delaney.blog

Harlequin American Romance - June

2008-06-19T11:07:00.004-05:00

Take family, community, love and how to get it, add few quirky, fun-loving characters, and what do you have? Harlequin American Romance!

Do you read HARs? I do! And I love the stories about relationships, not only between the hero and heroine, but within a community of caring people. Kids, babies, moms, dads, aunts, uncles and more, HAR stories deliver the best!

Did you know the Harlequin American Romance authors have a blog? Lots of things going on there, so check it out and keep up with your favorite HAR authors and discover some new ones. You might even win a book or two!

Be sure to check out this month's fabulous line-up of books from Tina Leonard, Lisa Ruff, Victoria Chancellor, and Kara Lennox. You're gonna love 'em!

Time Flies

2008-06-13T09:41:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, a very good friend reminded me that there hadn't been anything new on my blog since December. I had no real excuse, except that life gets in the way, and I often forget to do things that should be done, instead of focusing on the things that must be done. Blogging is a "should". Paying bills, fixing meals, taking care of grandkids, and writing, writing, writing, are all "musts" that can't be ignored.

So here I am, almost six months later, giving yet another excuse for not posting that's neither good nor acceptable, but it's all I've got.

So what's happened in that almost six months? The usual. :) Christmas came and went. My daughters have had probably more happen in their lives, but even those things affect me in one way or another. Lyndsay and her family returned to their home after fire destroyed part of it in October. Sabrina's husband left for and returned from a 4-month deployment in the Middle East (Qatar) with the Air Force. Chelsea's work schedule changed from "normal" to second shift, and she actually likes it! And Mallory has discovered that being 18 isn't all that different than 17.

I had the pleasure of receiving a 2-book contract with Harlequin American Romance in March, and found myself writing, not only at night, but during the day, while transporting both granddaughters to and from school. At least that last part is on hold, now that it's summer.

Spring also brought us all closer together when my mother passed away in April. If not for my daughters and their families, it would have been a much more trying time. But I'm comforted in knowing my mom, a wholly independent person for most of her life, always involved in many organizations, is much happier now than being confined to nursing home life because of her health. She's at peace, and so am I.

My plans for the summer? We're already 3 weeks into it, and I don't have any, except to finish the second book, TAMING KATE (w.t.) and hope my editor likes the first, TANNER'S PRIZE (w.t.), and simply to enjoy each day with my 4 grandkids to the fullest. By the way, there are new pictures of all of them (and my step-granddaughter) on my photos page. They've grown!

For those of you who have had weather that's kept you on your toes, keep your eye to the sky and stay safe. We've had our share of bad weather, flooding, and tornadoes here in Kansas over the past few weeks, and I know others have had the same. Hugs to my friend, writer Patricia Davids, on the devastation of her hometown during a tornado two nights ago.

Enjoy your summer, everyone!

As Arnold Schwarzenegger said, I'll be back!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T18:32:00.000-06:00

A Visit from St. Nicholas
By Clement Clarke Moore

’T WAS the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that ST. NICHOLAS soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

'Tis the Season

2007-12-12T09:52:00.000-06:00

In spite of the weather many of us are experiencing, I hope this holiday season is proving to be a joyous one for all.

My many friends in Oklahoma experienced an ice storm this week. I know what that's like. In January of '05, we experienced the same thing here. We spent a full week without power and with streets and highways that were beyond challenging. My daughter and her family insisted we come stay with her. Seven days of ten of us sharing their two-bedroom apartment was...interesting. But she had power and HEAT, and we didn't. I'm not sure who was more relieved when our power returned, my daughter and her family or us. But power does get restored and ice does melt. Life does return to whatever normal is, so hang in there, friends!

My upcoming January Harlequin American includes a snowstorm that brings the hero (Nick) and heroine (Becca) closer together. It was also a turning point for the heroine and brought a major change to the way she looked at their relationship.

I loved writing about Nick's family and Becca's three children in Family by Design, and I'm so very pleased that Whitney Kate Sullivan at Romantic Times enjoyed them and the book. Her review is here, so if you're curious, take look.

And I've added an excerpt of the book, so if the season is getting frantic and you need to stop and take a deep breath for a few minutes peace, relax with a glimpse of the story. I hope you enjoy it AND this holiday season!

Family by Design

2007-11-09T00:08:00.000-06:00

My first book for Harlequin American Romance, Family by Design, will hit the shelves in January, but today I saw the cover for the first time, and it's great! Cover art is always a mystery to the author, until she sees it in the final product. I've been very lucky to have had wonderful covers for all of my books, and the cover of Family by Design is no exception. Kudos to Harlequin's wonderful art department for depicting Danny, the heroine's young son, as the adorable little guy he is in the book!

If you'd like to learn a little more about Family by Design, click on the BOOKS link above, where you'll find a blurb about the story and a link to the Inside Story of writing it.

October is a month my family would like to forget this year. With one son-in-law hospitalized with a partially collapsed lung and the other returning from deployment in UAE with the Air Force, it was a difficult month for two of my daughters. Happily, the hospital visit and the deployment are a thing of the past now. But just as we thought the hardest part was over, my next-to-oldest daughter's house caught fire. Charging back inside to retrieve their kitten didn't help the lung of her hubby, and although they'll be living in a temporary house for at least three months while their house is made liveable again, we're all very thankful that no one was hurt and the fire was contained in one bedroom, while the rest of the house sustained smoke and water damage. The weather has been much cooler here, but we didn't need that kind of heat!

I hope everyone had a delightful Halloween (and didn't eat too much candy!) and that Thanksgiving will find you surrounded by loved ones, thankful for many things.

Friends and Parties and Limos, Oh My!

2007-07-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

I've only been home a couple of days from RWA's annual conference held at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas, and already I'm wishing it could have been a longer trip!

It's always wonderful to get to spend time with friends and especially when they're writing friends. Eight of the Ditzy Chix managed to finally get together at a conference and had a fabulous time at a celebration dinner for our achievements this year.

It was an especially super trip because, not only did I room with my friend Kathie DeNosky for the first time, we shared the flight from Kansas City to Dallas. We spent as much time as possible talking and laughing and sometimes shed a tear, and quite often shared that time with Kristi Gold and her nifty roomie Vicky Dreiling.

Of course, there's always the party hosted by Harlequin/Silhouette that's one of the big highlights for some of us at conference. This year, several H/S authors went together for a special treat--and some of the Ditzy Chix joined in the ride back to the hotel from the party...in a stretch Hummer limo. Now just how cool is that?!

His Queen of Hearts in Italian

2007-04-10T01:49:00.000-05:00

It's always such fun to receive foreign copies of my books. The other day, a new one arrived, and it has such a beautiful cover! This one is the Italian version of His Queen of Hearts, the last of my Silhouette Romance books. (BTW, the literal translation of the title is Escape in Dress White.)

I'd love to know what you think of the cover!

Catching Up

2007-04-10T01:29:00.000-05:00

Busy, busy! That's what I've been since the middle of January. Why? Because I learned then that Family by Design will be a January 2008 Harlequin American release! What a wonderful group of writers the Harlequin American family encompasses. I've been able to be in contact with several old friends who write for HAR, and it's wonderful to meet new (I hope) friends. But with an April 1 deadline to have the book finished, there hasn't been a lot of time to be as sociable as I'd like to be. It's all done now, but that didn't mean I could lay around and eat bonbons and watch soap operas.

I've done three new Designs by Delaney websites and am finally now able to catch my breath. (I hope!) Heather Waters, Susan J. Mitchell, and Susanna Chelton Sheehy are worth a look and such very nice writers who were wonderful to work with.

Here's hoping Winter is on its way out and Spring, if not already here, is on its way!

Happy New Year!!

2007-01-03T20:19:00.000-06:00

I'm only a couple of days late, but it's been a busy start to 2007 here.

Nevertheless, may each and every one have a joyful and prosperous new year. May 2007 be a year of happiness and peace.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T13:19:00.000-06:00

Wishing you joy, abundance, and love on this Thanksgiving Day.

Happy Halloween! aka The Moral of the Story

2006-10-31T10:46:00.000-06:00

This post should really be titled, "The Disadvantages of Aging." I'm not yet ready to officially announce being old, but I will bite the bullet and admit that my memory is failing me...often to my disadvantage. I'll simply skip the story and announce the moral: Always keep sign-in information, including passwords, in a safe place. It's easy to forget them and can lead to no posting to blogs.

I doubt I can even begin to catch up, so I won't try. That said, we've moved out of summer here and into fall. Yesterday was beautiful, with the high temp of 76, but a bit windy. Those of us in Kansas understand windy. Then last night, the wind picked up, just about the time I ventured out for provisions, i.e. food, and the temps dropped dramatically. It was even worse an hour or so later when one of my daughters asked me to accompany her on a search for a new Halloween costume. Temp was in the upper 30's and wind gusts were close to 40 mph. The moral of that story: Don't go looking for a Halloween costume the night before Halloween--unless you're a child who isn't picky. And she's 24. Today we're eating Halloween cookies. My plans for the evening, while my own grown-up kids take their kids trick or treating, is to turn the lights out and veg out on old scary movies, accompanied by buttery popcorn.

So Happy Halloween, All Hallows Eve, and Samhein to all!! I hope it's an evening of delightful shudders. And Happy Birthday to Lisa Childs, the Ditzy Chix own Halloween girl!

Another One Bites the Dust

2006-08-16T17:13:00.000-05:00

That really isn't a fair title. The truth is, another Silhouette line is being closed. Silhouette Bombshell did not bite the dust. The authors of the many wonderful books in that line put their heart and soul into their stories, but because sales weren't as high as what the company had hoped for, they've (the guys in suits) have decided to discontinue the line. The last books will be on shelves in January '07.

I really liked this line. In fact, I liked it so much I even tried my hand at writing one. Sadly, it was rejected, but even in rejection I learn something. I may like the "kickass heroines" I read about in Bombshell, but I'm not a kickass heroine, myself. *grin* And that was okay, because I could still read the books. I won't be able to much longer.

If you were a Bombshell reader, drop your favorite author(s) a line and let her/them know. They'll really appreciate it, and you'll put a smile on their faces--something they really need right now.

Heat Wave

2006-07-23T18:23:00.000-05:00

There's nothing like summer. School is out, vacation time is scheduled, and hotter days are the norm. But just what do most people consider hot around here? We found out this past week in Kansas just how hot "hot" can be.

3 of 5 days this past week topped out at 109. We really aren't used to those kind of temps here. Hot, yes. 100 to maybe 105 for a few days, yes. But 3 straight days of 109? Yikes! And to top that, the fourth day was 112! The AC ran. And ran. Even during the night, when the lows were in the 80's. You know that when it's 3 a.m. and the thermometer reads 89 degrees, that it must be a heat wave. I don't know how I could've survived without that AC, but I'm sure going to hate to see that cooling bill when it arrives next month. Double yikes!

But it wasn't just Kansas with the high temps. I heard people from all around the country and into Canada say that temps were high. There was even a power loss in California last night that affected Yahoo.

Personally, I'm eagerly looking forward to September. Or maybe October, even more. Then again, I've noticed that, over the years, we are losing our 4 seasons. The question now is, will I be happy when autumn rolls around, or will we still be experiencing these weird temps?

How has YOUR weather been this summer?

Meet BJ

2006-07-16T14:54:00.000-05:00

Earlier, I'd written about and included a photo of Jules, the new half-Lab puppy in the family. Jules is full of vim and vinegar and tends to be a little over-energetic with the two small humans she lives with, so I suggested to my daughter that a playmate of her own kind might help. In the past, our family dogs mainly consisted of Basset Hounds and Chow-Chows, and my daughters are especially fond of both breeds. After a quick search on the Internet, I found an adorable Basset puppy for sale about a two hour drive away, and off my daughter and her hubby and his mother went to adopt it.

Meet BJ. She is adorable, and both she and Jules are enjoying each other to the fullest. They're very close to the same age, so in spite of Jules being the taller of the two, they can both hold their own while playing with each other.

Now my youngest daughter is crying for a Basset of her own, but, alas, we aren't allowed to have pets where we live. Maybe someday, I tell her. In the meantime, we get to enjoy both BJ and Jules, without the responsibility of ownership. I kinda like that.

By the way, BJ IS smiling.

It's Always Something...

2006-07-10T23:43:00.000-05:00

Is it ever! A few weeks ago, the server where many of the websites I've designed and maintain suddenly crashed. Or something. It took most of 3 days for the server guru to get everything running again, but he did. (Bless you, Charlie!) At first glance everything was fine, but I soon received emails with comments of, "My new page is missing!" and "What happened to the photos?" Several days and emails later, not to mention a few hours along the way, everything was back to normal. But it did throw off the schedule I was trying to make a habit of. That's life, though, and peace (or something that slightly resembles it) has returned. I am sooooo grateful. *grin*

I hope everyone had a terrific 4th of July! Me? Well, I stayed home, sans fireworks, and to be honest, I didn't miss them all that much. There were plenty of pops and cracks going on in my neighborhood, so it wasn't like I completely missed the sounds of celebration. Although there was once in my life that I almost did miss it.

The summer before my senior year in high school, I joined a cousin who was in my class and 19 other Kansas high-schoolers for a church group trip to Mexico. We stayed on a garlic farm, about 200 miles from Mexico City, so it was no border trip for us! We worked for most of the two weeks, painting the inside and outside of the dormitories. During the winter, the farm hosted a school there, and many of the students lived on the farm while they studied.

As the 4th of July drew nearer, we realized that we would have no way to celebrate it in traditional American style. We were disappointed, to say the least. We'd been gone just long enough to have become the tiniest bit homesick, especially because the holiday was approaching quickly. We talked about it, and finally decided to do what we could with the little American-style resources we had and have a barbecue, of sorts. There was no refrigeration on the farm, so we had to go to the nearby village each day to purchase the food for our meals. If I remember, we had hamburgers and what would pass for buns on the 4th. We also had fireworks! Well, not the type we were accustomed to, but it happened to be a Feast Day in the village, so we were able to get Mexican fireworks. I still have the one "sparkler" that I brought home with me. It looks like a kitchen safety match, but when scratch on a rough surface, it sends out sparks, much like our own sparklers here. Just those small touches made everything right for us.

The 4th was also the birthday of one of two young Mennonite men who were doing their CO service in Mexico, driving around that country and helping teach farming methods. We all became friends with Wayne and Steve. They were great guys, and we were so pleased that we could share our little celebration with them and honor Wayne's birthday at the same time.

I'd do it all again, if I had the chance, but I do like being here in the States for this particular holiday.

Summertime, summertime

2006-06-15T12:20:00.000-05:00

My post yesterday got me thinking of the summers of my childhood. Add that to a recent comment on a local newspaper blog about what it was like when my generation were kids and Kristi Gold's aforementioned memory on her website, and today's topic was born.

The world has changed since we Baby Boomers were kids. We had pretty much the run of the neighborhood, my childhood friends and I. That neighborhood encompassed our block, including both sides of the street. As we grew a little older, it included the block behind, but we used that mostly for riding bicycles, because the street there ended in a circular deadend. We spent a lot of time on our bikes, racing, riding with no hands, sometimes pretending they were our loyal steeds.

I became proficient at hopscotch and could beat everybody on the block. It took me some time, but I mastered jacks and the multiple ways to play them. I had a pair of stilts and could walk up and down the porch steps on them. And I loved my roller skates! My favorite make-believe with them was to be a girl who lived in the frozen north, and they were my skis. I even had sticks, at times, for my ski poles and raced down the long driveway that sloped to the street. We played with cars and trucks in the dirt around a huge old tree and carved out towns and roads. And we learned to hang from our knees like circus performers, from the top bar of our swingless swingsets.

As long as our parents knew who we were with, they were happy. As long as we kept within the boundaries of the neighborhood, everything was okay. As long as we came home before dark, they weren't concerned. Our world was safe. We were happy. And at night, we fell into our beds, exhausted but smiling.

There were no Nintendos or X-Boxes. We'd never heard of a computer. We had board games, like Monopoly, Go To the Head of the Class, and Life, but they were saved for rainy, indoor days or winter. We watched old Shirley Temple movies on our black and white TVs when the afternoons were too hot to bear in our non-air conditioned homes. A few times each summer, we'd walk to the neighborhood pool, but it was crowded and noisy and filled with kids we didn't know. We read books and I wrote plays.

I hope some of my memories bring back happy memories for you.

Happy Flag Day

2006-06-14T13:01:00.000-05:00

I'm sure the majority of people don't know what day Flag Day falls on, and some may not even realize there is such a thing, but because I share my birthday with the flag, I remember it every year. I'll admit that, as I get older, I'd often like to forget about it. Once past that 40 mark (and that has been a while ago for me), birthdays are just another reminder that life isn't the carefree days of fun it was when we were kids, and responsibility is the key word.

Kristi Gold shared her memories of summer on her website, so I'll take a page from her book, so to speak, and share a memory of birthday and flags.

When I was about 7 or 8, I was hoping for a wading pool for my birthday. It was a quiet day, that particular June 14, and as our the custom, a flag was hanging near our porch, celebrating the holiday and our great country. I was standing just inside the doorway, watching the red, white, and blue wave in the summer breeze and wondering what glories the day would bring me. Hey, at that age, it's definitely all about ME, right? A big truck pulled up, with SEARS on the side. Oh, that had to be something for me! Sure enough, it was my wading pool, and it was a doozy! Rectangular in shape, it had triangle shaped metal seats in the four corners. It lasted through neighbor kids and me for several years, but what has lasted more is watching that flag, even though I wasn't aware of the true meaning of it and what it stood for.

So enjoy this little holiday! I sure intend to. *grin*

A Quick Post...

2006-06-13T19:01:00.000-05:00

...because that's what I have time for today.

I wanted to mention that I've made posting comments easier, so feel free to add something, whether in agreement, disagreement, or just to say HI.

A Little Peace and Quiet

2006-06-12T17:17:00.000-05:00

Now that my oldest daughter's wedding is over, and I'm catching up on all the things that had to be put aside because of it and other important things, it's time to make some new (good) habits.

It's kind of funny that I post regularly on a local newspaper blog, but I don't seem to find the time to post here. That's a Shame-on-Me thing, for sure, and I'm going to try, try, again to do better. But if I should fail again, there's always a new blog I'll direct your attention to. I mean, after all, I have posted there a time or two in the past week. Give Kristi Gold's Kristi's Koffee Chat a visit and tell her HI. You won't be disappointed. :)

Things We Seldom Think Of

2006-05-11T17:54:00.000-05:00

(copied from a local neighborhood newsletter)

1. At least 5 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.

2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.

4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

6. You mean the world to someone.

7. If not for you, someone may not be living.

8. You are special and unique.

9. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.

11. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.

12. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you believe in yourself, probably, sooner or later, you will get it.

13. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

14. Always tell someone how you feel about them. You will fell much better when they know.

15. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

The Newest Addition to the Family

2006-05-10T12:44:00.000-05:00

I can't believe another month and a half has gone by since I've posted here, but life has been busy and the things I want to do take precedence to the things I have to do. I'll definitely try to do better, as the "have-to" list is growing shorter.

My #2 daughter and her hubby bought a new house last month, and we're all very happy and excited for them. Yesterday, they had a big surprise for their two kids--Jules, a part-Labrador 8-week-old puppy. The kids are ecstatic over the new edition. Their part-Siamese cat, Daisy, is not, and has taken to hissing and growling at my son-in-law. After all, he's the one who brought the intruder into the house, so he's the bad guy. I have a feeling Daisy will, eventually, begin to forgive him and begin to at least tolerate the new addition. We, on the other hand, have fallen in love with Jules.

Happy First Day of Spring!

2006-03-20T11:32:00.000-06:00

Happy First Day of Spring!
Now, if only it felt like spring out there... We're welcoming in the new season under a winter storm watch. But I expect that by the end of the week, it will be much more spring-like. We just have to get through this nasty part first. After all, March did come in like a lamb here, so Old Man Winter is giving his last shout.

It's been some time since I've posted, but I've been busy. Besides writing, I also design websites, and I've been wrapped up in a few of those. Pennwriters, Inc., a Pennsylvania group of writers, now has a newly designed home on the web. Elizabeth Sinclair's website also had a brand new look. Look for more in the future for Kristi Gold and Heather Waters.

Back in January, Carol Stephenson tagged me for a 7 item meme that I haven't had time to complete. I've put it on my list of things to do this week, so with a little luck, it'll be posted here soon.

Until later, Happy Spring!

Wedding Photos!

2005-12-09T17:59:00.000-06:00

Yes, the wedding photos have finally arrived! To showcase the beautiful occasion, I've created an online album on my website for family and friends. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I enjoyed the wedding and creating the album.

Catching Up - Part 2

2005-11-22T13:07:00.000-06:00

Thanks to a round of stomach flu, compliments of the grandkids, part 2 is late. But at least we're all feeling better, just in time for Thanksgiving.

My#2 daughter's wedding was just over a week ago, so we're all still recovering from that, too. It was a beautiful wedding and so was the day. We started at 8 a.m., getting our hair done, then on to the church to dress and have photos taken. After that, the wedding, followed by the reception at the church. Later, after a 3 hour break, we attended an "after party" in the ballroom at the huge community center on the Air Force base here. The food was great and so were the music, provided by a DJ, and the dancing until 11. pm. All in all, it was a fabulous day, but I wouldn't want to do it again too soon.

The photo is of Lyndsay and her new husband Adam. There are more pictures, and I quickly added them to a webpage. Wedding Photos The plan is to have a complete album online, as soon as the professional wedding photos arrive.

Catching Up, Part 1 - Post Halloween

2005-11-15T02:53:00.000-06:00

Time sure can get away when a person is busy! Halloween has been over for more than 2 weeks, and we've made it through the first of our family's weddings. (Catching Up, Part 2 to come.) My 3 grandkids (kidlets, as I call them) enjoyed their candy-filled holiday, although little Gavin was pretty tuckered out long before the trick-or-treating was over for the other two. I've included a photo of them, all dressed up in their costumes. Scarlett, who is almost 4, was a cat. For the second year in a row. Is it obvious that she likes cats? Alex, who was less than a week from her third birthday, was a princess. Cinderella, to be exact, but she didn't get the movie on DVD until her birthday, so "Princess" was good enough for her. Gavin was a pint-sized vampire--sans the fangs--and looked quite stunning in his little "Count" suit. I'm sure there's still candy left. Both moms and dads were smart and tucked it away and are still handing it out to the little ones, a little at a time. They're all already planning costumes for next year!