Prizes for Everyone!!! Or at least until I run out ;o)

See, there's this thing about getting organized and caught up... The Universe has a way of saying, "Oh Yeah????"

GRW (Georgia Romance Writers) and family have been my reality the last week or so. Both very important to me, even if I miss my blogging. Even if I have to put equally important things on hold. Balance... I'm learning the healing reality of it, and how little a writer gets of it by default. You have to create your own.

So, I've gone back to my yoga and pilates, and we've bought a new bed (heaven), and I'm caught up on the tons of things I've had to put off for so long, and my son's finished with his first year of middle school (complete with a spot on the District Honor Band, achademic awards, four honors classed lined up for next year, and a true passion for tennis that will see him through three back-to-back camps this summer). A school year well lived, and one of my proudest accomplishments--that my son's happy and balanced in his own intelligence and creativity. They're our future, our children. Our legacy. I'm grateful that my son's a daily gift to remind me of that promise.

And I've just returned from a Memorial Day weekend emersed in Native American culture (part of my heritage)--and I've fallen in love wint Zuni fetish carvings (small masterpieces carved from gems and precisous stone by Zuni artisans) and the work of a Zuni jewelry artist, Effie Calavaza (http://www.taostrading.com/eshox_pages/effie.html). Seems snake medicine is what I find myself drawn to, and this great lady is the best of the best at creating and healing through her art. I hope to meet her some day. I've included a few pics of her work to give you a little taste...

It was a magical weekend of drum music and native singing and dancing. I bought a wooden flute with the perfect earthy tone, and met some wonderfully inspiring artists. The festival is a "pow wow" I've attended before, and there are several more throughout the year. I won't miss a single one. And I really need to delve into my family history and figure out my Cherokee roots. But that's for another day.

I've been remiss in prizes, and that can go on no longer ;o) So, in addition to the prizes in the last post, pictures of the rest of my Snow White treasures follow. I'll give them all way to commenters by the end of the week--so speak up!--while we celebrate the success of Mother's of the Year--and my "Snow White" themed novella, Baby Steps.

In the mean time:

Snow White and Grumpy go to...Travelor, who posted at 3:14 in the May 13th post.

And the green Grumpy T-shirt...to Annie, who posted at 3:58 in the May 8th post.

Did anyone catch the Mothers and Daughters article in this month's Romantic Times? I received a call from an editor at RT a few months back, who'd heard about my foster care story and was intrigued. Baby Steps was spotlighted prominantly, and the message I hope every reader takes away that motherhood is about giving and caring and loving unconditionally, and helping a child find his own confidence and purpose in life... I've had wonderful feedback on it. The unexpected blessings are the best, don't you think?

Remind me to tell you about my LifeTime TV interview next, 'kay ;o) Oh, and to give you another excerpt of Weekend Meltdown...

Until then, enjoy drooling over more Snow White prizes, chatting about the spritual zaniness of yours truly ;o), and looking forward to my To Protect the Child Blog release party which will begin on June 17th!!!