Bright and Shiny (In Three Parts)

That's what a new year should be- bright and shiny, right?

Part One: If I could snap my fingers my house would be deep-cleaned and organized.  The kids' rooms would have all the gifts in just the right spots in just the right containers and put away when they're done being played with.  All the Christmas decorations would be packed neatly in boxes labeled with their contents.  The fridge would be cleaned (inside and out), cabinets wiped out, school supplies organized, cluttered piles dealt with and surfaces vacuumed and dusted.

Can your fingers do that?  Mine can't.  Therefore, to achieve all this before school starts back up blood, sweat and tears will be required, but it's my goal anyway.  The kids are distracted by gifts and the snow outside, so it may actually be feasible.

Then again, the scratchy throats we have could be the start of the bug that was knocking out extended family while we were still with them.  If that's the case, forget Part One completely.

Part Two: I have goals for the new year.  I don't like calling them resolutions.  I just want to start the year out right and hope that I can develop habits that will last.  Here are a few:

1) Go to bed at a reasonable hour- like 11:00 pm.  I'm a night owl and it's been getting me into trouble- I'm tired during the day (thank goodness for coffee) and I tend to get hungry late at night when I shouldn't be eating.

2) With our weekday evenings free of commitments the rest of the winter, I hope to get up on that blasted treadmill three evenings a week right after supper and walk, walk, walk- hopefully shedding those pounds I gain every fall when I go from being active in the summer to sitting at a table teaching in the fall.

3) I want to allow space for God to show me what's next.  My calendar is open and so is my heart.  I want to be ready for whatever might be down the road, good or bad (I know that may sound morbid).  I want to allow for quiet times for listening, study and prayer.  I don't want to miss any of His plans.  They're so much better than mine.

Part Three: Over the break, I caught two errors in my cookbook.  I'm baffled by it because both myself and my editor were over it again and again and again before deeming it ready to sell.  If you've already purchased one, please note these two errors and make the corrections.  I am so, so, very, very sorry about this.  I know some of you purchased them as gifts for others.  If this was you, please forward the recipients this information please.

1) On page 128 (Peanut Blossoms), I failed to tell you to add the dry ingredients to the wet.  So, toward the end of the first paragraph of method, just before the sentence "Set the cookie dough aside", please add this sentence, "Slowly add the dry ingredients and blend well."

2) On page 122 (Chewy Chocolate Cookies), it should read "8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter", not "8 ounces (1 stick) butter".

While this is not bright and shiny, setting things right is (even though I'm sick about it).  By the way, any future orders will have a little note inside from me noting these corrections until the next printing when the errors will be corrected.

On that note!  I have a gift for you!

As an apology and in honor of the New Year of 2013, I will be randomly choosing three of you lovely readers to receive a copy of my cookbook (hopefully you still want one!).  To enter, leave me a comment telling me what new thing you plan to do/change in the new year. Please leave your first name or your initials in your comment so I can identify you if you win.  Only one entry per household, please.  I'll announce the winners on Friday afternoon!

*This giveaway is closed.  Go here to see who won.*

Happy New Year, friends.  May it be bright and shiny in the way you need it to be!

Love,
Jane


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