About two weeks ago I was driving around Saint Cloud with my brother when my stomach started screaming!  Suddenly it realized how empty it was, and at 10:21am I realized it was asking for only one food – a McDonald's Egg McMuffin – hold the meat.

"10:21," I said to Tyler. "Do you think I can make it?"  Referring to the deadline of 10:30, upon which McDonald's ends their breakfast offerings.

"There's no way Jen," he tried to let me down easy.

Regardless of his nay-saying attitude, I sped through neighborhoods and took one very wise shortcut.  At 10:27 I was in the drive-thru, placing my order.

"One Egg McMuffin please.  Hold the meat!"
"Would you like to make that a meal?"
"Sure."
"Ty, do you want the orange juice."
"Yeah, for sure."

We pulled up to the window and I was a bit concerned about the wait.  One, two, three minutes and we're still waiting to be helped.  Finally the window opens and she hands out the orange juice.  That was all, just the juice.  Tyler began gulping the yummy McDonald's sugar-syrup and I continued to wait.  I was salivating and my stomach was churning.  I could taste the sandwich.

Maybe four minutes later the window opens again. 

"I'm sorry, we're out of muffins.  Would you like to order a lunch sandwich instead?"

What I wanted to say to the lady was this: "What part of 'hold the meat' leads you to believe that I'm a carnivore.  No, I would not like a lunch sandwich, I risked my life and driving record to get here three minutes early so I could enjoy just a bit of quasi-vegetarian junk food."

What I actually said to her was a tearful, "No, I'll just take a refund."

Unfortunately, she only refunded me the price of the sandwich and failed to return the money for the "meal," which I would never have ordered on the false assumption that they would be able to make my sandwich.  I was in a McDepression for the rest of the day...I mean month.

The best thing about a New Year is that you get a bit more crafty.  With my free time this morning, Axel and I did a bit of breakfast shopping and I've come up with the most delightful substitute for my daily-craved McMuffin.

Here's the recipe:
Butter
Salt
1 egg
1 piece of American Cheese
1 English Muffin

Directions:
Simultaneously fry the egg in a bit of butter and toast the English muffin.
Butter the muffin.  Salt the egg.
Apply American cheese while the egg is still in the pan and allow to melt just a bit.
Slide the egg/cheese onto the muffin.
Bite.

While this may not seem revolutionary to you, I have just fulfilled two of the most common New Years resolutions (not necessarily mine): lose weight (as my version of the McBrunch has got to be a bit healthier than the fast-food-giant version), and save money (my McVegetarian costs about 60 cents, theirs is almost $3).

The best thing of all is that I no longer have to make it to the golden arches by 10:30.  I'll be McMuffining anytime of the day for the whole of 2012.  Cheers!

Is it only mothers that feel a bit of relief following Christmas?  With the hype, build-up and child-prep necessary, it seems post-holiday-war I have nothing left to do and am absolutely fine with the silent and mundane once again.

Spending Monday entirely on the couch and the rest of the week tearing down decorations I find myself with a pre-Christmas-clean house and now what?

Surprisingly, although I thought Etsy business would crash after Christmas, it has kept up at a steady clip.  I'm once again about a dozen orders behind and beginning to think that's the way I like it.  Always something to occupy my mind and perpetuate the "career" I have created for myself.

As for New Years, we are planless.  Jahred works the weekend and Axel and I will undoubtedly be playing one continuous round of "cars."  With so much accomplished for my family in the last 12 months, we'll be grateful to be within our own four walls, in our own warm beds as the ball drops over Times Square.

Maybe the best thing about closing out one productive calendar year is the glittering hope that the next one could, just maybe, be even better!

After last minute Etsy orders, and the elves being assigned a few final tasks, I believe our household is ready for Christmas.  We're taking off early today, making plenty of stops on our way to Christmas, and are leaving a few detailed instructions for Santa.  I think the big guy will find us.

The other day we prepared Santa's "favorite" cookies and today we set them out.  My only advice to Mr. Claus is, "HURRY, the elves around here are hungry on their way out the door!"

Merry Christmas to all!  Below you'll find your Christmas card, just for you, my faithful readers!

_Perhaps my favorite day or the year has arrived!  The day when we do something totally ridiculous as a family and spend a bit of cash on pure happiness.  Today of course is my dog's Birthday!  Happy Birthday, Oscar, old chap!

Turning 6 is a momentous occasion for a dog.  It could be considered mid-life for some, but of course my dog will live forever.

With grey fur peeking through around the muzzle and a little "hitch in his giddiyup (from a previous hip fracture)," my earnest Beagle is a little worse for wear, but loved just the same.

Today we began the festivities by baking a batch of Oscar-friendly Birthday Muffins.  Complete with frosting and a loving lick from Axel, Oscar was pleased-as-pie to feast on his own private delight.

Our next stop, as on each of his birthdays. was the pet store.  We used a "birthday coupon" to score a deal on a new brain-teaser/treat-dispenser.

Watching him lounge on the sofa this evening, I'm noticing a shit-eating-grin.  I think he enjoyed his very special sixth birthday.

Oscars Birthday Cupcake Recipe:
1 cup white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
*Mix ingredients in order above.  Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake in a muffin tin for approx. 12-15 minutes.  Makes roughly 9 muffins.

Oscars Frosting Recipe:
6 oz. softened cream cheese
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp honey
*Mix well and frost cupcakes generously.

I recommend giving one to the birthday dog and freezing the rest.  It's always great to have treats on-hand for...say...Valentines Day...Easter...Halloween. :)

Post muffin.  I think he was about to cry.

_It's come to the attention of my Inbox that something crazy is happening to my Etsy shop.  Not long after the infamous "Black Friday," my shop must have started on FIRE!

If I've been absent in all other areas of my life, it's because my presence in the sewing studio is more of a captivity!  You may find me wandering aimlessly through errands or making a preschool pick-up covered completely in thread.

Don't get me wrong, this is just the sort of turn-of-events we Etsy artists dream of, and it's a total blast, but I'm afraid I'll be burning the midnight oil to get all these "guaranteed by Christmas" orders to their appropriate "givers" by the 24th!

If you've been stalking my shop, contemplating a guitar strap or kit for someone on your own list...I would advise you to shop sooner than later.  With nearly 18 straps going out per day, I'm still 33 behind, and the list is growing!  I'VE GONE VIRAL!

One of the things I'm thankful for this year is Jahred's job.  The fact that he is working nights over this Holiday to take care of his patients cannot even begin to take away my thankfulness.  Because Jahred slept most of Thanksgiving Day away, Axel and I prepared a few of his favorite foods and were all set to decorate the Christmas tree when he woke up.

A peaceful Thanksgiving for three was just what the nurse/husband ordered, and just what we were given.  We even used the special dishes.

With the onset of daylight savings time, I'm reminded that winter is just around the corner.  Not even 24 hours in, I'm already having trouble keeping my wandering mind busy.

In the last few hours I've added a few new items to my Etsy shop in order to prepare for the Christmas rush (assuming/hoping there will be one).  One thing you'll see in common is the grey wall showcasing my new products.  In every house, I've had to find that "photo-perfect spot," and right in my dining room, here on Scenic Drive, I think I've found it.

Also on the docket today was one wedding clutch.  A friend sent an old wedding dress my way a few months back, with the idea to make a handbag from her dress.  While I didn't have to guts to cut into that vintage beauty this afternoon, I made a practice "frame clutch" from a few scraps I had laying around.  I think I'll need about 85 more practice rounds before the real deal.

Oscar and I made a few great finds today.  While Axel was peacefully resting, I cleared out unfinished projects and Oscar found a spot to bask in the south-facing window.

This afternoon I planned to pile up yarn to sell in "scrap packs."  I began by collecting the remnants from last years knits and extracting random skeins from here and there.  While reaching into a seemingly bottomless tote, I pulled out, completely by surprise, one hand-knit, scalloped cowl.  It is super gorgeous and I had completely forgotten about it as we packed up and moved last spring. 

Haha!  Score!  This decreases my Christmas knitting by one article.  A lucky recipient will be receiving this cowl come December...but it may just be me.  We'll see how soon those snowflakes begin to fly!

For your visual pleasure I've included a picture of the cowl you could be receiving, and also a pic of my earnest, old dog.  Love this guy.

It's been a Halloween weekend in our house.  As mentioned before, Axel wanted to be a Groom this year, and a groom he was (for 3 out of 4 dress-up occasions).  For the actual trick-or-treating, I forced him into a dragon costume, figuring warmth was more important than fashion.

Here are some of the highlights from Axel's 3-year-old Halloween.

Bringing one groom to preschool.

Pumpkin guts.

Trick-or-Treat!

When you're child is an exception to nearly every rule, he may want to be a "groom" for Halloween.

Forget the popular Disney characters, even something spooky, my little Axel has insisted on being a groom for months now.  I've had little success in convincing him otherwise.

Savers provided a sweet little suit for my groom and only one detail was left to my creative devices.  The boutonniere.

Here is a quick tutorial of how to make Axel's Daisy Boutonniere.

Materials:
2 - 2"x2" squares of yellow fabric
1 - cotton ball
2 - 5" pieces of wire
1 - roll of floral tape (you'll only need about 2 yards
1 - sheet of tissue paper

To make the stamen of each flower: Take the fabric, half of the cotton ball and one end of the piece of wire and make a little "package."  Seal the fabric bundle to the wire and continue to wrap the wire in floral tape.

Fold your piece of tissue paper accordion style (back and forth like you're making paper-dolls).  Cut a piece about 3" high.  Scallop the top (no need to measure, just make the scallops as small as you can with your scissors) and cut 3/4 of the way to the bottom, at the base of each scallop.

Begin wrapping your loooong strip of petals around your stamen.  You will need to pinch the base of the petals in, but just keep rolling it.  When you're finished winding it, secure with floral tape, again wrapping the wire stem.

Make two of these.  Wrap them together with the floral tape.  Trip the wire stems and wrap the tape around the bottom of them.  Arrange petals so they look pretty.