Life for me is about moments registering hot OR cold.  The danger about hot OR cold is that warm AND cool, variations of the original, can mean vastly different experiences.

It wasn't until I became a mother that I started having hot and cold, warm and cool moments in rapid succession.

For example, yesterday, started beautifully, sun shining, a little leaf raking, lots of snacks...and then Axel learned something new.  Yesterday, my son figured out how to gag.  SICK right?  Like many before him, and hopefully to get it out of his system before the testy teenage years, Axel figured out that by cramming your hands in your mouth, you do something really strange.

Ok, I try not to react to shocking things.  Falls, minor scraps, toys mid flight down the stairs, little can get a reaction from me.  Growing up around boys, I learned quickly that a reaction is what they are searching for.  But, sitting in the living room, out of exciting things to do by 10am, and your toddler starts to gag and laugh at himself...AAHHHHHH.  Definitely a cold/reactive moment!

Thinking that Axel's "learning 1 thing new every day" will be gaging himself, I immediately thrust myself into action with coloring, stickers, even finger paints didn't stop the thrill of gagging.  A hot moment certainly.

Among the many things no one tells you, is that a toddler may learn something new everyday, but during sleep, God erases some of the terrible things.  By the time Axel had woken up from his nap, the gagging had stopped, and we could continue on with normalcy, and thankfully, boredom.

Later in the evening, I decided that Axel and I would go to the grocery store and pick out the candy for our average 300 trick-or-treaters.  Seeing as we only went for 1 thing, I made a potentially cool decision as a mother to let him push the kid carts for the first time.  

Stopping in front of every customers cart, Axel made direct eye contact with every SINGLE person we passed and greeted with a "hi" AND a "bye bye".  Not 1 person shopping at 6pm last night got away without noticing that Axel had reached a milestone.  Ultimate freedom.  I'm sure he warmed a few hearts in produce and definitely in the candy aisle.

Today, I started out cold.  A COLD...I thought I had kicked it a week ago, but it is revisiting for round 2.  Desperately trying to pour on the heat all day, I have shivered my way to now.

There is however a little warm to my day...I decided on the pattern I will use for Axel's 2009 Christmas sweater!  

My first knitting pattern book, 8 years ago maybe, featured a dreamy little sweater that I planned to knit for my baby "some day".  Paging through the book, I found the sweater with a tiny red post-it-note.  I had conveniently placed the sticker inside the book, so no one would know of my silly baby dreams...and I had forgotten all about it.  While my friends were off at some bar in college, I must have been paging through the patterns (I tend to read them like a novel, suspense and all)...and destiny has it that I will knit that very sweater for my very first and very special boy this year!

Definitely warm.

I feel like the last few weeks have kept me in a "negative nancy" mind set.  I decided that positive things are just around the bend and I can focus on the coming winter for a sense of JOY!  

I have composed a list of things I can't wait for this winter.  This could be eye-opening for those of you in a warm climate!

in Minnesota....

Around November, your garage turns into a walking cooler.  In fact, one winter I may just unplug my fridge...seems silly to heat your house and cool your food when you think about it.

Winter means your potato chips don't go stale as fast.  This comes in handy when you live with boys...as they don't see the vital importance of sealing the bag.

Luckily when you are freezing, the water in your body shrinks and makes you look skinnier.  Better yet, shivering burns calories

The constant craving for chili or soup.  Luckily these are cheap meals.

As soon as the snow flies you can put aside all fears of burning yourself on the metal seat belt in your car.  The sun won't heat that baby up until sometime next May.

The snow creates the most beautiful brightness.

The days are shorter...go to bed earlier...the pioneers did.

wool socks; enough said
 
Well, that little list has made me happier already!   What makes me happier yet is watching Axel at the pumpkin patch.

Today at 4pm EST, I will be teaching LIVE in the Etsy virtual labs!

JOIN me!!!

This week I find myself concerned primarily with the letter 's'.

Over the weekend due to some investigative work, I have discovered a possible reason for the 'non-sale' of our house.  I thought it was just on the flyers, but it is actually documented online and on the MLS (multiple listing service) that we live on BAKERS Ave.  Indeed we live on BAKER Ave...no 's'.

Seems like a simple typo unless you are searching for homes on BAKER, or click on the "map" to our house and you find that BAKERS is some random street in the country of Northern Minnesota.  We live in Southern Minnesota and in a city.

I should have acted sooner on my hunch that something wasn't right, but when you hire someone to do a job, you have to assume they are doing their best for you.  Today, because our house has not 's'old, I may be 's'earching for a new realtor.

The letter 's' also stands for 's'ister.  Having spent many years wishing to have one, I forgot that I am one.  To my 2 brothers, I am a sister.  I didn't realize this until a few years ago in a lovely town called Grand Marais, Minnesota, where my brother bought me a sweet house warming gift with a 's'ister verse on it.

It could have been a piece of trash with the word 's'ister on it, but it was an adorable candle with a copper top on it; just my style.  Well, my most favorite thing was 's'mashed by my 's'on just yesterday.  I tried not to get angry, but for crying out loud, I have 's'acrificed everything else for this child and now even my personal possessions (5ft off the ground) are not 's'afe.

Well, it's only Wednesday, but I fear what 's' words are to come this week. Hopefully one will stand for 's'ales in my Etsy shop.  Perhaps a 's'hower would be nice...I would even accept 5 minutes of 's'ilence.

Right now, the only 's' word that comes to mind is 's'hit...and unfortunately it's still early.


ANNOUNCEMENT:
Tomorrow afternoon, I will be holding a lecture in the Etsy Virtual Labs!!!  It's called "Promo Mojo" and I will be talking on effective ways to advertise your homemade goods during the holiday season!  I hope to have you all join me.  If all goes according to plan, I will be LIVE on web cam!
Lecture is at 4pm EST

'S' also stands for 's'crap packs.  I am parting with some of my beautiful antique lace and have packaged it adorably around 's'tudio cards.


See my shop for all the antique lace you could want!

On Tuesday of this last week, I treated myself to a babysitter for 3 hours.

I've decided that my chronic insanity is due to little time off from one full time job (Axel) and not enough time to devote to my second full time job (fashion). Finding a babysitter was one battle, admitting that I needed her help was another completely.

Setting aside all power issues and giving away control to this girl just about collapsed me, but I was willing to give it a try.  It's only three hours right?

I started the morning off by running to the grocery store.  I found my stride as I entered the bakery and was actually able to relax and remember what was on my list (conveniently sitting at home on the counter...as usual).  As I was waiting for Axels "peppered turkey breast"...he only likes the spicy ones...the $8.99 per pound ones...I spotted a sample station with some delicious butter spritz cookies.  What I love about Cub is that you can sample a whole cookie...they don't waste time cutting them.

After a harmless sample, my hand grabbed one off the shelf and it magically migrated to my cart.  I just let it happen in honor of giving myself a break.

Finishing up at the store, I peacefully loaded the car and drove the 4 blocks back home.  I unloaded in virtual silence and could hear Axel sweetly playing upstairs.

It was time to sew.  I grabbed the box of "butter spritz" in case I needed a nibble and sat down at the machine.  Rockin' out to a Cities 97 sampler cd from the 90's, I stitched, I drew sketches, and not once did I need to rip out due to a distracted mind.

However much my mind seemed focused on my sewing, apparently, my stomach was focusing on the cookies.

When my 3 hours was up and I trudged upstairs to reality, I wondered how many cookies I had actually eaten.  Five, seven...ten at the absolute WORST! The containers are always half empty when you get them.

After lunching Axel and putting him down for a nap, feeling like I deserve just one more treat, I will leave the rest for Jahred, I quietly opened the noisy packaging but noticed the sticker stating "40 count".  They count the damn cookies?  I thought food packaging was a weight measurement.  This was clearly a guilt mechanism placed by executive men shaming their snacking wives...who did they think they were?

Of course by simple math if I were to count the remaining cookies, that would tell me how many I had eaten.  One by one I methodically tallied the remaining cookies and to my horror, there were only thirteen!

Twenty-seven cookies.  Well, actually twenty-eight I reminded myself, I did sample one in the store.

Admitting that the babysitter thing went just fine, I thought I could try it again some day, although next time she would only cost me money and not a pants size.

Perhaps you're shocked with the new look around here...just learning a bit of html and experimenting with techniques.

Unlike my hair that is depressingly natural in color, my web page doesn't have to be.

Enjoy the eye candy.

It's occurred to my over the last 5 consecutive days of being on the road, that traveling with a baby is a lot like running with scissors.

Starting our journey last Thursday, a black tie event to meet a new boyfriend (approved, by the way), I put on my survival face and trudged through a 2 hour dinner.  Initially with color crayons and ultimately letting him color with sour cream and a french fry, I did whatever was necessary.  They have to wash those table cloths anyway.

On Friday, Axel and I braved the cold to see a new yarn shop in Stillwater, MN.  The store did have a play area for kids, but unfortunately, no gate.  Is it too much to ask for a padded room in retail establishments?  Lucky for me though, it's hard to spend copious amounts of money when chasing down your kid.  Eventually you just buy what's in your hand and get the he*l out of the store.

Saturday was a rough one.  Attempting a new craft at my moms proved that I am either lacking in patience or ambition to try new things.  Half way through making velvet pumpkins I had had enough and needed a change of scenery.  Axel and I trekked back across the twin cities where I turned him over to Jahred.  Although you never really turn a kid with the runs over to the father...a mom always ends up dealing with it.

On Sunday, despite attempts to find a babysitter, Axel was forced to be a part of the Minneapolis skyline, 25th floor.  Visiting friends in their new condo overlooking the Mississippi river, and the new Twins Stadium...it is surprisingly difficult to contain him even in the small space of a condominium.  Ironically though, it was Jahred who spilled his own beer.  "Happy House Warming"...here is our child with a side of beer on your new leather furniture.

Eventually when you run with scissors you fall and poke your eye out...or at least your dignity.  With our tails between our legs, we headed home in the darkness of autumn.  Damn...life changes.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ONE EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT:

Thanks to all who entered the weekend giveaway!  I now have some wonderful ideas for my own Christmas presents (just kidding). Because I can never choose just 1 winner, I drew 2 names out of the hat.  The winners are:

JEN and CORTNEY
I have to say...Cortney, your idea is beautiful.  Seriously.

To claim your winnings, email your address to me at:
jahred_jen_stephens@hotmail.com

Your prize will arrive by US Postal Service.

STAY TUNED FOR MANY MORE GIVEAWAYS AS THE HOLIDAY SEASON PROGRESSES.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In the spirit of holiday preparation, I have decided to host a GIVEAWAY!

Since the holidays are about doing for others, here's one just for you!

I am interested in what you will be shopping for / making this year. What is the ONE gift you will be giving where you are proud of it's...creativity, ingenuity, or thoughtfulness?  Maybe it's for a friend, your dad, or your kids.

To enter the GIVEAWAY, simply reply to this post with your favorite gift ideas for 2009.  The contest will run through this weekend, Sunday (11) at midnight.

If you are chosen (by random drawing) as the winner, it will be announced on my blog on Monday.  You will be winning a ZIPPY WALLET and GIFT CERTIFICATE to my shop!!

Here is the link to the Storque article on my sofa.

CLICK HERE
Check out the other "How Tuesdays" as well.