I almost forgot...

Signing off last year, I almost couldn't wait 'til the New Year to bring you new blogs.  However, with all the tears and barf around here, nearly all of my new ideas were flushed right out (literally)!

Truly though, Happy New Year to me, finally on the 4th, all three of us have had our course of stomach bug and only the laundry remains.  Sorry to start the year off so nasty.  Hope you partied reasonably hard and drank an extra for me!

Perhaps when one is searching for family drama to discuss in a public venue such as a blog, you jinx the possibility of some occurring.  As I usually go by the rule that "no news is good news", I'll leave my x-mas synopsis at this: pleasant.

While we were on the road with kith and kin, our home yard received just shy of 2 feet of snow, all at once, and topping the nearly 12 inches already covering our sore excuse for grass.  hmmm...nasty surprise.  The week between the 2 coldest holidays in Minnesota was spent digging out, cursing our home state and dreaming of a better life in...say...California...Texas...really anywhere but here.

New Years brought on more than GI upset this year however, a week at 20 below zero creates cabin fever in a 2 year old like no other.  I must keep the curtains closed.  The new white fluff continues to taunt Axel...but there's just no playing outside this week.

           ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***

Although I am strictly against resolutions...because I can keep NONE of them, I do have a few "shop announcements" and a short list of things that may happen without "resolving to do them".

It is with a heavy heart that I am no longer advertising Crib Bedding in my Etsy shop.  Jahred has made me realize that I put WAY too much time and stress into their perfection, and really, I (he) can't handle it.  Word of mouth sets will no doubt trickle in, but I will no longer be advertising for linens.

As Jahred's school schedule picks up in the "sprint to the finish" (under a year remains), I may be offering less and less finished product.  Get it while you can. I plan to spend more time on pattern development and publication.  In that way, I feel it can offer more to the art world, and I will be continuing my "sew it and sell it" policy.

Above all, in 2010 you may see my craziest side yet.  The house will be back on the market, Jahred is SUPER busy with school and Axel officially turns 2. The fact that Axel insisted on wearing "moon boots" and "Lightning McQueen" pajamas to the mall today may just be a preview of what's to come.

           ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***       ***

I'll leave you with this piece of advice.  NEVER feel guilted into making your husbands "favorite cookies - the ones he missed out on x-mas eve because we were are at YOUR FAMILIES - the ones his grandma makes from a family heirloom recipe".  If something to that effect slips out of his mouth (about cookies you have NEVER heard of in your entire marriage), just let it pass or say: "You can feel free to purchase the ingredients and make those cookies any time of the year Honey."

If by some kind gesture you decide he should have them, you may end up spending HOURS making tiny dough balls from a "SUPER SIZED recipe - one that isn't written out clearly - makes no sense actually - and has you cooking a sugar mixture to a specific temperature in order to make a special ICING - in the end you may just toss out half of the dough to save yourself the torture of rolling another single ball - perhaps the cookies do taste wonderful - BUT THATS NOT THE POINT".

The cookies may just turn out like this.  Although delicious, the recipe will just have to be modified to fit into your time constraints.  It turns out there's a reason his grandmother only makes them ONCE A YEAR...Christmas makes people do CRAZY things!

Happy New Year from my frozen tundra to yours.