Playing catch-up on news

Catholic Writers Conference is coming up Feb 26. I'm very excited for it, and also glad to get past all the preparation and into the fun!

Rob gets promoted to Colonel Feb 26. THAT will be a big event. He had three goals for his Air Force career: Get a command, influence national policy, make Colonel. On Feb 26, he will have accomplished all three! What's next? New goals, though perhaps with less pressure. In three years, he can get retire as a Colonel, which means that he can stay in until he gets bored. I did tell him that if he makes general, then after that I get to decide when we retire!

Amber turns 15 on Feb 22. Her quinceanera is Feb 27. It's going to be relatively small. My dad (a deacon) is doing the blessing at our house, and she's having a regular birthday party rather than a big dance. So we'll have folks dressed in steampunk playing video games, watching Dr. Who and whacking the pinata. My Puerto Rican relatives are a bit baffled, but it's what she wants, and I'm all for it!

Dad and I are still working on our book. The title is decided: Why God Matters: How to Find Him in Daily Life. I think I'd like to change it to Why God Matters: And How to Find Him in Daily Life. We'll see. I have most of my chapters written and am working with Dad on his.

Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator is going strong. It's slowed a bit thanks to the other book contract and the CWCO, but I'm still writing some each day I can--about 3000 words a week until CWCO.

I'm still teaching my marketing classes and writing my marketing newsletter. Next class is Marketing Basics. Learn to make a marketing plan! It's 6 weeks, but independent study, so go as fast or slow as you like. Get details here. I've also put up a sample of my marketing newsletter on my website. If you like it, subscribe for the year!

Did I ever mention to all of you that we started a new housekeeping routine? We're following The Fly Lady. Sort of. I don't wear shoes and I don't make control journals, but I do wipe my sinks every day, do daily laundry and 15-minute declutter, plus the "Kelly's Missions," which are deep cleaning. The kids now have two chores for about 20 min a day. I'm shocked how well we're keeping the house clean. This month, Alex and Amber decided to declutter their rooms. Amber got rid of about 10 percent of her stuff and straightened up the rest. Alex will get rid of about 50 percent of his toys. Can't do yard sales here, so it all goes to Goodwill.