Cars

Sitting at the car place awaiting word on why my car is suddenly struggling to go up hills. While I’m hoping it’s something little, I have this gut feeling my transmission is dying. So you can only imagine how badly I wanted to hug the service guy when he told me that IF it is the transmission, it’s still covered. Phew. Phew. Phew.

Today’s Bits & Pieces, of course, is now about cars (Chris C. this is for you)…

1) What was the first car you were able to call your own?

2) Dream car?

3) How many cars have you owned over the years?

4) Must-have on a car?

5) Would-like-to-have on a car?

~Elizabeth

B-B-Bits & P-P-Pieces

It’s cold out. Really, really cold out. Which makes it hard to think of anything besides cold-weather things. So here we go…

1) Blanket or robe?

2) What do you reach for when you want to add something to your hot chocolate?

3) Ski or sled? Bonus points if you  have a funny story to share about either.

4) Name a song that instantly makes you think of warmth.

~Elizabeth

Mirror, Mirror

Today’s Bits & Pieces came to me while looking at an image of that face that appears whenever Snow White’s Wicked Queen looks in the mirror…

1) When you look in the mirror, what’s something you like?

2) What’s something you’d change (either physical or otherwise)?

3) Everyone has an age where they felt their best, what’s yours and why?

4) Describe yourself in a sentence.

~Elizabeth

An Honor Before Bits

 Before I get to this week’s Bits & Pieces, I figured I’d share some cool news with you. DANGEROUS ALTERATIONS was just named one of the Top Ten Books of 2011 by Laura Hinds (a cozy reviewer at MyShelf.com)!!! You can access the various lists HERE.  Scroll down to Laura’s list and you’ll see DANGEROUS ALTERATIONS there, along with a review link beside it (the review of the book is really quite awesome)!!!

Yay!!

Double YAY (or would that be, YAY!! YAY!!??)!!!

Now that I’ve had my moment to share my good news, we’ll move on. This week, I’m asking the questions and giving my answers as part of the blog. After you read mine, I sure hope you’ll pop into the comment section and tell us yours…

1) What are you reading now?

*Me? I’m reading, MURDER 101 by Maggie Barbieri. It’s the first and only book I’ve downloaded to my new Kindle Fire so far.

2) What’s your favorite cake of all time?

*Me? I’m a Boston Creme Pie/Cake kinda gal. But it’s got to made just right. Mmmm…

3) If you could hear any song at this moment, what would it be?

*Me? I think I’m in a Hooters–And We Danced kinda mood right now.

4) What’s an ability/interest few know you have?

*Me? I’d say cake decorating. For which I provide Exhibit A (made last night for Dear Daughter #1′s birthday). In the past, I’ve made everything from Blue (from Blue’s Clues) to a 3 dimensional Pooh Bear cake that totally rocked! I took a class to learn this when DD #1 was 13 months old and I’ve been decorating cakes for her and DD #2 ever since. I’ll venture to say that learning how to do that has brought me a lot of joy over the years (their faces when they see their cakes is worth every second I spent on decorating).

Now it’s your turn…

~Elizabeth

Old and New

Well, this is it. My last blog of 2011.

It’s been an interesting year, that’s for sure. One filled with memorable moments I wouldn’t trade for anything, and a handful of trials I wish I could delete. But, all in all, everything was/is good.

2012 and what, exactly, it will bring, is still a mystery–a mystery we all try to put a handle on via resolutions or promises for change or growth.

Me? I prefer to set goals.–things I hope to accomplish before the last blog of 2012 appears on this very page.

I did pretty good with my goals last year. I took each of my daughters on a Mom-and-Me weekend. I signed three new contracts (one for a romance, one for a 3-book extension for the sewing series, and one for a brand new Amish series). And I kept up on this blog. The only goal I didn’t do so well on was one regarding fitness (why is that always the one that’s hardest to stick to?).

For 2012, I have an all new batch of goals…plus a return of the fitness one I failed to achieve in 2011.

So how about you? Did you set goals/make resolutions for 2011? If so, how did you do? Any for 2012 you care to share?

~Elizabeth  

P.S. Be sure to stop by on Monday as I’ll be unveiling the cover of HEARSE AND BUGGY–the first book in my new Amish cozy mystery series which will debut on June 5th!!!!  It’s beautiful!

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

 Today’s Bits & Pieces is all about gift-giving and gift-receiving…

1) What was the most creative present you’ve ever gotten?

2) Have you ever re-gifted?

3) What’s the strangest present you’ve ever gotten?

~Elizabeth

‘Tis The Season

Who can resist a holiday themed Bits & Pieces (hopefully not you)?

1) What’s your favorite holiday decoration?

2) Favorite holiday song?

3) Gift cards or gifts (for you)?

4) Favorite holiday TV show?

5) Favorite holiday movie?

C’mon everyone. Play along.

~Elizabeth

Lights, Lights

Drive-thru Christmas light displays are one of my favorite holiday traditions. I love packing the kids in the car, turning on the Christmas carols, and ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the lights as we drive.

Unfortunately, where I’m living now, drive-thru light displays are non existent.  So I’ll just have to pretend.

What’s one of your favorite lead-up to the holiday traditions?

~Elizabeth

Dear Santa…

In honor of  the infamous Black Friday, I figured it might be fun to take a look back at some of my own must-have Christmas toys from my childhood (including one that made me cry…and not in a good way).

So click here: http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/, to see some of the toys that made their way onto my own Dear Santa lists over the years. Then, stick around and tell us some of yours…

~Elizabeth

Gobble, Gobble

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it seems only fitting that Bits & Pieces should coincide with the big day…

1) What are your absolute must-have’s for Thanksgiving?

2) Lumps or no lumps (in your mashed potatoes, of course)?

3) Earliest Thanksgiving memory?

4) Turkey or ham?

5) What’s the one thing on the table you won’t touch?

~Elizabeth