Home Sweet Home

Happy Saturday everyone! It was a beautiful day and we haven’t had many of those as of late so I’m in an especially good mood. To cap it off – I spent most of my day in an outdoor photography class enjoying nature and catching up with two long-time friends. More on the class another time.

It’s been pretty quiet on the social media front over the last several days (or perhaps weeks – agh). It’s mostly because we’ve been knee-deep in home improvement projects. Most of my “extra time” (as if that really exists for a mom of two young boys) has been eaten up by the joys of home ownership instead of the more fun projects I am more eager to share with you. But…like it or not…I’m going to bring you up to speed on some of the (zzzzzz….) boring house stuff. You can close your eyes if you’d like, I’ll wake you when I’m through.

The list of to-dos at the Bjerke home never seems to shorten – we just keep adding to it. Nevertheless, my husband and I (well, mostly I) had a couple of priorities once the weather got warmer:

#1. Build a fence around the garden.

We (um, I) chose a white picket fence to coordinate with the barn of a shed we erected last summer. The reasoning behind it was two-fold. First, a white picket fence around a garden that is planted next to a “barn” is just plain ADORABLE, right?! And second, we have that wonderful, mischievous, can’t-help-but-love-her puppy named Penny, who had taken to relieving her bowels in our garden and would undoubtedly destroy any bit of life we attempted to grow in said garden.  The hideous chicken wire fence we tacked up with flimsy stakes was no match for Penny when nature called. So, the new fence is both functional and pretty. Check.

#2. Paint the shed/barn red.

It’s on the list. And it’s been on the list since last fall. And it’s still not done. Drat!

#3. Move youngest child out of his crib and into a shared bedroom with older brother.

We have a two-story home, but the second story is only ¾ of a floor. The nursery, in which my youngest son spent the first two years of his life, is a small “bonus room” that is the result of a bump-out in our roof line. It’s tiny, but it functioned nicely as a nursery. When it was time for little E to move to a big-boy bed, we decided the boys could share a space.  There are two true bedrooms upstairs plus the bonus room, and a third bedroom on the main floor. Motherly instinct pushed me to keep all of us on the same floor for sleeping so a shared space it is. I decided on a vehicle theme. Purchasing a matching bedroom furniture set for two boys could get costly, so I turned to some thrifty options. I pieced together a pair of headboards that were my grandfather’s (that I painted), quilts from Target, some Iowa license plates, new wall decorations that look old, a used dresser that is the perfect height for the slanted ceilings, and some other quirky second-hand finds. It’s quaint quarters, but it’s just for sleeping and they love it. They often pretend they are camping. Check.

#4. Move toys to the “bonus room” for a relocated playroom.

Since the boys’ shared bedroom is tight for space, I thought it would be nice for them to have their toys and books near their bedroom instead of on the main floor. Additionally, and perhaps the driving force behind the playroom move, I’ve always dreamed of having a dedicated craft room. Our double duty office/playroom on the main floor is the perfect location for my sewing and crafting. I’m selfish – sue me. Upstairs the new playroom went. It required a bit of painting and a whole lot of up and down the stairs hauling toys, but the result is another fun space with quite a bit of character. The room already had a wall of built-in drawers that were begging to be stuffed with little odds and ends. And if there’s one thing this house does well, it’s odds and ends! All of the boys’ toys with their tiny little pieces found a perfect new home in those built-ins. 

The space is still a work in progress. I'm searching for a reasonably priced orange rug to add a pop of color. Once my sewing machine finds its way downstairs, we (ahem, my husband) also plan to cut a pint-sized door in the room’s wall that will lead to the adjacent hall closet (a.k.a my current craft closet). It will be in the short wall space right behind the lamp in the above photo. The playhouses built under stairway cavities that are exploding on Pinterest inspired me.

I can’t wait to finish up that part of the playroom. The boys will LOVE crawling through the tiny little door into their secret "room" that will house their play kitchen, books and dress up clothes. So…check(ish).

#5. Move my sewing machine and craft supplies to the main floor office.

Ohhhh the plans I have for my new crafting space! They include an entire wall dedicated to my sewing  and Cricut machines and their accompanying supplies, a FABULOUS vintage chandelier and a table (maybe counter height) for cutting fabric and painting furniture!!! I may have to edit down my dreams just a little, but I have to start somewhere right?! Can’t wait to get started on this one!!!

#6. Hatchlings & Hens NOW OPEN “On the Porch”

I saved this one for last because it’s the most exciting for me, but also the most up-in-the-air. It started with a simple task – paint the breezeway. The only space in our house that I didn’t paint when we moved in was the indoor “porch” between the garage and the house – a breezeway by technical terms. We have previously used the space to house a set of wicker furniture that I inherited from my grandmother’s estate, but we NEVER sit out there and I desperately need a place to store my finished Hatchlings & Hens projects. When I started moving things out of the breezeway to paint, I realized it could make a really sweet showroom. If everything works out, I’ll have very limited hours when Hatchlings & Hens will be open for business “On the Porch.” These plans are all riding on some nitty gritty details in the insurance world, so I’ll keep you posted. Hopefully (fingers crossed) this space will be getting more than just a paint job!

Finally, a little project that wasn’t really on the to-do list, but has been a long time in the making. One of the things I love most about our house is the line of cabinets that create a built-in buffet in our dining room. The storage capacity of that stretch of drawers and cupboards is HUGE! However, the expanse of naked wall space above those built-ins has always been tricky to decorate. While I love the fact that all of my china (gifts from numerous guests at our wedding) is safely tucked away in those cupboards, it’s always bothered me a little that none of that china is on display. So, when we inherited a bunch of salvaged cupboards from one of my husband’s friends, I immediately found purpose in one that had glass-front doors. The wood tone of the salvaged piece didn’t match our existing cupboards, yet it was similar enough that when placed next to the existing pieces, it looked like we were trying to match the two and failed miserably. I decided a nice coat of paint and some distressing could tame this beast into a beautiful home for my white china and eat up some of that empty space on the wall. I found inspiration in this chippy beauty on Pinterest.

My salvaged piece certainly didn’t have as much character as the above example. And it isn’t nearly as old – maybe an early 90s version. As in 1990…not 1890. Cue my old friend Annie Sloan and a few custom glass shelves from a local shop and ta-da!!!

I think I’m in love. I’m also thinking this giant wall might need a little more to either side of the cupboard. Right now, though, I’m enjoying seeing some of my favorite pieces that have spent the last three years hiding behind a wall of oak.

And there you have it folks. (This is the part where you wake up and pretend to be interested!) A little peak at what has been consuming my time (and mind) during the time since I last blogged. Enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend and I’ll be back soon to share a bit of the awesome photography class. 

Happy Heart, Filthy Floors

What an amazing 30 days it has been! About a month ago I decided to become a vendor at the Little Prairie Girl (LPG) Vintage Market Barn Sale. Since that time, I had been busy, busy, busy, preparing for the big day. The event was this past weekend and it was nothing short of spectacular.

As the date of the event approached, the more my nerves increased. I've sold quite a few things here and there through friends or Facebook, but this was going to be my first official experience as a vendor. It kind of made what I've been doing seem that much more real. More of a "job" than a "hobby."

I first inquired about becoming a LPG vendor last fall, and I'm not really sure why it took me so long to make the big leap of filling out an application. Perhaps it was the fear of rejection. The market is a juried event, which means there is an application process and you have to be "selected" to participate. What if the selection committee told me no? And even if I was accepted, which I was, what if I didn't sell anything?! It felt a little like asking someone out on a date for the first time. The worst outcome - said date responds with a resounding "no" and destroys every ounce of confidence you have in yourself. The best outcome - a most excellent date, followed by an intense love affair, and you live happily ever after. Well, let's just say I'm sort of in that "love affair" state of mind right now. The verdict is still out on the happily ever after.

Friday and Saturday were packed with both good crowds and lots of buyers. A ton of my projects found new homes. And better yet, the feedback from friends, acquaintances and strangers was amazing. The entire experience was just plain FUN! If I hadn't sold a single item, it still would have been a success in my mind. The owner of LPG, Natalie Meester, does a phenomenal job of creating an upbeat and enjoyable atmostphere. Most of all, from my experience, she's flat out "good people." The experience was so positive, I've already secured a spot in the Hen House for September's sale. It must have given me the confidence I needed, because I've also inquired about becoming a vendor for the Back Road's Vintage Market in Dysart. WOO HOO!

That's me - driving my husband's BEAST of a truck, AND pulling a trailer. I was TERRIFIED about driving the trailer, but I only curb-checked it once. Not too shabby! :-)

The Hatchlings & Hens booth at Little Prairie Girl in the Hen House.

I'm often asked how I find time to do so much crafting. Other stay-at-home moms want to know how I manage to do all of the things stay-at-home moms do AND find time for projects. All I can say is it's an addiction. So much so, that many times other areas of my life seem to suffer. Laundry, for instance. After what has been an exhausting month, and even more tiring weekend, here's what my dining room looked like on Monday morning.

There are Easter decorations in there somewhere!

I think it had been a week or more since I had even considered some quality time with the washing machine. And, ahem, don't even think about using my bathroom or eating from my kitchen right now. It may look clean, but it's all a facade! Before I host my family's Easter this coming weekend, I have some serious deep cleaning to do. See, not a single one of us is perfect. It may look like I'm calm and collected on the outside, but I assure you, behind the scenes, I'm a big fat mess! I'm also "lucky" to have inherited the inability to chillax, a trait which plagues nearly every woman on my mom's side. It's part of the reason I suffer from tension headaches and the reason I'm medicated for anxiety and depression. Even with the drugs, I still can't seem to master the skill of putting up my feet. So, while you may be asking yourself how I manage to get it all done, I assure you I'm asking myself the same about you. Stay-at-home moms who manage to find time to cook, clean, take care of the kids AND have a workout regime. Or women who juggle more than TWO kids! Working moms who work all day AND still manage to have a clean house, cook and find quality time for their kids. Every single one of you women, for your individual accomplishments, is amazing to me! While you may not be producing projects such as mine, I'll bet your laundry room looks a hell of a lot better than mine and that your husband isn't begging you to "just sit down for a minute." We all have our crosses to bear, mine just happens to be disguised, from time to time, as a strength.

Now, if you'll please excuse me, I have a kitchen floor to scrub!

Hello, my name is Katie, and I'm a Screamer!

You win some. You lose some. And sometimes you do both in the same day.

As a mom, one of my biggest faults is that I tend to be a "screamer." If you're a mom, I'm sure you've been there. Little pint-sized bundles of sass push and push until you reach your boiling point.

As of late, my eldest has been in the habit of completely ignoring my requests. Just flat-out, complete disregard for what I'm saying. Don't get me wrong. He's a great kid. Sweet as apple pie and he wears his heart on his sleeve. But, when it comes to pushing my buttons, he's got my number! I've tried a million strategies to discipline: timeouts, counting, rewarding, taking things away, and, yes, even the last resort...spanking. Sometimes one of these strategies works, sometimes none of them do. Regardless, I have yet to find something that works on a consistent basis...cue the screaming. I've been so frustrated lately with the circus our home has become, that I've resorted to screaming - hoping that the louder and more forceful I speak, the better both of my children will listen. Following a big blow-out, I always have the good old fashioned Catholic guilt. "I'm a terrible mother," "I'm destroying their little personalities," "I need to have more patience!" are just some of the thoughts that pass through my mind.

Typically, I'm pushed to my boiling point when we're on a schedule. We need to be somewhere by a certain time, and my little gentlemen just aren't cooperating. How many times does a mother need to say "Put on your shoes!" before someone hears her?! Mostly I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall. Like, a 20 feet tall brick wall, made of solid concrete foundation block.

Such was the experience last week, when I was on my own for the morning (no daddy), and needed to get my oldest to preschool. The entire morning was a freakin' clown show. Just trying to get the two of them dressed was like trying to wrangle monkeys on crack. By the time we had made our way to coats and shoes, I was done. It came spewing out of my mouth like hot lava from a volcano. Thank GOD no one else was around because it must have looked a little freaky. I was stomping my feet, balling my fists and screaming like a toddler myself. Afterwards, my four-year-old looked at me with fear in his eyes and started balling that "I want my daddy." Stick a knife in my chest and twist, because I had just FAILED as a mom. Ugh... Later, as I was driving home from the preschool drop-off, I even tried to convince myself that it really wasn't that big of a deal. My mom had been a screamer (sorry Mom!) and I think I turned out ok. I don't have any unresolved self-esteem issues. I have an excellent relationship with my mom -  we're very good friends and I love her to pieces. I feel like I'm living a pretty happy life with a loving husband and two beautiful children. Maybe screaming isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. And then I ran across the following articles...

Study Says Yelling Is As Hurtful As Hitting: 
Parents Who Yell At Teens Can Increase Risk of Depression and Aggression

Parents - Are You A Yeller?

As the title of the first article suggests, a recent study published in Child Development, found there to be a correlation between yelling and depression/aggression. The study specifically targeted children between the ages of 13 and 14, though I can't help but think the same would ring true for any child subjected to yelling, even at a young age. As I read this article, I was taken back to my post-preschool drop-off pep talk. "My mom had been a screamer and I think I turned out ok." Maybe not. You see, as a teen, and throughout most of my adulthood, I have struggled with depression. It's also something that runs deep in our family and is known to be genetic. So there's that. But maybe, just maybe, it had something to do with yelling. I decided right there in that moment that I would try to make a change.

As mentioned before, I'm Catholic. It's currently the time of year that we Catholic's do best: Lent. Traditionally, we give up something during this time to reflect on the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus spent in the dessert fasting. In the past, I typically "do" something instead of "give up" something. By Tuesday, the day I ran across these little articles, and 20 days into Lent, I still hadn't made a commitment to my own Lenten sacrifice. So here it is: for the remaining days leading up to Easter, I resolve to give up yelling. Of any kind. That was Tuesday. It is now Friday and so far I have been 100% successful. And you know what? - it is making a HUGE difference! I also discovered a little technique that my four-year-old's preschool teacher uses. Counting, with the addition of the child's name. For instance, "Billy, stop hitting your brother. Billy-one, Billy-two, Billy-three..." My son's preschool teacher must be a genius, because it works every.single.time. My oldest HATES it when I use his name while counting, and has started ceasing his behavior as soon as I start the mantra. So, between not yelling and the name+counting, I've found a strategy I can live with.

Again, this morning I tackled the preschool duty alone, and we had a great morning! We made it out the door on time, perhaps even a bit early! The three of us had a great little conversation on the way to school and as I walked out of the preschool after kissing my son goodbye, I felt my heart swell to the size of a beach ball. It felt really, really good to have had a scream-free morning! Following preschool drop-off, was a successful Target run with my two-year-old. We usually leave Target in a crying, screaming fit (him, not me) and today with a little creative thinking to ward off the tantrums, we made it through without incident. I can't help but think that the scream-free parenting set the tone for the day and laid the foundation for happier, more relaxed children.

After the post-preschool pickup today I was feeling so confident that I decided on an eat-in lunch date. Both children, at a semi-sitdown restaurant for lunch, alone. Was I crazy? Or was it some kind of scream-free high? We got in line to order our sandwiches and my youngest immediately knocked over one of the display signs. Then, they both proceeded to run around the line like banshees. Finally, the oldest mocked a death complete with air gasping, and a slow fall to the floor where he lay with his arms and legs sprawling and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. In the middle of the restaurant. Right between a college-aged couple who was giving me the stink-eye and a middle-aged man who smiled with understanding. After getting our sandwiches we sat down at a table, and in a fit of rage to get to the chocolate milk first, my youngest knocked the bottle of milk out of my hands, sending milk cascading all over the floor. And...end scene.

Yup. That's my life in a nutshell. Tiny little moments of success followed by giant catastrophes. But I'm sticking to the "no yelling" pledge. It may not make our lives completely perfect, but I think it's making a difference. Previously I would yell because I was frustrated and I thought it would help blow off some steam. But I think it did the opposite. I think it actually made me more stressed. So giving it up has actually brought a little calmness to my crazy life. If you doubt me, and you're a screamer, I challenge you to try it for a week. I promise, Mom's Honor, you and your kids won't be disappointed.



Side note: A friend of mine once recommended a book that I have yet to read - it's on my "to-do list." Maybe you want to give it a try too. It's called "Scream Free Parenting: The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool" by Hal Edward Runkel. 

The Product of Persuasion

If you've noticed during my last few posts that my photography seems a bit rudimentary, it's because for the last several weeks I have been without my baby. My Nikon D3100 that is. Yup...there are models out there that far surpass the ability of my humble little DSLR. But I love her and I had a really hard time convincing my husband to see the value in making said purchase. 

So, imagine my dismay (and the argument that ensued) when our new dog (who was also the subject of a little spousal persuasion) pulled my baby off the end table with her teeth. Unfortunately, the camera was damaged and took nothing but black pictures. Off to Nikon she was shipped and, $150 later, she is back. It was like Christmas morning waiting for the UPS delivery today. Oh how I have missed her. Welcome home, sweetie!

Just in time for a photography class that is scheduled for next weekend. Which, by the way, was rescheduled today for MAY, due to the weather. It's an outdoor photography class. You would think that it would be safe to schedule an outdoor photography class at the beginning of April. But...it's Iowa. The land of what is shaping up to be The Eternal Winter. 

Round Peg, Square(ish) Home

If I had a theme song for today's post it would be "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. In fact, here's a link to the song on YouTube just in case you'd like to play it while you read.

There's just something about little things that make me grin. It's probably why the most satisfying projects I work on are for kids. Think about it - nearly everything, when made miniature sized, is just plain adorable. Ok...so maybe not everything (like probably not doggie poo or roadkill), but an awful lot anyway.

A few years back, we decided to do a little remodeling in our master bedroom, and as a result, reduced the number of dressers we needed. The chest of drawers remain, but the other piece retired to the basement. It currently houses a stereo, TV and some of the kids' toys. One of the bottom drawers was broken so I replaced both with some storage boxes from Ikea I had previously used in our toy room. Don't judge...it's an unfinished basement!

The other drawer, which was in really great shape, has been hanging out with the piles of laundry near the washing machine for the past two years. And, no, it has not been the same pile of laundry for the past two years. Just the same drawer, in the same place, collecting dust. It was a great size and I knew someday I would come up with an excellent new purpose for it. And this week I did - the excellent new purpose - a doll house!

I must admit it is one of my FAVORITE projects to date. Why? Because it includes some teeny tiny little peg people, miniature furniture and tiny little accessories. Little, itty bitty morsels of happiness.

It was a pretty simple project. A little time consuming, but easily done in bits and pieces. I started by building the room dividers out of scrap plywood and 2x5s. After attaching the "walls" to the "second floor," I ran a small bead of glue along each edge that would touch the drawer frame, and then tacked it with finishing nails from the outside. After filling all of the nail and screw holes, I painted the entire piece white.

To furnish the house, I raided our scrap wood bin again and pieced together anything that could resemble furniture, then pawed through a supply of scrapbooking paper I inherited from a friend of my mom's. I hit the jackpot when I found a whole kit of coordinating paper that also included little embellishments that I could use for wall art and accessories in the house.

I modge podged paper for the accent walls in each room and on some of the furniture for accents. Finally, I modge podged the accessories and wall art on top of that.

For the inhabitants of this home, I discovered wooden peg people while perusing Pinterest for some inspiration. I found the pegs at Hobby Lobby in the unfinished wood section. They also make smaller pegs to use for children, but I wasn't sure I could tackle painting on something soooooo tiny. But man, they sure could be cute! Since they're all the same size, either my peg family is a little unconventional...or the kids are really tall. But we're using our imaginations here folks, so just go with it! I used Sharpie Paint (oil-based) markers to paint the people. The Sharpie Paints are MUCH easier to maneuver than a paint brush so it was fairly easy to get the lines straight and the details just right. Still a little sketchy, but I think they're cute nevertheless.

And here they are...a happy little family in a happy little home.

I love them to pieces. It's going to be hard to see this one go.

If at first you don't succeed...

Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been 23 days since my last blog post. I'll say three Hail Mary's. On my knees...

Over the last several weeks I've been gearing up for the Little Prairie Girl Barn Sale happening on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12. If you've never been - it's a MUST! A woman by the name of Natalie Meester turned her good old Iowa dairy barn into a gift shop. On occasion from Spring through late Fall, she hosts Vintage Market Barn Sales. The loft of the barn, along with the adjacent Hen House and Machine Shed, are transformed into vendor space for local shops and individuals to showcase their talents. The focus? Repurposing, antiques and more.

Natalie Meester and her husband.
www.facebook.com/LittlePrairieGirl

Little Prairie Girl Gift Shop
www.facebook.com/LittlePrairieGirl 

Be there or be square!

I had been thinking about submitting an application (it's a juried sale) for sometime and on a whim I decided to contact Natalie to see if there was still space. Much to my surprise, I was accepted with open arms. So far, I'm only committed to the April show. I'm hoping to make enough to, at least, break even. Anything beyond that would be an added bonus. At first I was worried about filling my humble 10'x10' space and now I'm beginning to get a bit concerned about how I'll manage to haul all of the AWESOME finds I have stumbled across in the last month. Thank goodness my husband bought a trailer awhile back for his electrical company. Unbeknownst to him, I was secretly doing mental cartwheels at the thought of all of the "junk" I could scavenge with that trailer! Today while we were perusing Menard's he bought more bungees and tie downs and said they were "for me." I think he may be on to me.  But, YEAH, for bungees!

Anyhoo...back to my preparation for the sale. A few of the projects I've been working on include some seasonal Easter decor, a small dresser/nightstand in the most amazing shade of turquoise, a recycled crib bench and some glorious accessories in shades of pink, orange, red, yellow, antique white and hints of grey. I found inspiration in this amazing fabric and these adorable little Easter eggs.

Can't wait to share everything I've been tackling!

I love the feeling I get after I finish a project. Most times I stand back and I'm just tickled with the results. Giddy, in fact - like a crafting high. Or, maybe it's all of those paint, glue and stain fumes I've been sniffing. I did have turquoise boogers the other day from all of the spray paint that undoubtedly made it's way into my lungs. Hmmm... So, usually there's a lot of giddiness, and then, on occasion, there are those epic fails. I had one of those fails this week. Luckily, the only thing it cost me was time and a few dollars.

I've been working on a small child's table that I converted from a sad looking end table. The top was pretty beat up so I sanded it down and talked my father-in-law into letting me use his shop for some re-staining (because it's heated and the weather here is still freezing ass cold). He assisted with a couple of coats - it took three! After some additional help from Annie Sloan for the legs, I was ready to decoupage a sweet little vintage ABCs poster to the top. It was my first attempt at a large-scale decoupage and let me tell you that anyone who says it's easy is either a. lying or b. LYING! The paper bubbled, warped and looked just plain AWFUL after it was permanently attached to the top of my beautifully stained table. This project had just earned a big fat 'F' for 'FAIL!' After scraping off what I could by hand, I introduced the top to a belt sander. Bye bye, beautiful stain. Ugh... And now the big question, what to do with the top?! The poster was one of a kind (but luckily only $1.50 at Goodwill). I didn't want a run-of-the-mill painted top and I didn't really want to take the time to stain it yet again. And then - AH-HA - the solution! Chalkboard paint - and I happen to already have some on hand for a couple of other projects. So...now something that looked really awful and elementary, looks classy enough for any playroom. A+

After a bit of meditation, I realized this little lesson in crafting says a whole lot about life, too. We all know the saying, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." But should we keep "trying" the same strategy over and over until we get it right? If we really aren't good at baseball should we just keep playing baseball until we make our way to mediocre? Or should we maybe try football or tennis? And maybe we went to college for a certain field and we get our first job, but we don't really love it. Should we keep trying the same job, in the same field over and over until we find the position that makes us just kind of happy? Or should we dig deep and ask ourselves what we're passionate about and perhaps change direction? I'm not sure I know the answer, and I'm not saying we should change direction simply because our first try wasn't successful, but maybe we shouldn't be so afraid of a little change either. After my little end table lesson I now like to say, "If at first you don't succeed, maybe, just maybe, you need to change your plan." Oh yeah and there's this little takeaway too. Everything, even really big, epic fails, can be fixed. Even if it means you need a really big belt sander to remove a few layers of the crap to get back to the good stuff.

Keep Calm & Eat Cupcakes

And the hits just keep on comin'! It is the first day of March, and we are currently under assault. The snow and cold just won't seem to stop this winter. We've already seen 2-3 inches of snow in the last 12 hours and by the end of tonight the forecasters are expecting an additional 5 inches of accumulation. Oh - and the kicker - tonight's forecast is for -10, which will feel like -28.

WHAT?! It is March, right?

I'm beginning to wonder if it will EVER get warm again. I feel a bit like I did in my ninth month of pregnancy. I was never one of those women who take pregnancy in stride. I had nearly every side effect known to man (er...woman), and I remember feeling like the discomfort would never cease - that I would be pregnant for-ever! Logically speaking, of course, I knew it wasn't possible to be eternally preggers. And, I'll go out on a limb here and say that I doubt there's ever been evidence of a woman who's pregnant state was never-ending. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but think that I would never see a light at the end of the tunnel.

This winter has catapulted me into that same state of mind. When it hasn't been snowing, it's been freezing ass cold. Yes, that's a technical term for so cold it could freeze your butt off. My kids have been bouncing off the walls, nearly killing each other with their pent-up energy. I've been hiding away in my basement or sewing closet like a hobbit, grasping for anything that might help me keep my sanity: a paint brush, needle and thread, or more often than not, Girl Scout cookies - by the row. And my poor husband - he works most of his days in the elements and is beginning to wither from the daily layering of clothes, hand-warmers, heated insoles and frozen lunches. Will it ever end? Are we entering a second Ice Age? I'm beginning to wonder. I mean, it has to get warmer one of these days. Right? Right?!

On the upside - today is my birthday and I had a cupcake.

Stay warm friends.