Congratulations Florida!

Congratulations Florida on getting it right!
Today, same-sex marriage became legal in the great state I now call home. Typically this wouldn't be such a big deal to me because it was something I had grown so accustomed to in Connecticut. I quickly realized when I re-located to a red state, that not everyone is going to be as liberal as I am.

In fact, the vast majority of people in Florida aren't liberal by any means. Which is a huge problem for me. Alas, politics to the side... I am over the moon that "gay" marriage is finally on the table for all the same-sex couples who choose to marry.

Not only do I have many close friends, and even family members who are gay but at the end of the day it is a basic human rights issue. Bible or not, you can't expect an entire country to follow Christian laws when in fact not everyone is Christian. It is what makes everyone different, and what makes our country so damn great.

Diversity.
Culture.
Differences.

I'm happy for the 21 same-sex couples who married here in Volusia County today. I am over the moon that they finally have the opportunity to be treated the same as every other couple. It truly is a beautiful thing.

I'm also over the moon that my own favorite local watering hole, Garbo's is offering to have someone on site to officiate same-sex marriage all weekend long.

Congratulations to all the couples who chose love today and finally could LEGALLY marry their partner!

(The song may be played out, but every time I see the video... God... I just love it!

My Week in Pictures

Happy New Year!

2015 is upon us, and it has been a super stressful week. I finally got back to "work" and I say this extremely loosely because the children are still off from school until January 6th. Whoever thought winter break should be two full weeks, clearly doesn't have three children in school. 

I took three weeks off from work. I roughly threw in the towel the week before Christmas and trying to catch up hasn't been easy. And it is still going to take another week at least before I am not completely drowning in emails and trips to the post office.

I know I haven't updated in a while, and to be honest I've opened up a blank blog post and tried to write probably six times since my last post.

Today, my week in pictures.

I finally hung the handmade Sugar Skull mask I bought in Charleston, SC in August. I got it for my work space, because I completely fell in love with it. Talk about lazy!

Trying to get back to work... trying to bad. I busted out my Seven James cup figuring she would whip me back into shape. Total pun intended.

New Years aftermath. This is what I looked like when I woke up on New Years morning. I sat down on the couch with my caffeine in hand and started trudging through my to-do list. I got a ton done before the kids woke up too. Because once they are up... yeah. Good luck with that.

Laundry?  Yeah. I went and put a load in the dryer, and when I came back down the stairs with the kids laundry basket... this is what I found. They were both in the laundry room sink just... "Hey, how you doin?"  Um... now if they could only load the washer and dryer for me...

Day one: I've been battling with weight for years. It's like a yo-yo. One month I am a fresh 120 pounds and the next I pack on an extra ten pounds. So, in 2015 I have decided I am going to lose 20 pounds, and keep it off. I'm starting with the Advocare 24 day challenge, and combined with my gym membership, I am hoping to rock this!

Starting weight: 135 pounds

Goal: 115 pounds.

Mini Me... Since we've been out of school, everyone's sleep schedule is completely screwed up. I had Addison in my bed the other night trying to get her to relax, watch some Disney Jr. and GO THE F TO SLEEP!  Well, as I am sitting at my computer working away... I turn around and see this. 

Yup. She is my daughter.

Part 2 of the weight loss project...

Meal prep.

I spent two hours yesterday preparing a week's worth of meals. Lots of chicken, veggies and brown rice. Salads, greek yogurt, fresh juice, etc.  I'm praying I can stick with it.

Last... the mini me again. Last night I caught her in bed like this. Mind you, its 70 degrees out in Florida. You would think that she is back home in Connecticut preparing for a snow storm. Also, can you just note that she has completely taken over my bed? 

Be sure to follow me on Instagram!

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time I wrote a blog full time. In fact, I blogger for Babble, Lamaze, The Broad Side, and my own site all at once. Saying I got overwhelmed would be an understatement. I was in way over my head and then I thought it would be a good idea to start writing romance novels on top of that.

Yeah... I know right?

So, I stopped blogging and wrote a dozen books in a year's time. No joke. I put out 8 full length novels, 2 novellas, and 3 novels that were also collaborations with other authors. Overnight Dawn Robertson (my pen name) became an easily recognized name in the Indie Romance community, as well as on the Amazon Best Sellers list. My novel's cracking the top 100 three times.

My blog got shut down.
My dot com expired.
I resigned from Babble, and The Broad Side.
I started focusing on my fictional writing 100% of the time.

The entire time I missed blogging. I missed the personal I put out there with my kids. I missed the opinion pieces, and diving into current events. I missed the bloggers I became friends with. I missed it all.

I've made a couple decisions over the past month. One is that I am going to blog again. I may not be putting up a blog post everyday but I am going to do my best to really create a great space that not only Mom's will love to read, but something that gives me an outlet away from the fictional characters that currently run my life.
 

I've also decided to slow the amount of books I am writing in 2016 and focus on a couple other things (including my three amazing children) like my Origami Owl career. Yes, in the midst of all this I decided to start selling Origami Owl. In my first month with the company... I was one of their top sponsors. Yes, out of the entire company of thousands of women. I went from a Designer to a Leading Designer, and to a Team Leader in just short of two months time.

 It isn't about sales, it is about the community, and working with women I truly enjoy and for a company that I genuinely stand behind. It isn't just a job to me, its a hobby, its a passion. It is downright awesome.

If you are a SAHM (Stay-at-home-mom) or even a working mom looking to make some extra income, send me a message for some details about becoming a designer! The extra income is awesome!

Lastly... I realize I haven't documented my life in Central Florida with my children yet. There is so much here that we love, and do. Disney, the Beach is mere miles from our house, Cape Canaveral, the Space Center... the list goes on and on. I honestly love being in Florida. And buying a home here solidified we won't be leaving to go back to Connecticut anytime soon.

Hell, I went up there in March this year when I was signing at Authors in the City and I froze my ass off! No joke!

Harper Sloan and I bought literally... EVERY scarf and hat some guy in Times Square was selling one night because we were frozen solid. When they say your blood thins out quickly in the Florida weather... they aren't kidding.

I've also made the executive decision not to sign anywhere COLD during the winter months anymore. It requires a jacket? Dawn Robertson won't be there!  (Maybe... or maybe I just exaggerating right now)

Long story short... I'm back ladies!
And I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.