Running For My Life

Remember two weeks ago when I was like, "Will I finish draft 2 of my never-ending work-in-progress while my kids are at their Grandma's for a week? Will I? WILL I?"

Well. I didn't finish. But I've got wings on my heels, yo, and lately I've been looking like these guys (especially the really intense ones):



So. Close. To. Done.

(and seriously ready to begin draft 3!)

Hope you're having a great week so far, folks!

xoxo,

In Which I Say, "YAY for ME!" and then Leave for Vacation

You Deserve a Rip Roaring Fiesta 5 x 7 doodle print

by Aimee of Artsyville

The time has come for me to throw a handful of biodegradable confetti up in the air and shout "YAY! I HIT THE 2/3rds MARK ON MY 2nd DRAFT!"

Why would Marisa be doing that? some of you may be asking yourselves.

Well, I'll tell ya - BECAUSE I HIT THE 2/3rds MARK ON MY 2nd DRAFT!

*throws confetti*

Okay, when it comes to successes worth celebrating, the 2/3rds mark on the second draft (and I'm pretty sure I have a minimum of 3 more drafts when this is done before my never-ending beast of a book is query-ready) might not seem like a celebration-worthy milestone. But you guys, I'm a really slow writer. And as it turns out, a really, really, disgustingly slooooow editor. It certainly doesn't help that I've been stuck editing the same two chapters for the last 2.5 months. But those pages that were the bane of my existence on paper (but so good in my head!) are done! And better than when they were in my head. SO I'M CELEBRATING, BABY!

*throws more confetti*

This book is seriously taking it's toll on my sanity - just this morning I found myself standing in the kitchen, looking at the microwave, thinking, "Wait - did I really just shut a wet dish towel in the microwave for no reason and start to walk away?"

Yes, yes I did.

But I'm going out of town this weekend with my BFF - who I have been friends with since we looked like THIS:

(Sorry Jenni, I totally had to post that again. Bwah-hah-hahahaaaa)

and I am SO ready to put this editing hoopla out of my head for a couple days and relax with our families. And when I get back, my mom is taking the girls for an ENTIRE WEEK. Life is truly wonderful!

Which brings me to the questions that are on everyone's mind (well, on MY mind, at least):

Will Marisa Hopkins rise to the challenge and finish her entire 2nd draft while her kids are at their grandmother's house for a week? Will she be temporarily DONE with the beast that is her free-time's #1 life-suck? Will she finally be able to work on her other WIP, which has been whispering sweet nothings into Marisa's ear since the last NaNoWriMo?

dun-dun-dunnnnn.....

Tune in, in a week and a half, for the pleasant - or unpleasant - reveal!

Enjoy the rest of your week, folks!

xoxo,

The Good Old Days

Gracie's a nostalgic l'il thing, often talking of 'the good old days' - before she started school, when her days were with me and Annelie and Will, who often worked in the evenings so he was home with us during the day.

For months Gracie's been talking about how excited she is for summer vacation so things can be as they were before. She definitely takes after her dad and me - we're always talking about our dating days, and the days when the girls were babies and toddlers.

And looking through old family photos, with Beirut's Postcards From Italy playing in the background to add to the nostalgic mood, is always favorite past time. (Love, love this song and video)

Well, it's summer vacation now, and yesterday was a beautiful day by West Texas's standards - only in the 90's - so Will and I decided a nature hike with the girls would be just the thing to add to the memory collection.

We had a fun day - and wouldn't you know it, when we got home Gracie gave me a huge hug and announced that her days were finally just like the good old days again.

Well, Gracie, you're in luck - Summer vacation is three LOOOOONG months, though I'm hoping by the end of it, you'll be desperate for the good old days of school to start.

I know I will!

But in the meantime, it's awesome having more adventures to look fondly back at!

xoxo,