Thank You Georgiann!

How nice to come back to blogging and find that Georgiann from The Garden Gate awarded me with the Loyal Friend award. Thank you from a most undeserving recipient.

Danielle is having a one day sale to celebrate her 1st anniversary designing blogs.  Almost 1/2 off the original price!  I love seeing what she has created next.  One of the amazing things about working with her is that you feel you have her undivided attention.  That's amazing because she is in demand and rolls out many new designs a week.  

The best thing is that she can really get to the heart of what you want.  She will add her professional opinion when necessary but doesn't push it.  Several times I ended up going back to what she originally suggested and now love my new look.  Did I mention she was patient?

Head on over to take advantage of this great 1 day anniversary special with an amazing designer!

My New Look

Over the past week or so I've been working with Danielle on a new blog design.  Here is the end result.  What do you think?  I love it!  

No, I can't pick just one design kit, I have to pick two.  Not just two but two very unrelated kits.  ...and I have to go for something different.  This sums up my particular nature very well.  Oh the line of people who have been subjected to this.  Maybe it started back when I'd cry every Sunday going to Church not having exactly what I wanted to wear ...or thinking of nothing else in Church but me sitting there in the perfect outfit.  Then there's my Mom trying to safety pin my waistline so I can get exactly the right feel.  My husband when we negotiated buying the car.  The salesman at one point told me "I don't think I want to sell a car to you."  Then my poor tired sisters when I went to find my wedding dress.

The thing is it's a very rewarding process in the end because I get exactly what I want.  Is it very kind to the people I'm working with?  No.  So I thank all of you who have been subjected to my relentless particular pickiness.  Danielle's the most recent in this long line.

Danielle, thank you for coming up with this beautiful design in a heap of different elements - you are amazing.  Thank you for  your patience and for not telling me you didn't want to design a blog for me (even if you felt like it).  

Take a peek at her beautiful designs at Blogs by Danielle.  She has a Summer special until the end of July.

The Trouble with Me

Blogging has been a lot of fun.  There have been many times when I've been excited about recording pictures and events to keep in our memory.  I have been wondering though, how true a reflection it will be of our year.  I've been feeling very confused lately, not knowing what to express.  I've always given myself an allotment of how much emotion I can feel/express.  How much should I express on my blog, to others who ask, to others who don't ask? You can tell which people just want you to get on with it and those who want you to trust them enough to share with them what it is you truly feel. 

So, until I figure out how guarded I should be, I will pick up writing about the life of our family (which is carrying on - because it must - but different than before).  I am deeply sad, but also honored, thankful, and proud of my family.  

edited:  I changed this post a little now that I feel less emotional.  I guess I allotted too much :)

7 Random Things

This is a little meme I got from Kelli Crowe.  Here are seven random things about me.

1.  As you may have picked up, my favorite things to eat are often a little odd.  I'll choose a pickle over ice cream at our favorite ice cream parlor (started as a little girl), my favorite food item is lupini beans, I used to spend my spare money as a little girl on sunflower seeds, I'd beg and beg for jerky, I sometimes eat raw potatoes, love escargot, hot water, I'll drink pickle and olive juice and so on.  Do I have some deficiency (besides mental)?

2.  I've been known to throw up and/or get very nauseated when someone is a fast, non-stop talker.  The worst was when my neighbor visited me in the maternity ward after having our second child, I threw up right in front of her - lovely.  She didn't have a clue it was because of her.  Several other times I was on the verge with different people.  None that read my blog though - so don't worry.

3.  When I was in 5th grade I won a $200 Super Bowl bet when I randomly picked a score while at a friends house.  Cha-ching!  I was living in high cotton with my case of sunflower seeds!

4.  I was much braver before I got married.  I'd drive home late (4 hour trip) to my L.A. area apartment by myself after a weekend at home.  I remember driving down the alley close to midnight, getting out of my car to open the garage manually, driving in, walking down the alley into my darkened complex and into my corner apartment.  I also went to London my last semester in college.  We (3 girls) took personal taxis home after the subway closed.  When I say personal I mean a stranger in his private car lined up to give rides (legal in London).  I must warn our girls never to be so stupid!

5.  I wonder about people who don't like animals.

6.  I once cleaned my older brother's bedroom and did his laundry.  It was so bad I felt I deserved the $12 I found in one of his jean pockets.  (I wonder if I ever confessed that?)

7.  Family, (birth and married) has always been my greatest gift.  Before we got married DH and I talked about children.  DH wanted 2, I wanted 4.  I guess I win. :)

Now I tag Lisa at This Crazy Little Life of Mine and Kathy at Katviper and anyone else who would like to do this.  If you don't have a blog - sequin, I'm talking to you - leave your list in my comments.

Giving it a Go

After inspiration from reading terrific blogs this past year and a desire to preserve a bit of the everyday I have decided to try a blog. I do have a valid concern that the Grasshopper in me will become too preoccupied with this instead of the tasks I should be focused on. Let's see if I can keep this balanced.