Traditions

KS Jones

It's Christmas Eve. Today, houses across the world are filled with either a special excited energy or quiet repose. My house is in quiet repose. All our children are grown and have families of their own, so I suspect their houses are filled with that special excited energy today. That's good. I hope so, because that would mean that their own childhood memories are holding strong and there's nothing that makes a mother happier than knowing that their children are handing our family's traditions down to their own.

And just to clarify, quiet repose is not a bad thing. In fact, it's a really good thing. I love the peace and quiet of an older Christmas. There isn't any snow here to intensify the solitude, but it is 25 degrees outside and magnificently beautiful! The view from my office window is of a cedar forest with White-tail deer and an abundance of winter birds flitting from one feeder to the next. And my dogs, both of whom are running and playing amidst the wildlife who have grown to love them almost as much as I do. When animals are allowed to be animals in a calm environment, they sometimes form the most amazing friendships.

In staying with tradition, today's big meal in my house will be homemade tamales--yum! But the best traditions are the ones that have many faces to them, so it has been hard to decide which tradition is best suited for this Christmas Eve! A single tradition sports a bit of mundane boredom, don't you think? So our family tradition has many faces: Authentic Homemade Tamales, or Herb-Crusted Prime Rib with Port Wine Sauce, or Christmas Soup with Homemade Bread, or Chorizo-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. A vote happens every year--that's our tradition! This year the Authentic Homemade Tamales won the vote hands down.

It is my wish that each of you know the joy that comes with raising children you adore, while living in a place that is not only close to your heart, but a place that holds you close to its heart, too. Those of you who have that, as I do, are fortunate. Not all of us are burdened to live in a sad, lonely world, and sometimes I think that the happy ones need a pat on the back as much as the unhappy need hugs.

Merry Christmas!
Karen
http://www.KSJones.com/

Hi! I'm Jenn...the other half of The Mirrored Pen (that rhymes haha *snort*)

"Ahem... is this thing on...?"

Weeee-whoooo (as my 2 year old daughter says).. I'm Jenn, and I'm the other half of the Mirrored Pen. I thought it appropriate to give you an introduction so you get an idea of who I am and what I'm passionate about. So, off we go....

I'm a happily married (most of the time) 35 year old mom with 3 amazing and periodically insane kids. My husband, being the sweet man that he is, has afforded me the opportunity to stay home full time. I have never been so grateful to another human being for anything in my life. I've been pregnant or breastfeeding since 2009. My son, "little mister", is almost 4, my daughter, "lady luck" is 2 and "magpie", my most recent little sweet pea, is almost 3 months. She's the best sleeper on the planet, by the way. I deserve that after the first two. 

Here are some things I love in no particular order - Breastfeeding, baby wearing, organic food (when we can afford it), reading, projects with the kids, peace and quiet (hahah..oh, that's funny just typing it), a nice warm flickering fire and coffee, lots of coffee. Just to name a few.

I'm hoping that you find the daily happenings of our life helpful, hilarious and heartwarming (see what I did there with the three H's?..good stuff). I do, at times, have a tendency to throw in a dirty word here or there because, well, I love adjectives...so don't get your knickers in a wad, you've been warned.

On a serious note, remember - every day is new... forgive yourself for what happened yesterday and appreciate those glittering moments, when just for a second you look into your child's eyes and you see true, honest-to-god happiness. You're helping to shape a human being and it's hard and absolutely the most fulfilling thing that some of us will ever do. I'll bet you've found yourself standing over the sink in the kitchen, shoving something that resembles food into your face because you're starving to death, wondering if you're a good Mom. Hoping that you aren't screwing your kids up. Hoping that they feel love and warmth and kindness. Praying that you are doing a good job. Well, you are. You probably never hear it, so I'll say it. They feel loved and you are doing a good job. Now breathe and brace yourself for what I hope is a journey worthy of your time.

Namaste,
Jenn

The Very First Post!



KS Jones

Here it is! The first post in a new blog called The Mirrored Pen.

You know how you go into a clothing store and you find that perfect blouse/dress/cocktail gown and you're all excited about getting into that fitting room so that you can see how this wondrous new outfit looks on you? Then, standing in front of the dressing room mirror wearing that "to-die-for" outfit, you realize that the person looking back at you--your mirror image who's dressed in that fabulous outfit--suddenly looks frumpy and not at all like you? That very well may be what happens here, with good reason.

My name is Karen and I'll be the frumpy one. I am a writer. I mainly write stories for children. I write articles, short stories, MG novels, YA novels, fantasy, fiction, historical fiction, and maybe soon something called New Adult fiction which bridges the gap between Young Adult and Adult genres and typically features protagonists between the ages of 18 and 26. But I am only one half of The Mirrored Pen.

Meet Jenn. She is the other half of The Mirrored Pen. While I write for children, Jenn writes about children. And dare I say, her Blog Posts may make you laugh, or could make you cry, but they are always worth reading. Wait for it. It will be worth it.

Check back often for what we hope will be helpful and entertaining posts written for writers and for parents proving that all of us are much more alike than we usually want the world to know.

Karen
www.KSJones.com