share four somethings

Share Four Somethings: November 2022

We only have one more month left in the year and then it’ll be 2023! A lot happened (and also didn’t happen) since the last S4S post. Things that did or will happen: I attended a book club meeting, my first since February, where I got to hold a baby and announce that my book‘s been published. Our family went Trick-or-Treating with friends on Halloween and the weather was nice for the event. My youngest child turned ten years old, which doesn’t feel right. My daughter received the “Heart Award” at her cross-country banquet. I’ve joined a promotion with other romance writers to give away FREE BOOKS through December 15th. Click here to see if any strike your fancy (there are some Christmas-themed ones). And visit my Instagram page December 1st through the 23rd, as I’m teaming up with twenty-two other authors to give away one of our books every day! Things that didn’t happen: I tried for several days to purchase Taylor Swift tickets to no avail. I attended a Bourbon lottery at a local liquor store and came up empty there as well. Such is life. Continue reading for more highlights of the month and check out others’ or add your own at HeatherGerwing.com!

Something Loved

Our family attended the Asheville Holiday Parade for the first time. My son’s Scout troop walked in it so my daughter and I hung out and watched, waiting for him and his dad to appear with lollipops. It was a fun event hanging out with several other families among the crowd of viewers. The sun, along with several layers of clothing, helped counteract the wind and cold. We stayed downtown for lunch, which was also delicious.

Something Gleaned

Since deciding to publish my novels, I’ve joined many online groups to help develop the skills and knowledge to be successful. One such group is 20Booksto50K, an excellent resource for indie authors. The founder of the group hosts in-person conferences in several cities around the world. Every November there is one in Las Vegas. It looks amazing with its many speakers over three full days of sessions and various networking events. I really want to go and am thankful that the organizer has already posted the expected costs for attending in 2023 so I can figure out the feasibility for me. I’d really like to go, but may have to wait another year or two as it is an investment and it might help to be further along in my career.

Something Saved

I’m one of those people who enjoys experiences as gifts. As our kids get older, those seem like better ways to spend our money than on things they may not play with. Last year, we took the kids to Universal Studios as their big Christmas gift and had a great time. I saved this graphic to help with these kinds of ideas in the future.

Do you like receiving or giving experiences as gifts?

Something Achieved

As I mentioned last month, November is National Novel Writing Month. Each year, thousands of people try to write 50,000 words toward a new novel this month. This is my fourth consecutive year attempting this challenge. I enjoy the community of writers that come together to talk about writing and help one another out with story and plot problems. I finished the first draft of my Christmas novel this past Sunday, which came in at 63,848 words! It will probably climb some more during edits, but I like to wait a few weeks before starting that process. In the meantime, I’m back editing book two in my City Love sweet romance series.

What were some highlights from November for you? What are you most looking forward to in December?

Share Four Somethings: December 2021

It’s the last S4S of 2021! I know the format is going to change a little for 2022 which means new topics and I’ll have to create a new graphic. Will I put myself in that one? We’ll see. If you’ve enjoyed reading my monthly highlights, I hope you’ll consider joining with your own Share Four Somethings in 2022. As always, the link up will be found over at HeatherGerwing.com. It’s a lot of fun! Check out my December highlights below. No surprise, they’re all Christmas-related!

Something Loved

I’m a lot like Buddy the Elf in that I am mesmerized by gorgeous Christmas trees. Each year I slake that thirst by visiting Biltmore Estate during their Christmas season and tour the house to get my fill of trees. One year I was told there were more than fifty decorated trees in the house and I believe it. This year I took the tour solo and thoroughly enjoyed all of the beautifully-decorated trees in the house. I consulted last year’s photos and saw that some decor had changed. This year’s gingerbread house of the Biltmore was phenomenal. If you ever get a chance to go see the Biltmore at Christmas, do it!

Something Read

I’ve gotten into the habit of reading Christmas-themed books in December. So much fun! This year’s pick I’d been dying to read ever since I discovered Christina Lauren in February and saw they have a Christmas book. Yes, I really waited ten months to read it. And I thoroughly enjoyed In a Holidaze. It starts out kind of like Groundhog’s Day (the movie) in that, after Mae makes the regrettable action of kissing the brother of the guy she’s secretly had a crush on for decades, she finds herself starting the vacation over with all previous memories intact while everyone else is oblivious. It’s a fun story about gaining the courage to reach for the life you want instead of staying where it’s safe.

Something Treasured

The kids and I decorated gingerbread houses one weekend. We use whatever Halloween candy we still have around along with whatever comes in the kit. I love seeing the kids’ creativity and it’s a fun time of talking about what we like in one another’s creations. I love doing all of the Christmas things with the kids. I hope when they’re adults, they’ll have fond memories of family traditions.

Something Ahead

I’ve been excited for months about our kids’ Christmas present and we’re almost there. We decided that this is the time to take the kids to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Florida. We’ve all read the books and watched the movies and the kids are at the age (and height) where they can ride just about everything. They have no idea but I know they’ll be thrilled when they open up their letters on Christmas day. My daughter has mentioned wanting to go at least twice this year. The kids are vaccinated and we’re boosted, so we’ve done what we can to stay healthy. We have express passes and park-to-park tickets so we can ride the Hogwart’s Express, but I haven’t been to Universal since 2008 and there was no Harry Potter world then. They were in the process of building a Simpsons ride at the time. Anyone who’s been, have any tips or tricks to share?

Share Four Somethings: July 2021

monthly highlights loved read treasured ahead

July has been an unusual month because thus far I’ve spent all of it in Idaho with my family. It has been a joy to hang out with people I haven’t seen since 2019. While I haven’t enjoyed the very high daily temperatures, it’s been well worth time with people I love. I hope that you, too, have been able to do something enjoyable this summer.

Now it’s time to get to a few of my favorite things from the month. Feel free to share yours in the comments or link up with me over at HeatherGerwing.com!

Something Loved

apple watch and bluetooth headphones for running

I don’t like running but I do it because supposedly it’s good for my heart and health. 🙂 It’s fairly easy to run in my parents’ neighborhood because there are lots of sidewalks and it’s pretty flat. I usually run with my phone in an armband but since I didn’t need to worry about being reached by a school or the kids, I decided to try running with the music on my apple watch and a pair of bluetooth headphones. I loved not having something on my arm that might come lose if I flexed too much or slid down my arm if my muscles contracted. I think I may continue to use this combo for running in the future when I’m not worried about missing an important phone call.

Something Read

save the cat writes a novel book cover image

I have read several great books this month. I thoroughly enjoyed Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, a nonfiction book about the common beats in successful novels and must-have elements in specific book genres. I found it really helpful in looking through my manuscripts and seeing where I need to rearrange or beef up various parts. I think it’ll be very helpful in future writing.

I also really enjoyed The Guncle by Steven Rowley. It’s been awhile since I teared up reading and it was a welcome experience. Patrick was a tv star but stepped away from the spotlight and his family after Joe’s death. When his sister-in-law dies and his brother checks himself into rehab, he finds himself responsible for his niece and nephew for the next three months. Will he be able to help them work through their grief while processing his own? A book with lots of heart and plenty of humor.

Something Treasured

four children sitting on a bench overlooking a gorge and the perrine bridge

It was so wonderful to be with family again, but I especially treasure the time my kids had with their cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. The kids all had a blast together playing, celebrating special days, and even writing and performing a play! I’m so grateful that they were able to have this time together this year.

Something Ahead

While it’ll be sad to leave family in a few days, I am looking forward to seeing my husband again after three weeks apart. In addition to our reunion, we will get a little couple time when he goes to Nashville for work and I accompany him. It’ll be a fast trip, but I’m sure we’ll make the most of it. If you’ve been, let me know what we should try to do. Also, it’s our 15th anniversary next week!

That’s a wrap on July. I’d love to hear how your month has been. See you next month!

Share Four Somethings: August 2019

August has still been a bit unusual for me. If we were still in Georgia, the kids would have been in school all month. Since we’re now in North Carolina, they’ve only been in school for a week. I’m glad to finally be getting into a routine. Hopefully, by the end of next month, I’ll be feeling more settled. The good news is our family has been all together this month and we did some exploring of our new town. I’m excited about even more adventures, especially as fall gets closer and the mountains around us become even more awe-inspiring as the leaves change color. In the meantime, here are some highlights from August.

Something Loved

One of the highlights of moving up to Asheville was to reconnect with some old friends of ours who also used to live in Atlanta. They also have two kids who are close in age to ours so the kids and I got together with the other mom and kids for an introduction. We met at a library for rock painting, went to lunch, and then came back to our house for some free play. It was such a joy to hear the kids having fun as they played together. We have been able to have a couple of days at the pool with them as well and it has made my mom heart happy to have immediate friends for my kids.

Something Said

“I just think that so much of [the pressure to be a good mom] comes when we look to other people for what we should be doing. It’s natural right? We want to validate that we are a good mom and that we are a good wife and that we’re doing what we should be doing and all these things. But I think what it comes down to is when we are the best version of ourselves, when we are doing what makes us come alive, whatever that looks like – whether it’s selling soup or just being a mom or working full-time – when we’re the best version of ourselves then we’re the best version of the mom we were made to be for our kids. “

This is a quote from Alana Dawson, co-host of the podcast The Mom Wants More. She and her co-host (Amber Salhus) were on my favorite podcast, Woven, as part of their The Four Keeps of Mothering series. This episode was talking about how women need to keep creating. They don’t have to set aside all of the passions they had before becoming parents. They can choose to focus all of their energy on parenting, but working or doing something else creative is an equally valid choice. It should be considered a part of self-care. I really appreciated the four women’s thoughts on the subject and would recommend other moms take a listen.

Something Learned

The kids and I took a delicious tour of The Chocolate Fetish in downtown Asheville. We learned the term couverture which refers to high-quality chocolate and indicates the amount of cocoa butter in the chocolate. We were given a basic education about high-quality chocolate including how it looks, sounds when broken, and tastes. If you’re ever in town, definitely stop by the shop for delicious confections. I adore the truffles but also found a new favorite on the tour – dark chocolate pistachio turtles. (P.S. They can ship most of their product around the country.)

Something Read

I’ve only finished three books so far this month due to all of the family bonding time I got with the kids while they were out of school. They were all fiction and all very different. One was a very good post-WWII novel that also had flashbacks to WWI about female spies (The Alice Network). The second was a predictable but enjoyable contemporary romantic comedy-type book about a woman who receives an unexpected public proposal and the pediatrician who helps rescue her from the uncomfortable and embarrassing situation (The Proposal).

The third one is my highlight. The Wife Between Us is a psychological suspense book with multiple twists to keep you guessing about what is really going on. Every time you think you have a grasp on the situation, the view shifts slightly and everything changes. Richard’s ex-wife is trying to keep him from marrying his new fiancee. His fiancee is a little jumpy due to an experience in her past and is looking for him to protect her, especially from the threat she feels. I don’t want to explain too much of the story because I don’t want to ruin it but you will be engaged quickly and unprepared for the twists.

Those are my four somethings for August. I hope you enjoyed them. I would love to hear your highlights from the month! Post them below or feel free to add your own post over at HeatherGerwing.com!

Share Four Somethings: July 2019

July has been a really weird month for me. We returned from a month in Boise and then spent the first two weeks packing things we’d need while we were homeless, trying to squeeze in as much Atlanta fun as we could, saying goodbye to friends, and then heading up to North Carolina. the next two weeks were spent with our family apart most of the time. Adam started his new job and had to be in Asheville weekdays. I joined him some to learn the area and then we spent weekends with the kids and in-laws until we closed on our house two days ago. So a very irregular month. But I’m wrapping it up with some consistency that is the monthly Share Four Somethings where I talk about something loved, something said, something learned, and something read. Enjoy!

Something Loved

I loved getting to spend time with some of my favorite people our last two weeks in Atlanta. I hated the reason behind it but we all ignored that and did our best to enjoy the experiences and visit some of our favorite places. We went to Six Flags with friends, dinners at homes and restaurants, and pool playdates. I’m so grateful for all of the connections we made in our 13 years in Georgia.

Something Said

While traversing the four-and-a-half hours to my in-laws’ house in NC the day after our house was packed up I needed something to help pass the time. The kids were watching movies in the back. The cat was situated between them voicing her displeasure at being forced to endure a long drive in a crate. I remembered that I was behind on episodes of my favorite podcast (Woven) so I used the drive to catch myself up. The quote below came from episode 57 which interviewed a favorite author of mine, Courtney Ellis, about her most recent book Almost Holy Mama. The quote itself is from Woven co-hosts Rebecca Cochran and Rebecca Peet, respectively.

I think we have this misconception that if we complain or acknowledge that [parenting] is hard that we’re not grateful…Those things can both be true at the same time…I think culturally, too, it’s like sort of this thing where ‘Some people can’t have babies’ and then we’re not honest about our struggles because we think people are going to judge us or think that we’re not grateful.

We tend to rank suffering. Someone can hear this and be like, ‘Well, I’m not suffering. I didn’t sleep at all last night and I haven’t slept in like three months but I’m not suffering because I didn’t lose a baby or my parents didn’t just die or I’m not going through cancer treatments or whatever.’ And yes, there are more intense seasons of suffering than others but parenting is hard and I think it’s hard for people to say they’re suffering in parenting because it seems like they’re not grateful.

Something Learned

I spent part of my time in Asheville exploring the local bookstores (of course). I found a few really good ones. I also found some I won’t be returning to due to poor selection in my preferred genres. The coolest bookstore I visited was Battery Park Book Exchange in the downtown area. It has different sections and levels with seats and tables where you’re surrounded by books you can purchase (though they discourage reading something you haven’t bought). They even have a cafe and bar if you want something to eat or drink while reading, visiting, or waiting for the live music (on weekends) to start.

I saw this in a bookstore bathroom in Asheville.

Something Read

I’ve read eight books thus far in July, seven of them fiction. I’m usually more balanced but it’s summer and even I like to take a mental break on occasion. If you would like a more regular update of what I read along with reviews, please visit my Instagram page that’s just for books.

The nonfiction book I read was Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott. I usually enjoy her thoughts on various subjects. While I didn’t love it like I did Bird by Bird, I did enjoy learning about her faith journey and took away a few nuggets that I’ll share below.

Traveling mercies: love the journey, God is with you, come home safe and sound.

Again and again I tell God I need help, and God says, “Well, isn’t that fabulous? Because I need help too. So you go get that old woman over there some water, and I’ll figure out what we’re going to do about your stuff.”

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.

Those are my four somethings for July. I hope you enjoyed them. I would love to hear your highlights from the month! Post them below or feel free to add your own post over at HeatherGerwing.com!

Share Four Somethings: June 2019

It’s summer vacation for my kids. We flew out to Idaho the first of June and will be here for nearly the entire month so this month’s edition of S4S involves our experience out west with family.

Something Loved

There are so many things that could go in this category. It’s always wonderful to see my brother, sister-in-law, nieces, parents, and whatever other extended family comes to visit while we’re here (this year it’s two aunts and an uncle). We catch up, play cards, and enjoy the Boise weather and activities. I’m glad the kids get to spend quality time with my side of the family. What I think I loved most was the adventurous attitude of my daughter. We went to Quinn’s Pond twice for some water fun and each time she wanted to test her skills with the available watercraft. It made me proud to see her out there kayaking and paddle boarding by herself. I hope she continues to explore her abilities and believe she can do anything.

Something Said

My life has kingdom significance. My story is a subject in the bigger story God is weaving. What I do with my life, from cradle to grave and no matter how mundane and ordinary, carries kingdom significance, a point made repeatedly in the Bible where so-called “little” people operating behind the scenes regularly advance God’s kingdom…God calls every image bearer to take their part in advancing his kingdom wherever he stations them.

This was a quote from a blog post written by Carolyn Custis James found in a book I was reading this month. I was encouraged to be reminded that I don’t have to do big, public things for my work to be considered significant. I can only be known by my small circle of friends and family and it won’t mean my acts of love and service aren’t meaningful or impactful. It also reminded me that I have no idea what these small acts of great love will yield.

Something Learned

We found out in May that my husband had been offered a new position in his company. He accepted it and we’re moving to Asheville, NC. This means, of course, that we have to sell our current house and find a new place to live. We listed our house the day we headed west for vacation, thinking it’d be easiest to have showings while no one’s there. This being a company move with relocation, we’ve been learning the ins and outs of what that means. I also consulted my cousin whose husband is Air Force for her wisdom on packing and organizing with movers. While we’ve moved before, we haven’t moved out of state together or with kids so there is a lot of information and experience we don’t have. Hopefully, after this move, we’ll feel more knowledgeable and prepared for potential future moves.

Something Read

I have a goal of reading four fiction and four nonfiction books while out here in Boise. That’s one of each per week. I hit my fiction goal already but am behind on my nonfiction. I didn’t plan for a house-hunting weekend in Asheville when I made my original goal. I still have a week left so it could still happen. One book I really enjoyed is The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms. It was an Amazon First Reads pick for May which I chose because of the cover (books and a book reference). It’s about a private-school librarian who’s been raising her two kids on her own for three years since her husband left for a work trip to Hong Kong and chose not to come back. Her husband suddenly appears back in town and wants to try to re-initiate a relationship with their kids, asking for a week with them which stretches into all summer. Amy goes to a librarian conference in NYC for the week but then decides to spend all summer there. It’s more interesting and complicated but I don’t want to ruin the book in case you read it. I found it an enjoyable and relatable story (in that I am also a mom who loves books and rarely spends time away from the kids). It’s a good summer read.

Those are my four somethings from June. Feel free to share your own in the comments or link up at HeatherGerwing.com.

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share four somethings

Something Loved

Something Said

Something Learned

Something Read

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