  Action figures and packs of matchbox cars.  And then I asked two little girls to help me pick out toys girls would love and they showed me the Disney Princess section and handed me dolls and costumes and jewelry and tea sets and hair accessories and more.  Once we paid for our basket of toys we gave them all away and the minute we’d left them in the donation container, I wanted to go do it again.   So on the way home we stopped at a Starbucks, visited their giving tree and took the five remaining tags and spent yesterday fulfilling those wishes.  Sleeper jammies for a two year old.  Ear buds for an eighteen year old.  Star Wars lego for an eight year old.  Mittens for a mom. 

I was able to give all these gifts away because I told my kids this year we’re not exchanging lots of gifts.  They’re only getting a few things from me.  It’s going to be a simple Christmas.  They were struggling with the idea of not being spoiled until they got to help give to someone else.

I think we can all give something–thanks, love, hope, support.   Those are gifts that cost nothing.  Those are gifts that everyone needs.  And its funny how when we give, we get so much back.

I didn’t give the toys and mittens and jammies so I could be a saint.  I did it because it felt good.  I did it because it filled me with warmth and joy.

And today my heart is so full it feels like it could burst. 

So let me give one more gift away here.   It’s a delicious treat to warm both your belly and your heart–a red glazed mug from Starbucks, a Starbucks drink card, a $10 Barnes and Noble gift card, and three incredible Christmas novels by favorite authors Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs and Linda Lael Miller.   My Good Tidings blog contest will run through Saturday night and I’ll announce the winner Sunday morning.  The winner MUST get back to me by Monday night  or I’m picking someone else.  So share with me what would bring you joy this holiday season, or what you’re thankful for, and you’re entered.  So good tidings, and love to all.

And by the way, I give thanks for you.

My new Harlequin Presents is out–Duty, Desire and the Desert King–and I’ve been really busy wrapping gifts, organizing Christmas cards, and planning my son Ty’s birthday party for this weekend.   But wow, it’s chillllllly.  And it sounds like winter weather has hit everywhere.  Snow, ice, freezing conditions.  Rain, mudslides, biting wind.   Not realizing just how cold it was, I sent my two big boys  to school yesterday in shorts and sweatshirts and then turned on the TV to hear that it was only 17 degrees outside.  Felt a little bad for not at least asking boys to put on jeans.  But they survived and today my younger son wore two sweatshirts since all our winter clothes and coats are still in storage.

It took an hour at the post office yesterday, but I mailed 8 huge boxes yesterday to my far flung family–two boxes to San Francisco, one to Palm Springs, one to San Diego, one to LA, and one to North Carolina.   I also mailed blog prizes and some business gifts and I’d like to mail you a gift, too, if you win today’s blog prize.

Because I can’t do any holiday baking without an oven (or kitchen) I’m letting my favorite cookie place, Cheryl & Co send three of my readers yummy yummy holiday cookies.  This is a very short contest.  A one day contest and when I post the winners’ names in the morning you have 12 (only twelve!!)  hours to get back to me with your address, or I’ll pick someone else because I’m not letting these cookies go to waste.

It’s so easy to enter.  Tell me by midnight tonight what treats, sweets, or holiday drinks you find irresistible this time of year.  I personally love love love homemade fudge (without walnuts) and old fashioned pralines.   My mom came from a Southern/Texan family and knew how to make the creamiest smoothest melt-in-your-mouth pralines and I wish I had her recipe because I’d love to try to recreate those.  I love frosted sugar cookies, too, and am craving one right now.  What do you like to nibble on?  What’s your festive drink of choice?  Tell me, and you might be one of three to win some amazing cookies and treats from Cheryl & Co.  The contest ends tonight midnight PST, I’ll announce winners early tomorrow morning and I must hear from you by 7 pm tomorrow night PST or I’m drawing a new name.  Don’t be left in the cold!  Check back in my blog comment section tomorrow morning to see if you won.

It’s Saturday, December 5th, and I’ve jut received an email letting me know that the movie Flirting with Forty will air on Lifetime tomorrow on December 6th.   It told me that the movie was one of the top Lifetime films to air in 2008 and based on the book by Jane Porter.

I smiled then.

I still think its odd and funny and wonderful and surreal that one of my books became a fun film loved by many.   The movie premiered Dec 6th last year.  I remember the weekend so clearly.  I was going to attend a movie party at Kelli’s house but I came down sick and had to spend the day in bed.  I’m lucky so many of my friends and readers tuned in to watch it though.  I felt blessed by all the love and support.  I still do, as the party at Ooba’s and then the signing at B&N this last Wednesday was awesome.  So many friends and readers came.  There were new faces and familiar favorite faces and I loved it all–meeting new people and celebrating the season with all.  How lucky I am to have such great people in my life!

Little by little I feel the old me return.  In large part it’s been due to increasing my exercise program.   I’ve stepped up my workouts to 4-6 times a week, and they’re pretty hard core workoutss.   I needed it for my sanity–never mind the fact that I’m not dropping the weight like I’d hoped.  However, every time I work out my spirits lift.  I like the feeling I get when I’m finished.  More up, more energetic, more positive.  Need those positive emotions as the winter days are short here and it’s dark so early in the day.   Need those endorphins to help with the stress of every day life.

Fortunately I’m also finally getting on top of my Christmas shopping and have been wrapping and boxing gifts to mail out to my family this coming week.   Surfer Ty and I also took the boys to see Santa last week and get the requisite photo.  The big boys didn’t want to go, but in the end they gamely agreed to appear in a picture with their baby brother for Mac’s first Christmas.    The boys might not gush about having a baby in the house but I think they secretly love how much their baby brother adores them.  When Jake and Ty are around, Mac has eyes for no one else.

So how are your holiday preparations going?  Started that shopping?  Doing any holiday baking?  Bring me up to speed and you could win my Flirting with the Holidays prize–a signed copy of Flirting, the Flirting DVD movie starring Heather Locklear, a box of Chocolate Macadamia nuts, a $10 B&N gift card, and lots of fun JP goodies.   So share with me what you’re doing and how you’re feeling and you’re entered.  Contest runs through midnight Monday night, Dec 8th and Ill announce the winner Tuesday morning the 9th.   Good luck!