Papas bunch.  We sure miss him.  He was the proudest grandfather!

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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.

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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.

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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.

Why socks?  Really there's nothing more intimate than knitting socks for someone special.  Perhaps it's a MInnesotan thing, but in the bowels of winter, when even your Andersen double pane windows have ice on the INSIDE, all you have are your socks.

The pair I have for you this week are made from Noro Silk Garden sock yarn and are for a special person on my Christmas list.  (Hopefully they aren't a blog reader.)

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.

wan-der-lust: 
     -noun  
-a strong, innate desire to travel about

still:
     -adjective, noun, adverb, conjunction, verb
-(defined as a adjective) remaining in place or at rest, motionless, stationary, free from sound or noise, free from turbulence or motion, peaceful, tranquil, without waves or perceptible current

for-giv-en:
     -verb
-(defined as forgive) to grant pardon for or remission of, to give up all claim on account of, to cease to feel resentment against, to cancel an indebtedness or liability of, to grant pardon to


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Just as a precious heirloom, language was passed down to us from our ancestors.  I have found words so compelling lately, that I can't get enough of defining experience or emotion with a single word. Sometimes it's the way a word sounds and often it is the definition that makes the word relevant or harmonizes with your soul.

This week, I have been in a love affair with several words, a few are defined above.

A feeling of immense control is given when you can wrap a word around what you're feeling.  Language is incredibly intriguing, and one of the most ancient forms of art.

Just wanted to share these beautiful words.  They are not my own, but are of a community to which we all belong.

I have long claimed that Facebook is just people shoving themselves down your throat.  I, just yesterday however, silenced my own bitching by deleting my Facebook page.

I'm sorry if it seems old fashioned, but I think "social networking" is only important with the people you can call, any time, day or night. And more importantly, the people who truly love you.

I honestly can't come up with a good excuse of why my page lasted as long as it did.  I rarely updated, was irritated when people would try to chat online and was even pissed off when true friends would use the page to send me a message.  I have made it pretty clear to all those important to me that I don't communicate with loved ones online, but it's hard to enforce when you leave the avenue open.

Feeling a sense of liberation over the past 48 hours, I have received several messages from Facebook saying "there's still time to save your profile...simply log in within the next 14 days and you can regain your account information and your friend list."  

To Facebook I say, "NO THANK YOU".  I will not be turning back.

Also, as of this week, Jahred and I will be canceling one of our cell phones and we will be sharing a line.  I have to say I'm excited to be saving the $50 per month and I hope it will create a deeper sense of family.  I always thought it was strange that when people wanted to get a hold of us they would have to pick which one.  Call me crazy, but it's rather insulting.  Perhaps if America went back to the 1 phone per household, marriages may not have so many secrets.

For those of you that are on my real "friend list", you don't need to send a secret request for me to "ignore" or "confirm", you don't need to state how we know each other, and we may not have any "mutual friends" but you know how you can reach me, and you know I'm always here.  If for some reason you get Jahred, don't fret, I'm probably reading, hugging a tree or knitting...because you know what I'm NOT doing (hint: facebook).

Sometimes the best sort of liberation, is the kind you give yourself.

I have a tiny face.  It's true, the actual diameter of my face is about the same as Axels.  When my body is at average weight, my face looks petite...if I gain so much as a pound, my face appears miniscule.

The reason I bring this up is because it's the reason behind my mothers constant ragging on the size of my sunglasses.  She is always saying how large my glasses are...but truthfully mother; I get them from the "average - just above child sized glasses - section".  I AM AWARE of what the trendy HUGE glasses would do to my face!

Anyhow, today we, the dog, Axel and I, were strolling to the post office after nearly an entire day of zero adult conversation and lots of thoughts in my head.  At the moment we reached the summit of the large hill on our walk, my sweaty nose got me thinking; "does the combination of my sweaty nose, tiny face and large sunglasses mean I could lick my sunglasses?"  

Seriously, if you feel the need to commit me after that last sentence, be my guest.  Cooked meals and a padded room sound glorious about now.

Anyhow, one can't just think thoughts like this without acting on them, so of course I tried to lick my glasses.  I did not succeed.

My friends, I did not stop there.  I slowly inched my glasses down the slope of my nose until at last I could lick them.  I would have enjoyed a sick sense of satisfaction if it weren't for the porch full of people to my right, whom I didn't notice until after the above crime was committed.

How crazy I must have looked to them.  In the time since my walk, I have contemplated taking a picture of myself in the licking position just so you all could enjoy the scene the rest of Mankato had today, but I thought I would "google" an image instead.

Let it be known, that of the billions of images on "images.google.com", there is NOT ONE of a person licking their sunglasses.  I stand alone.