And so it begins....the mad holiday rush for the best shopping deals of the season. My daughter asked LAST year, if I would take her Black Friday shopping THIS year. I said sure. So she has saved and saved for this moment. I was fine with it, thinking I'm older now and I've learned through my ONE attempt to Black Friday shop years ago that there is NOTHING I WANT THAT BAD. There isn't. But I will go out with my darling daughter so SHE can have the experience while she's young and has respect for her elders. Only now, the holiday deals don't necessarily happen on Black Friday. OH, no.... I've been bombarded with emails all week about Thanksgiving day blow-outs, stores being open early Thanksgiving morning (which some had done in the past) and starting at 8PM going into the actual Black Friday. Needless to say, we've decided to brave the Thanksgiving evening crowds who will hopefully be too stuffed with Food to actually be nasty shoppers. My daughter is bringing a friend and I'm staying positive that we will have a fun time! [p.s. if you're reading this, then I returned unscathed and able to


NOW for my own Black Friday Fun!!!! Through the Weekend, my books: SANTA WORE COMBAT BOOTS and EXTREME LOVE MAKEOVER will be on SALE for .99 cents at Amazon.com!! That's right! If you don't have them, now's the time to get them! Don't forget, e-books make perfect gifts! There's no postage required so no long lines at the post office! You don't even have to worry about wrapping!

Also - stay tuned on for Contest Information as I gear up for my 12 Books of Christmas giveaway! 11 authors plus myself. Enter to win and you just might find yourself a new favorite author!

Thanksgiving - a holiday that has meaning but often now gets lost in the commercialism of Christmas. Symbolized still by family gatherings, more food than you can imagine and watching football, this year Thanksgiving holds a different place for me.

We recently brought my #1 son home from his first year at college - and mind you, he's home for an ENTIRE WEEK! Now I've done my share of missing him (I hate setting the table for 4 every night), but there have also been opportunities for us to visit him and attend events on campus, so it's not like he's in another state or foreign country!

To have him home brings balance to my house. The family dynamic is back. And I know not just for me, but for my husband, our other son and daughter as well. When I opened the door to the "jr. man-cave" to say goodnight to both of my boys, and both voices called back in answer...my heart felt full. To have my daughter safely back from her 4 day trip to Indianapolis and everyone home under the same roof made me feel extremely blessed.

The saying "count your blessings" is so very true. We need to stop from our busy, crazy, multi-tasking lives and just take stock of what we have that gives us joy and fills our hearts with love. And not only that, but what we can do for other people. Wouldn't it be nice to know that YOU were someone's blessing? A blessing in disguise, even? You don't have to do anything profound. Sometimes just being there is all it takes.

So as you sit with your family & friends, or even if you're alone, count your blessings. They are there.

Have anything you're especially thankful for? Feel free to share!

Did you know, Veterans Day originated as "Armistice Day" on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I? I remember in school hearing the term "Armistice Day" in history class, but I've always referred to it as Veterans Day. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Veterans Day pays tribute to ALL American veterans--living or dead--but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.

While I don't come from a military family, I will one day become a military family. I have such a respect for what our veterans go through from their trainig to their deployment and to their return home. I see our armed forces as a brotherhood. How can it not be? They are trained to protect our country, themselves and each other. I don't think anyone can fully understand until you have walked in their shoes. My son will one day be serving his country proudly and I am so full of pride when I think of it. He is in college now and will graduate as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army.

I've spent sleepless nights worrying about a future I have no control over - as a mother, this is so frightening. It's my job to protect him and watch over him. But it's also my job to send him on his way to live his life. If I've done my job right (and I think I have) he will be a respectful, honest and hardworking adult who will go out into the world and make a difference. My husband and I have raised him right and every time I see him I'm believing in the wonderful man he will become. A strong man who will learn to protect and watch over those who can't protect themselves. He will fight for what he believes in and what our country stands for.

So to all the mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters.... thank you for letting them all find their way to do what they believe in and keep our country safe and free. America truly is the home of the brave. Brave soldiers and brave family members.

Even if you don't know someone who is in the military (past, present or future), please stop to think of our troops in general on this Veterans Day. Say a prayer that they stay safe, and that they and their families remain strong until they are home again.

ROAD TRIPPIN with my CP and Best Friend Kari Lee Townsend on our way to see The Eagles in NYC! You may be asking what this luscious chocolate martini has to do with The Eagles playing at Madison Square Garden, well I'm going to tell you. While I'm in the city preparing to enjoy listening to The Eagles LIVE, I will be sipping on 1 or 2 of these babies!
I recently had a chocolate martini from a local restaurant and it looks very similar to this sans the chocolate straw :(

I love The Eagles. But according to my family I lived my life in a bubble. Because while I'm a child of the 70's and 80's...I'm absolutely HORRIBLE with connecting the "artist" to the "song". All I know is "Hey, I like this song!" not that it was Bon Jovi, The Police, The Eagles, or the various many other successful singers. I try not to embarrass myself, but sometimes it happens. Let's just say we listened to Sirrius XM radio for over an hour in the car with my family saying "Mom, who sings this" or "name this song" and I only got about half a dozen correct. It's sad, very sad. But we have fun and that's what life is all about.

So...on the road again with Kari and this time the men will be coming along! should be interesting since the last time Kari and I rode tripped to DC, we were toting a cooler full of jello shots! Hmm...don't think the guys will allow that - they tend to be practical and party-pooper'ish while on the road. But hey, Kari and I will be in the back seat so you never know what will happen!!!

Cheers everyone! Drink Responsibly and Party Hardy! Here's to Life in the Fast Lane!!

I will be tweeting our weekend so check in with me on twitter (@barbarawitek) and follow me on instagram (nybarbie84) as I will make an attempt to be a better instagram-er but I'm still new at it! would love to hear of neat places to go while in Manhattan!