the gerunds of 2016

reading :: my Book of the Month Club shipments and selections from Anne Bogel's summer reading guide

listening to :: The Popcast and Sorta Awesome podcasts, the Inspector Gamache audiobooks

watching :: Lost, Community, The Bachelorette

sewing :: not as much as I want to, but still trying

planning :: Asher's fourth birthday party

cleaning :: bathrooms sometimes, kitchen floor rarely

playing :: at the park, with the babe, instead of checking off the to-do list

pondering :: my personal mission, my family's future, my children's needs

eating :: chocolate chip cookies and homemade bread

drinking :: Diet Pepsi and green smoothies

traveling :: to Denver, to Texas, to California, and back to Denver

baking :: cakes and donuts

these days

These days I've been

:: listening to the Serial podcast like every other 20- and 30-something Millennial in the country
:: making Christmas lists, but not yet checking them twice
:: fawning over pictures of my fresh-from-heaven niece
:: managing our road-trip preparations through All the Lists
:: continuing to power through the now-streamable Gilmore Girls
:: starting a new Christmas-themed cross-stitch sampler
:: loafing around in faux-fur-lined, sequin slippers
:: paying a doctor copay to be told that our resident toddler "just has a virus"
:: sneaking Trader Joe's dark PB cups from my baking cupboard
:: stocking up on all the snacks from Trader Joe's all in the name of our upcoming Oregon - Utah road trip
:: smearing Nutella on all the toast
:: calling Josh when Asher gets dressed and says, "Me look good!"
:: scheming to get a babysitter so I can go see Mockingjay
:: enjoying making our way through Doctor Who ("About time," says all our Doctor Who - fan friends)
:: jamming to the Pentatonix Christmas albums
:: drinking all the cocoa

It's been a lovely November, really. I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is a week away. We're headed to Utah so that our family can all be together with Emily and her new baby. We're road-tripping there, which means 13 hours in the car with a toddler. We're also driving down with Josh's parents, so I'm crossing my fingers that four adults will be sufficient to manage one toddler on such a long trip.

I have all the laundry and all the cleaning to do before tomorrow night, not to mention all the packing. So, I'll sign off. I hope your Thanksgiving is so lovely and that you're surrounded by family and wassail and rolls. All the rolls.

a Saturday list

Guys! I can hardly believe it's been over a week since I posted last. I certainly didn't intend to go silent for so long. Let's blame summer germs, yeah? Last Saturday, Asher and I both got a stomach bug that left us feeling gross and fatigued well into Tuesday. And just as the two of us were recovered, Josh caught it. So we've just been all kinds of sick around here.

So on this Saturday, Asher and I are back to normal, while Josh is still on the fringes of recovery. To catch you up, here is a list of mostly non-consequential things.

:: The week before last Josh went on his first-ever business trip. Asher and I took almost a staycation of sorts. I didn't make a single official dinner, and we watched more TV than is usual. Though if I had known that we would soon be couch-ridden with a stomach bug, I might have been more conservative in our media consumption.

:: While Josh was out of town I painted our master bedroom. Because we've all been sick, it's not quite put back together yet. But when it is I'll definitely show you pictures.

:: Two of my Facebook friends tagged me in a post featuring this video:



It's hilarious and wonderful. And it made me especially embarrassed to realize late yesterday afternoon that on my sewing blog I used where instead of wear. I was appalled at my lapse in proofreading, though I guess that goes to show that writing blog posts at midnight has its grammatical hazards.

:: I've been loving my summer reading. I've read six books since June and have listened to three more. Reading is just all sorts of delightful, isn't it? My favorite summer read so far is The Time in Between, followed closely by Attachments. Remember at the end of that summer I'll be posting another Twitterature update for all my summer reads. What have you been reading this summer?

Now I think I'll head back downstairs to finish up an episode of Curious George with my boys, which brings me back to the nagging question, What does The Man in the Yellow Hat DO??  I swear that question will bug me until the end of time.

beating the PNW heat

Well, it's officially July, and today the forecast is in the high-90s. So. Not my favorite of all the weather options, but at least we have things like kiddie pools, regular pools, and splash pads. Don't forget the window A/C unit that cools our first floor. Go up the stairs, though, and you'll feel at least a 10-degree increase in temperature. And if you're crazy enough to spend time in the sewing/computer room (as I apparently am right now), you'll soon start feeling sweat crawl into your neck and down your shirt.

I have a few tactics for dealing with the heat.

:: First, Bachelorette. Ridiculous, dramatic, and wildly unrealistic, plopping down with that show in front of the A/C is not a bad way to spend naptime.

:: Second, skirts. And dresses. Breezy, flowy, and often like pajamas. Yesterday on The Creative Domestic I posted a seven-day vacation wardrobe full of knit dresses and skirts for another sewing contest. It's a knitcation! And a blessedly cooler one when your legs aren't trapped in skinny jeans.

:: Third, chocolate. Hashtag obviously. Yesterday I had to grab a couple of things at Target (which, you know, seems to happen all the time), and an end-cap full of mini Reese's cups caught my eye and my stomach. And well, they were gone by breakfast. (Or you know, for breakfast.)

:: Lastly, the bun, my favorite of all the summer 'dos. On days like today when even turning on the blow-dryer in the morning is too much to bear, a bun is the ticket. Wear it high, wear it low, tie a ribbon in it, the possibilities are many, and the result is a neck free from pesky, sweaty hair. (I guess you could also just chop your hair off altogether, and believe it or not, Josh would love if I got a pixie cut. But for now, I'll stick with the bun.)

:: A postscript option--the coast. The whole Wilson crew is coming into town this week, and we have plans to spend our Fourth at the coast. And the coast is solidly a 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Portland. Plus, it has crepes. So. Obviously.

a good, old-fashioned list

:: First off, thank you for the encouraging and enthusiastic response to The Creative Domestic. Really, it means the world to me. I've posted a few times already and am so excited to see where this blog goes.

:: Secondly, thank you again for the wonderful response to my post about the current events being publicized about my church. If you ever have any questions about the issue, I'd love to answer them for you. I just love knowing that I can write about things close to my heart and have those thoughts received so well on this space. Thanks for helping me make this space one of safety.

{Josh told me to take a picture of Asher's hair on this particular Sunday, because its styling was the ideal. I live with some pretty cool dudes.}

:: On Monday I got to spend some time with Katelyn, one of my all-time favorites. I think it's a heaven-sent blessing that I happen to live in her motherland, because she comes up to visit Oregon at least once a year. Every minute I spend with her is lovely. We walked up and down Alberta Street in Portland, where we browsed patterns and fabric in Bolt and found the most adorable toy store. And we found the most delicious pain au chocolat you'll ever eat outside of France itself. We were caught in a torrential downpour near the end that left me drenched and Asher bewildered.

{We have a couple of public splash parks around here, and Asher spent a solid 20 minutes sticking his face in this water spout.}

:: I've been feeling some serious motivation for home improvement projects. And by "home improvement" I mean finally painting that accent wall in the dining area and sprucing up that big frame on my mantle. I can credit this motivation surge to this book.

:: That spring cold is finally on its way out of here. And it is not welcome to return.

{The "helmie" with "cahrs."}

:: We bought Asher a helmet for when we ride our bikes with the bike trailer. And it's pretty much all he can talk about. His "helmie" has "cahrs" on it. I'm not usually into character paraphernalia, but I just couldn't resist buying him a helmet with Lightning McQueen on it. I mean, come on. I have a soul.

:: I scored some cute finds at Goodwill today. Whenever I mention to anyone in the Portland area the specific town in which I live, I get, "Oo, they have the best Goodwill!" I'm keeping my eyes out for a cute area rug to go under the dining room table.

{Asher and our friend Ben at the zoo a couple of weeks ago, laughing at the hippos. We had to fight with a million and one elementary school kids for this primo viewing spot, since apparently we decided to go on The Day of All the Field Trips.}

:: Pretty much none of these photos have anything to do with anything I'm listing, with the exception of the Lightning McQueen helmet. But I just had to post them, because this boy is my favorite.

some endorsements

This Friday I present you with a list of my recent endorsements. No, none of these items are sponsored, though, if any of these companies should feel inspired to pay me retroactively, I will not complain.

:: Daily Burn.  I learned about DB during Hulu commercials, and eventually Josh decided to try it out. Then when I decided to kick my body into gear and exercise, I decided to try it too. And if I've ever come close to enjoying exercise, this is it. The trainers in my program are nice and encouraging, and the workouts are varied and effective. For the first time in a long time, I feel fit instead of just skinny. The number on the scale hasn't really changed (which can be frustrating), but my body has been changing, and that's what matters.

:: 24: Live Another Day. I thought that 24 had already had its hey-day, and I was intrigued when Fox announced a Jack Bauer comeback. And I really loved 24 back when it on. The last couple of seasons of 24 were extreme, even for 24, and this revival isn't the best, but it's fun to have Jack back and good enough for me to keep watching.

:: Fabric.com. Sewing purists will say that you can't buy fabric without touching it and feeling it. They'll say that buying fabric online is for amateurs. Me? I love it. Fabric.com is awesome. I can spend a good chunk of time browsing fabric online. I'd say that if you're new to sewing that buying fabric in a brick-and-mortar store is ideal, just so you can get a feel (literally) for fiber content, drape, etc. But once you know what it means to see a listing for jersey knit with 95-rayon and 5-percent spandex, then you can make pretty informed decisions. And shipping is free with a $35 minimum purchase. I'll often tack on a swatch or two to get me just to $35. And if you're not pleased with your fabric.com purchase, you had 30 days to return it, no matter what. I am certainly a sewing enthusiast, but I'm not above shopping for fabric online. It's great.

:: America's Test Kitchen. Obviously. The only magazine I have a subscription to is Cook's Illustrated, I have two Test Kitchen cookbooks, I have purchased several special CI issues at Costco, and I listen to the Test Kitchen's weekly podcast. Pretty much I'm an ATK fangirl. For someone who likes to understand the why behind what I do, the Test Kitchen is perfect. Now I know that when a recipe calls for Dutch-processed cocoa, I really can't use natural cocoa. That cheddar-monteray jack combo in the macaroni and cheese really is the best combo. And making your own chili paste for chili really does produce the best results.

:: Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2014 summer reading guide. I found Modern Mrs. Darcy a year ago when I followed a link to her 2013 summer reading guide, and her blog has been on my must-read-every-day list since. She released her 2014 summer reading guide last week, and it's the best place to go to find good reads for the summer months. She's broken down her recommendations into categories so you know where to find serious books or beach books or solid nonfiction reads. You can get your copy here. And if you keep reading MMD, well, I can't blame you because it's really that great of a blog.

What have you been endorsing lately? Anything I should know about?

a too-early summer

I'm sitting here at the computer sweating because the sewing-slash-computer room is a full-on oven when Portland decides to do summer. And this week Portland has jumped ahead by two months and has treated us to 90-degree weather. I'm not amused.

I'm making a pie for a girls' weekend at the coast, and someone please remind me next time not to roll out pie crust when my kitchen is 80 degrees. (Ladies, this time I cannot guarantee pie crust quality.) 

At Target this week I stocked up on shorts for the boy, because I can't in good conscience dress the boy in jeans and socks and shoes when it's so hot and humid. So now Asher has five pairs of shorts, even more t-shirts, and a good pair of sandals, not to mention the clothes Grandma Karen brought over. 

We bought a grill this week, and I can't wait to pump out summer meals with that thing. I even picked up the Cook's Illustrated special edition of summer grilling. 

I have several summer dress projects on my sewing docket, and I may have to pump them out quick next week during the rainy days before the weather turns hot again. Even the sewing experience is affected when you're sitting there in a 90-degree room with sweat dripping down your shirt. 

I have a darling toddler calling for me from his room, because now he's awake from his nap. I'm not sure what we'll do. Maybe draw with sidewalk chalk. Maybe eat some fruit snacks. Maybe read some stories.

lately

Hey, readers! I meant to write this post on Monday about some funny things that happened over the weekend, but Monday escaped me. And really the best thing I was going to list was Netflix asking me if I was still watching 30 Rock. And I was all, "Yes, Netflix, I really am watching this much Liz Lemon. Really." So now that it's the middle of the week, I'm here to give you a different list.

Lately I've been reading this book. I know it came out years ago, and it's ridiculous that I haven't read it yet. When I saw on Goodreads that almost all of my friends who'd read it gave it five stars, I immediately requested it from the library. I'm captivated.

Lately I've been in the market for a Bernina. For real. (For those of you new to this space, read this post.) My little Costco Singer isn't able to keep up with my projects, and it's time for an upgrade. This is basically my gift from Josh for the whole year. If all goes well, I should be up and running with a Bernina sewing machine by the weekend!

Lately I've been planning to make a million and one of this dress. It's a dream to whip up and is basically the cutest, most feminine summer dress, and I plan to make so many (especially once I have that nice sewing machine!).

Lately the weather has fast-forwarded to summer. I'd be okay with a bit more spring. We're getting some weather in the high 80s this week, and I can't say that I'm excited about it. On the plus side, the heat is giving me even more incentive to whip up some summer dresses.

Lately my allergies have been giving me hell. I've sneezed literally dozens of times today. My nose and throat and eyes are itchy, and I'm already taking two allergy pills a day. The tissue box is my BFF right now.

Lately I've been feeling a bit more like myself. And that's so good.

currently

Right now I'm yawning, because it's late and I should be in bed. But I'm blogging. Obviously.

I'm enjoying banana chocolate chip bars.

I'm watching The Good Wife, recommendation of a bestie.

I'm waiting to check my email tomorrow morning, because the coat winner will be announced.

I'm checking off to-dos as I prep for my Denver trip.

I'm planning to spoil Asher in the airport: think some small new toys and treats he doesn't usually eat.

I'm sewing a backpack for Asher made out of shark fabric just for trip.

I'm willing spring to stay and maybe creep back up from the 50s into the 60s.

I'm wishing I could find that blogging groove again, because every time I sit down to write I have no idea what to say.

this week around the house

I finally tidied the sewing room. Just in time for more projects. (See that melted part of my machine? Only one of the many reasons I need to win that Bernina.)

Tuna fish has been the theme of my lunches, alongside a nice cold can of Diet Pepsi.

The laundry has been in limbo between attended to and neglected.

These lovelies arrived in the mail, and I have a few plans for each of them.

These tulips have had a beautiful and graceful run this week.

Thin Mints have been sabotaging my efforts to track Weight Watchers points. I open the freezer and there they are, inviting me to the party. And oh what a tasty party it is.

Right now the weather outside is 60 degrees, and we spent all morning at the park. And when I get the boy up from his nap, we'll probably go hit up another one. Because when it's 60 degrees in March in Portland, you go to the park.

a perfect day for cocoa

Want to brave the weather and come over for some cocoa? 

Yesterday Portland got some real sticking-to-the-ground, piling-up-on-cars, big-snowflake snowfall. This is literally the most snow I've seen in Portland since moving here three and a half years ago. This snow snob approves.

So head over, and I'll have the cocoa ready. 

What kind of cocoa do you want? My current favorite cocoa concoctions are Safeway-brand cocoa with York Peppermint Pattie creamer. When you have the dark chocolate cocoa, the creamer makes your drink taste like a Thin Mint.

Speaking of, I ordered three boxes. Of Thin Mints. Obviously. Every year the boxes get smaller and the prices remain the same, and every year I'm suckered into buying those over-priced delicious treats. Perhaps I'll have to try dipping Thin Mints into my Thin-Mint-like cooca. Whoa. What's your favorite Girl Scout cookie? I mean, you have to have a favorite.

Has it been snowing where you are? It seems like it's been snowing all over the country lately. Josh came home early yesterday because of the snowfall, and we bundled up Asher and took him out to play.

He loved it. Obviously. That's no surprise.

Can I tell you about how much I love Josh as a dad? Seriously, those two make my heart just melt. Even in the snow. How is your family doing? Your husband? Your children? Marriage and family are hard sometimes, and it's okay if you don't feel like you have it all together. Because chances are we're all doing a little bit better than we think.

What do you think of my tablecloth? I found it at Target on clearance for $6.50, so I bought it. Having a tablecloth on the table somehow makes me feel like I earned bonus housewife points. My mom always has a tablecloth out, and I think I need some more to feel legit. My grandma had the biggest tablecloth stash you could imagine. Are you a housewife? Do you like it? What earns you extra domesticity points?

What's on your Netflix queue these days? Believe it or not I don't have a TV show I'm bingeing on currently. Once I wrapped up Chuck I just haven't been in the mood to find something new. I've been reading a lot, and I like that. I'm really enjoying my Stephen King novel, and I'm almost finished with this book by Sheri Dew. And I have access to my dad's Audible account, so that's awesome. Obviously.

The snow gave me permission to stop counting Weight Watchers points this week so that I can enjoy M&Ms, homemade bread, and extra mugs of cocoa. Isn't that considerate?

The snow is falling heavy now, so you might want to head home since Portland doesn't exactly have a huge supply of snowplows. Getting around in even a mild snow storm can prove dubious in these parts. After you leave, I think I'll hole up in my sewing room and work on that jacket some more.

Thanks for stopping by! And thanks for looking at what is essentially the same picture over and over. I just can't get enough of that kid in puffy snow clothes. Also, I really love our cocoa dates. I'm so glad we're friends.

11 things I learned in January

This post is inspired by Emily from Chatting at the Sky.

:: According to BuzzFeed quizzes I am the following: Mr. Potato Head, Ann Veal (her?), a Londoner, Albus Dumbledore, Jess (from New Girl), and--my favorite quiz result--a writer.

:: DisneyLand is actually for grown-ups.

:: The right things aren't always super easy or convenient. (I seem to relearn this one often.)

:: Safeway is the only grocery store chain in the Portland area that carries those gross, fake Valentine Pillsbury cookies that I secretly love.

:: A bowl of steel-cut oats is the best breakfast in all the land (next to birthday cake--obviously).

:: My husband doesn't like cake.

:: If I have to pick a team to win the Super Bowl, it has to be the Broncos. The Pacific Northwest can't take away my Rockies roots!

:: Stephen King is a much better writer than I'd ever given him credit for. (I'm currently in the middle of The Stand. To see what else I'm reading, check out my Goodreads profile.)

:: The response I received to this post affirmed its message that gracious dialogue is more effective than any cruel words.

:: Making this place a priority makes hard things in my life so much more manageable. It's so worth it to sacrifice a night of stretchy pants for a couple hours of real learning.

:: January and I may be ready to make peace.

One of my favorite Instagram posts from January:

What have you learned this month? Are you glad January is over?

grooves and no grooves

I tried writing this post last night, but I wasn't in my groove. This week has certainly had its grooveless moments.

Like when we woke up in the middle of the night to mice scurrying in our walls. That's gross. And stressful. And when I'm lying there in the dark listening to the rodents, I think about how we'll likely have to fight the HOA to properly take care of the problem. I'm telling you, HOAs are the devil's work.

Then there's the general mom stuff that sometimes awesome and sometimes discouraging. Asher stopped eating string cheese this week, so that brings his total number of acceptable foods down to six.

Other moments haven't been as grooveless. Like when I made this recipe for steel-cut oats and it basically changed my life. Or when I actually started sewing these finger puppets for Asher in an effort to gain a grasp on my not-restful-at-all Sundays.

Almost all my shows had new episodes this week, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine maybe--just maybe--might be surpassing The Mindy Project in funniest show on television according to Charlotte. (The Golden Globes sure think so.) I also spent several hours this week catching up on podcasts, and this program has soared to the top of my must-listen-to-every-week list.

I'm also excited to enter this sewing contest in an effort to win a Bernina sewing machine. I'm almost dying from excitement over here. Except that I'm not, because if I did die, I wouldn't be able to enter. My odds probably aren't great, but seriously, I have to at least try. And worst case scenario, I win nothing and come out with a cute jacket anyway. But really, I need a Bernina. (If Josh is reading this, please take note and plan 2014 gifts accordingly.)

So here we are, Saturday morning, 11:30, and I'm still in my pajamas wearing no bra. What grooves have you found or lost this week?

reliving some highlights

We flew back from Colorado yesterday, a journey which included running up and down the security terminal searching for a lost shoe and a mid-flight toddler temper tantrum. Our return to real life hasn't been much smoother--think thrashing fit in the Costco cart for the entire shopping trip. Goodness.

So I think right now I'd rather relive some of last week's highlights, as the end of December is not proving to be a positive harbinger for the January gloom.

:: Asher and Moosey the dog became fast friends, thanks in large part to Asher feeding Moose every chance he got. He quickly learned to scan the room to ensure secrecy before handing those crackers over to the dog.

:: Asher loves clementines. He ate at least five daily.

:: On Christmas Eve we all sang Christmas carols, and I loved it. Everyone was singing in parts, and it was easily my favorite moment of the evening. (Meanwhile, the baby Jesus was taken to a safe house while the rest of the manger scene sustained several casualties.)

:: We got to see and talk to John in Brazil. Best Christmas gift ever. Obviously.

:: Asher's flannel robe ended up having this samurai look to it, and it makes me giggle every time.

:: We played plenty of rounds of Bang! and the renegade even won a time or two. No matter what my role ends up being in this game, I always secretly root for the renegade.

:: Mom and I started watching Call the Midwife, per the recommendations of a few different friends. It was a little raw at first, but now we're both hooked.

:: My Christmas outfit made a second debut (the first being the Sunday before we left town)--silver houndstooth pencil skirt with pale mint silk charmuese blouse, both garments handmade. The shoes were the inspiration for it all, as well they should be.

:: Asher perfected his horse sound. And his camel sound. (A camel says pt!, in case you were wondering. Just ask the boy.)

:: When left to fiddle on the piano, Asher intuitively knows not only to turn the music pages but also to applaud himself.

Currently I'm having a bad time of the last-week-at-this-time game, and I'm pretty blue about it. I'm dealing with the melancholy by watching more Call the Midwife, reading through some new sewing books, and drinking lots of cocoa. I think I need to commission a private bullet train from Portland to Denver, and then this wouldn't even be a problem. Excuse me while I charm my engineer of a husband to take on this task. . . .

TGIF: a photo essay

Smotherhood defined

Reorganizing the kitchen

Homemade ice cream

All bundled up with socks for mittens

Stocking up at the library

Abandoned snack

Christmas tree play

Pizza night

Chocolate

Brownie batter

And now I'm holing up in my sewing room until bedtime. Breathe.

contentment

I'm easy to please. I can get really excited about unimportant things.

:: red and gray flannel for the Christmas robe I'm making the boy
:: the boy's dancing--dancing
:: hot chocolate in my $4 Anthro mug
:: the Mindy Project Christmas special that left me simultaneously cheering and lamenting
:: two hours of real, down-to-earth catch-up with one of my top-tier friends
:: an easy slam-dunk dinner
:: two and a half weeks until we jet to Denver for Christmas
:: this week's letter from the missionary brother
:: handmade Christmas gifts
:: the advent calendar
:: Josh coming home before 6:00
:: Sawbones
:: toddler time at the library
:: FaceTiming with my parents and sister
:: Asher's kisses to my parents and sister via FaceTime
:: my Christmas skirt turning out exactly as I wanted, zipper installation and all
:: Pentatonix Little Drummer Boy


Like I said, it doesn't take a production to make me happy. I'm easily content, and I think that's a really good thing. Even on not-great days, my contentment is still there. Life is good, life is full.

this week

This week I bought silk charmuese to sew into a Christmas blouse. And I promise I'll show you the finished product this time.

Asher started taking only one nap a day. It's bittersweet, but mostly okay by me.

I've been a little lonely. Josh has been working extra long hours all week and my mom is out of town. And even though Mom lives thousands of miles away, I know when she's out of town because we don't talk on the phone. That combination is sometimes a recipe for mild melancholy.

My sewing room has exploded in Christmas projects. It's a danger zone for babes. So he never goes in. Except when I need to finish a blog post. Obviously. And then he plays in the thread bin.

I made my final trip to Joann's for the Christmas season. (Knock on wood--I do not want to go back to that holiday madhouse until January.)

I caught the first signs of a cold. And then I bought Airborne.

I've been listening to Christmas music all week. Yes, I'm one of those people. But I think we all knew that.

I have a few favorite months of Asher's life, and month 15 has been one of them. This morning I caught him dancing to the Curious George opening song, and I about died.

Chocolate sugar cookies are waiting downstairs, and I think it's about time that Asher and I have an afternoon snack.

Happy Friday.

PS Don't forget about the CampusBookRentals.com giveaway open through next Tuesday! Even if you aren't a college student yourself, I bet you know someone who is!

hello, Monday

:: Hello, Monday.
:: Hello to lists--lots and lots of lists.
:: Christmas lists, grocery lists, project lists, cleaning lists, blog lists.

:: Hello to mission emails from the brother.
:: And if we're lucky, hello to pictures from Brazil.

:: Hello to a new week of counting points.
:: And hopefully hello to more progress.

:: Hello to a bit of handmade Christmas.
:: Think some sewing for the babe and some sewing for me.
:: No sewing for Josh.
:: Because sewing for guys is hard.
:: And hello to handmade gifts that I can't tell you about.
:: Obviously.

:: Hello to being this close to finishing a new book.
:: Hello to young-adult dystopian novels.
:: You never get old.

:: Hello to my first-ever sponsored giveaway this week.
:: Tune in Wednesday.
:: Especially all you college kids.

:: Hello to a babe who walks like Frankenstein.
:: Hello to  the goose eggs and bruises and bumps and cries that inevitably accompany Frankenbaby.
:: And hello to brushing off the dirt and getting back into the action.
:: Hello to passing off some of that resilience to me, because heaven sure knows most days I need it.