This Place Called Motherhood

A family photo taken 8 years ago!

It's been many months (years?) since I visited my blog, and for quite a few good reasons; a new full time job, a daughter off to college and a side hustle flipping houses with Husband that has monumentally disrupted the flow of motherhood.

Call it the next stage, a new season, or as one of my friends calls it, "a mid life crisis," it' all the same but different, depending on what you do with it.

I used to tell other moms the story about how motherhood changed my life...and my emotions, my body, and my career. Wasn't it funny that everything I knew, was suddenly gone and in its place was a small being whose needs were so demanding, I was literally in a state of shock. The first baby.

And now, all the new mom questions: why didn't anyone tell me that going to the bathroom after giving birth was going to be painful? Why do I feel like a mother lion with her cub? Did I actually fall asleep when I was nursing? Who is going to HELP me, because I feel like I need help.

But, for Husband, nothing really changed. He went back to the same job and the same body. Basically picking up where he left off except with one more mouth to feed. I on the other hand, was a hot mess.

Fast forward seven years later, I was now a mom to three children. Motherhood was fast and furious and slow and debilitating all at the same time. Meals, laundry, a dirty house, juggling schedules and worrying about how to pay the bills for a family of five was the norm. That was a time when "the years went fast, but the days were slow," to quote a mom from a Hallmark movie (of course.)

Oh, there were many moments of joy, some even posted on this blog or on Facebook or in a physical scrapbook (because that was before smartphones and Instagram.) I remember fondly the crayon artwork, bedtime reading rituals, singing, snuggling, and catching our kindergarten-age daughter and her three year-old brother throwing dog food into the pool trying to bait the dog to jump in. Good memories, but they were all tied tight like a rubber band ball of chaos intertwined with hopes of a getaway to Target and a rare date night with Husband.

And now there is today.

As an older mom of a college freshman, a high school sophomore and a sixth grader; a new season has arrived. I was once a stay-at-home mom (SAHM) and then a work-at-home (WAHM) and now a mom who is reinventing herself and rebuilding a career full time and away from home.

Gone are the days of DIY projects and dinners on the table by 5pm. Instead, Husband and I are trying to create a "new norm" that will somehow keep our family communicating, keep a marriage thriving and allow me to pursue the next part of my life. Time has become a precious commodity.

So my question is this; did anyone tell you that aside from how motherhood changed you, that one day you would also have to reinvent yourself ?

A mom friend I recently spoke with reminded me that many moms have similar struggles, just not always a place to voice them. Well, voice them here. Share your story. Where are you now in this place we call motherhood?

Out of Hiatus

I know, it's been forever since I last posted. I'm sure you've been wondering what I've been up to…

1. I wish I had been doing this all that time…

Instead I decided to read more, journal more, pray more, exercise more, enjoy quality time with Husband more, and chill out with my girlfriends more. :)

Husband and I commiserated together over the Badgers loss… :(

2. I've also started tackling our sunroom (aka the computer room, the music room, the dog's room,) I ripped out carpet and padding and was going to paint the concrete floor until I realized the owners before us had glued some of the carpeting directly on the floor…soooo, now I will have to put in flooring (and eat the cost of all of that because I am not even going to try to scrape heavy duty adhesive off concrete!)

Speaking of the sunroom, I really, really want to add wainscoting or board and batten on my own, but I'm scared to tackle such a project all at the same time! I also want to paint the paneling, but can't decide on a color, so basically, I'm in a state of DIY paralysis!

3. One of my previous clients has become a friend and I'm excited to read the book she is working on (if you are wondering who she is, all I can say is she used to write for major primetime television shows and she is awesome! Stay tuned on all of that!)

4. I once wanted to start selling my cheesecakes and I'm dabbling with the idea, again. So I've been baking. This weekend I made key lime cheesecake, it must have been good, because it's all gone!

5. Husband and I continue to travel and learn about the nano/micro brewery business, we've attended a few local wine and beer tasting events and are planning more trips within the next three weeks! Woohoo!

6. One of my best-est friends Christina and I have reconnected and are playing worship music again! We are looking forward to this event:

In the upcoming month I will celebrate my birthday/mother's day, chaperone a third grade field trip, try to get away with Husband for an advance anniversary trip, have a garage sale, sing and play for offertory at church, meet my magazine deadlines, attend our children's softball and baseball games and basically try to enjoy any day where the weather is 50 degrees and above!

She Said, He Said

I used to hate emailing or texting Husband because his responses were so sparse (Definitely a man thing) in comparison to the thoughtful (<-- long-winded) emails I would send him. But after awhile, I learned just to get to the point.

(Thought I'd share this pretty view from my "office," for no reason...)

And maybe that is what we ladies need to do, instead of making our husbands guess or test their mind-reading abilities, just be short and to the point instead of dancing around for answers (or compliments.)

Anyway, here's an email I saved, well, just because...

From: Suzanne [mailto:suzanne.andmyhouse@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2013 10:10 AM
To: Husband
Subject: Please answer these questions

Suzanne 10:09 AM (11 minutes ago) to Husband:

Is your tracking number on the PC email?
You are going to grill burgers right?
How do Dark Chocolate Brownies and Mini Lemon Tarts sound?
Do you think I'm smart and pretty? (heh, heh)


From: Husband 
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2013 10:17 AM
To: Suzanne [mailto:suzanne.andmyhouse@gmail.com]
Subject: Please answer these questions

Husband 10:17 AM (3 minutes ago) to me:

Yes.
If you want.
Good but not a fan of lemon with beer.
Yes!!!


Can we get an awww...? :)

Sweet Sixteen?

Last month we celebrated our youngest daughter's 9th birthday. At nine, life is fun and pretty and mom is still potentially the one you run to when you need a hug.

But what about when you're on the cusp of being 16? Our oldest daughter will be 16 in exactly 10 days. This is somewhat monumental.

Not because there will be a big party, not because it's a cultural tradition that our family celebrates, but because this is the time she will always remember.

There are days when I'm driving by myself and a Madonna song comes on the radio and I feel like I'm 16. I know all the words, whereas I can't remember what I did two days ago. I'm semi-dancing in my minivan (if you're a Gilmore Girls fan, picture Lorelai grooving to "Jive Talking" by the Bee Gees while sitting in her jeep outside her parents' house!) and for 2 minutes and 30 seconds (or however the long the song lasts) I am 16 again.

Those minutes are easy. But the rest of the time, can be like climbing up the proverbial mountain with rocks on your back.

This is not what I signed up for.

My first clue should have been with the on start of labor when my mind screamed "get me off this train!"

Parenting at times can be so painstakingly difficult. I've been thinking about that fine line of being a mom and still be "friendly" with your kids.

Are we good moms and who is defining what is "good?" Would your spouse say you're a good mom? Would your best friend? How about your kids, seriously, if you could be the fly on the wall when they're with their friends, what is your child saying about your role as mom?

Two of my closest friends feel the same way. Where do you draw the line? Are we too harsh, too compliant, are we fearful that our kids will turn on us and eventually write a biography about how their parents ruined their lives?

Time will tell I guess.

For now, I will tell my daughter this:

Even if you can't see it, we will always be connected. This bond between mother and child which at one time was physical, is still there and always will be.

If he breaks your heart, let him go, cry, eat ice cream, listen to breakup songs, watch a sad movie, hide under the covers and then move on...because there will be someone else.

Real hardships will happen, battles will occur and life will feel unbearable, but you will be able to get through these moments if you realize these moments are but temporary.

When your heart hurts, my heart will hurt as well. :(

Even if you think I don't understand, I understand perfectly, because I've been there.

Know that I will always love you. Unconditionally. No matter what.

The Last Baby...

In about a week, our youngest child will turn nine. Wow. I've heard many moms say that "time flies," how "they grow so fast," and I'd grab these nuggets of wisdom and store them away in the back of mind. Not forgetting them, but processing them over the years. I've done this for almost 16 years.

But it only occurred to me (in a heart-wrenching way) a couple of weeks ago that we also have a sophomore in the house and her days of living at home are dwindling away. :(

And it also only hit me a little while back when friends were visiting with their two and four-year-old sons, that my days of toddlerhood and preschoolers are gone forever...

(Suffice it to say, when I sat on the floor with the two-year-old boy singing Row Row Your Boat, I relished in the moment!)

So now it's my turn, when you think you'll be changing diapers forever and never getting a moment to yourself, remember this is just one season of your life. Revel in it, because sooner than you think, you'll actually reminisce about the tough moments and grin and when you think back to the better times, it will be bittersweet.

But this post is a celebration of growing up. About how we all grow up, even our last baby. One day the dolls will be stored away in our basement, the dog won't have someone to sit with on the floor, that the days of putting up streamers and decorating cupcakes will be memories of my kids' childhoods.

And because this is our third child, I did relish every moment, I did secretly smile at the antics, holding my hand over my heart (the way Husband often does when he talks about our beloved children.)

What a privilege to have children in the house, making it a home...

What Do You Do All Day?

Has anyone every asked you that? Or insinuated that maybe you didn't do much because you're a SAHM? Then you need to read this book.

A few weeks ago (when I was away on a week-long business trip) I was able to start Amy Scheibe's novel "What Do You Do All Day?" about a stay-at-home mom who was struggling with her decision about leaving the "working" world and choosing to stay at home with her two children instead.

Her adaptation of mommy hood hit the nail on the head. She didn't sugarcoat it, or pretend by any means that mothering was the easy road taken. In fact, some days it was incredibly draining. (I sense she had hands-on experience with this topic.)

I mean, on a tiny side note, as a mom, who has time to read a book anyway? If you work outside the home, you are exhausted when you get home because you face all that your family and home demands.

But if you stay at home, you're either up to your neck in diapers or the messes your children have created and ready to secretly run screaming out the door when your husband arrives. (Don't judge me, I have three kids.)

And let's not delude ourselves that working from home is a treat either, because somehow laundry and dust bunnies are always calling your name as is your computer/phone/clients etc all at the same time.

I'm almost done and have enjoyed reading this book, but if it takes me another few weeks to finish it, don't think it's because I'm a slow reader, it's probably because the oven/dog/softball, baseball, play, swim team practices are beckoning.

This Is Not My Idea Of A Getaway...

A few posts ago I wrote about trying to plan a getaway trip with Husband. After many hours on the internet, talking to bloggy friends and people IRL (which included a travel agent) I failed to accomplish this goal. :( Two reasons; time and money. Aren't those always the reasons? Anyway, instead we went on two mini trips (one was to Madison) and then to the Door County area. Why? So Husband could jump out of an airplane. Huh?

That's right Husband wanted to skydive. I did not. After a some Googling, he decided tandem skydiving was the way to go. I have to admit, the conversations were priceless:

Husband: Do you want to do this to?

Me: No, I don't want to die.

Husband: It's not like you're going to hit the ground...

Me: Of course not, I'd be dead from the adrenaline rush to my heart when they pushed me off the plane.

---

My mom: He has life insurance right?

---

His mom: I wish you never told me you were going to do this.

---

Our youngest: What are you going to do next Daddy? Swim with the sharks? They put you in a cage you know, and you can poke at them! (She's eight.)

So how does this work? You watch a video basically saying there's a chance you could die (but you will sign a waiver that you or your family will not sue the company) I'm serious. Next you get a little tutorial on how to do it.

Flap your wings (I'm joking.)

Yeah, suit him up, he's ready to go...

That's right, it's so funny (giving him his last rites...) who's going to be the widow with 3 kids?!?

All I could think of when I took this picture was Armageddon, with Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck before they are about to board the space shuttle. Sheesh.

Thankfully, a safe landing after being 12,000 feet up in the air at cloud level!

Note to all females:

After, Husband made sure the rest of the day would be spent doing what I wanted to do. So we did some wine tasting, ate good food with good beer and walked around being all tourist-y-like. Our afternoon was much more relaxing than our morning. And even though we don't have a bucket list, we talked about other things we could do. I'm still waiting for the vacation where I can sit on the beach under an umbrella with a cold drink in my hand... *sigh* maybe next year.

(Thanks to SkyDive Door County for the very fun time and wonderful service.  If we ever want to do this again, we'd go back to you! You guys are awesome!)

Planning A Surprise Getaway

I'm having an internal debate about whether to plan a surprise getaway with Husband. There's this fine line when it comes to saving money and living a fulfilled life. If I wait until we have the money, will we even be able to go? Will the money go to a new fridge, a child's needs or a possible emergency?

I talked to someone I work with and she said "I don't want to be 80, using a walker at the Grand Canyon! What kind of vacation is that?!"

Our last getaway was a wedding in Chicago. It was so wonderful.

I totally get it.

So I'm perusing the deals on the internet, giddy with excitement about this potential trip. Googling "Two night three day cheap getaways," (hoping we don't end up in Tijuana.)

Where? When? How? My first three choices were: Philadelphia, because Husband likes history; somewhere in Maine, because I love the east coast and Seattle, because it's far enough to fly to and I've never been there, even though I lived in Vancouver for a year.

Seattle, yes, birthplace of my beloved Starbucks, the Space Needle and Pike Place Market that looks amazing. I've also found a cool hotel, I'm kayak-ing, hot-wiring etc. all the airfares and dreaming of all the cool places to see and foods to eat (thanks to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives!)

Husband knows I'm planning something, he just doesn't know what exactly... so do you have any ideas? Have you been to Seattle, can you recommend places to visit? I would love to hear your ideas!

Fourth of July and Family Traditions

I'm not sure why it didn't matter as much when I was young, but the older I get (and the older our kids get) I find myself clinging to some traditions I've started. These 'traditions' on their own are so simplistic in themselves, but have grown in meaning every year.

Like the making of Fourth of July 'Sparklers,' pretzel rods, chocolate and sprinkles. Easy to make, not very costly, but something I only make once a year. Kind of like green bean casserole at Thanksgiving and putting streamers above the kitchen table for every child's birthday. Simple, but meaningful. Maybe there will be more traditions, those I don't actually have control over, like witnessing the baby ducks that were born in our front yard earlier this spring.

This year, we are also approaching a milestone of sorts, staying in the same place for almost six years. That's a record for us. Okay, we have lived in three different houses in the same zip code, but this house is the house. I like to think that we are the pioneers of "flipping" houses.

With that record, I've noticed the ups and downs of friendships, the excitement of anticipated events (like our little town's annual fireworks) and the desire for Husband and I to make our lakehouse a permanent home.

I hope you are making lasting memories and building traditions with your families as well. Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Life Is (And Has Been) Better At The Lake

It's hard to believe that our family has been at the 'lakehouse' for one year. It's as if we've lived here forever. To say we're lucky is an understatement, maybe because I don't believe in luck and maybe because after all those moves (you can read about them here,) we've finally found home.

 As I went through last year's photos, I found this one above; the DIY sign project I made to commemorate our new house. Only now did I notice Husband and our youngest in the background fishing.

This backyard view, the inhabitants of our space (like "Caesar" the eagle and "Wally" the crane,) the quietness of our cul-de-sac. None of this has gotten old. Thank goodness.

Our family recently re-watched "We Bought A Zoo" with Matt Damon. The first time we watched it, we were in the process of daydreaming about living at the lake. The lakehouse was our zoo, our adventure, our vision of home with our kids.

At that time our vision included a trampoline, basketball hoops and fishing boat. (Two out of three ain't bad.)

Now we foresee berry bushes and homegrown herbs, more of a communing with Mother Nature if you will.

On Sunday, we welcomed this new family, awww...

As we celebrate our home-anniversary, we continue to recognize how blessed we've been as a family. :)

The Cutest Mother's Day Video Ever

When I was in elementary school I used to tell kids I was from Hawaii. That's because I was tired of telling them I was 'Filipino,'

What's that? Are you Chinese or Japanese?

Because if you weren't Caucasian or African-American, then you were someone from Asia. And it had to be China or Japan, because let's face it, in grade school we didn't know all the countries yet!

Except for Hawaii. I thank Hawaii 5-0 for that.

My kids don't have the same struggle, in fact when our youngest daughter was around 5, she would say she was "half-Filipino, half-Human."

That always makes me laugh.

Anyway, all of that is a pre-cursor for a Mother's Day shout-out. I posted this video a few years ago, but it always makes me smile. (She's half-Human, you know...)

Here is our youngest's rendition of a Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me." Enjoy and Happy Mother's Day!

It's Friday, Where Has Your iPhone Been?

If I hadn't traded in my dumb phone for an iPhone, I'm not sure I'd remember all the things I'd done in the last couple of weeks. And if it wasn't for Facebook and Instagram, I wouldn't know what my friends were doing either. :(

Should I have to describe my life in verbs it would be; "graphic-designing, writing, staging, website-developing, business-researching, kid-hugging, cooking, taste-testing, not-weight-watching, cleaning, driving, shopping, department-meeting, email-checking and social-networking."

Only another mother would get this kind of verbal rant. Anyhoo, here's where I've been and what I've been doing. If I'm lucky, one of my friends will make sushi tonight and invite me over so I can de-stress, hint, hint.

• Easter-themed cake, check out the details on how to make it on  Todays Wisconsin Mama.
• Staging my parents' home so they can sell it, eventually. (Don't go to Arizona Mom, there are scorpions!)
• A Spring Break trip with Husband to Titletown Brewing Company (funny, we did the same thing almost to the day the year before. See this Spring Break post from 2012.
• Reigniting my love for Pinterest.
• Pretty comforter set from Big Lots. (No I did not buy it, yes, I do regret it.)
• A quick stop at Home Depot before a design department meeting. Adore this glass tile.
• Moo. Don't ask. Visiting a former dairy farm with Husband. (Business related, not a date.)
• Visual Merchandising for a client. (Painting windows and showcasing Prom and Spring dresses.)
• Complaining that we still have snow. Our youngest daughter in the backyard while we were picking up sticks (and dog poop.)

What have you been up to?

The Secret Society Of Bloggers

I just finished reading the book Blog Inc. by Joy Deangdeelert Cho of Oh Joy! I picked it up because I'm always trying to learn something new and I've been fascinated with the business of blogging since my friend Kate (back in 2008) introduced me to the blog formerly known as "my charming kids" (then became "MckMama") and the Pioneer Woman who can now be seen on Food Network.

It seemed to me that a blog was pretty much an online journal slash scrapbook. The notion of being able to journal the goings-on of my family was an appealing idea especially since writing was something I'd been doing both as a hobby and professionally for years. And I could add photos? Awesome, I took photography in college and knew the ins and outs of a darkroom.

But HTML and digital photography? I was a novice. All I had was a PC and a simple digital camera that I had gotten as a Christmas present so I could upload photos to eBay.

Fast forward --> nothing like a few hundred hours of Googling and looking at code to give you a lesson on coding, templates and the inner workings of a blog!

I've gone through some growing pains with blogging. Blogging with friends (City Mom, Country Mom and Gracenotes 95) to the pains of moving (Mommy Moves Again) to staying incognito (Sharing The Wonder) because of nosy employers!

So although it may seem like this blog is a baby (2 years old) I've got plenty of blogging experience behind me. I've gone from a point-and-shoot camera to a Nikon SLR (half paid for by blogging) to leaving my crummy PC to a Macbook Pro and an iPhone. (I was blogging when it was popular to have a music playlist on your blog and Pinterest was just a glimmer in Ben Silbermann's eye.)

But back to Joy's book, I loved that she interviewed other bloggers (very famous ones) and that she gave lots of pointers, because when you start out blogging, it's like a secret society.

I remember wracking my brain wanting to learn how to center links and create blog buttons. I joined every link party, got on all the blogging networks, commented my head off and at times burned myself out. Blogging was work! And it was work I wasn't getting paid for!

Although I am not a "big" blogger, I think I am like many other bloggers out there. I do fine, I've learned a lot. I do think one of the secrets to success in blogging is longevity. Sticky with it is the best lesson you can teach yourself.

Blog because you love to write, blog because you love digital photography, blog because this is your creative outlet or blog because you want to contribute. If your heart is in it, the rest will come.

Here are a few sites and links (that I trust and have been using for years) that might prevent sleepless nights and help newbie bloggers:

1. Need to find the perfect color with automatically generated code? Try Colorpicker
2. Could use some help with HTML specifically for blogging? Go to Blogger Sentral
3. Want a new FREE template for your blog? Here's where I go: BTemplates
4. Do you want meta tags in your blog? Blogger Tricks makes it easy

Anyway, like I said, I've learned a lot about blogging, so if you have any blog related questions I can answer, leave me a comment and I will reply to it, or at least lead you in the right direction!

Happy blogging and welcome to the club! :)

Is Profanity Necessary To Be A Top Blogger?

Recently I googled "top mom blogs," because I love to find new blogs, read them and check out their design. I went on a popular site that touted a Top 100 list of mommy bloggers. I noticed something interesting...

At least three of these acclaimed blogs featured a gratuitous amount of profanity.

Wow. Does a good blogger have to throw in a swear word to make her point? Or is this just for shock value?

Hmmm...

This is not a post about SOPA or PIPA, I just wonder if people wonder if some might find this offensive. I have said before that my mother, Husband and kids can read my blog, if I started cursing in it, would I find that appropriate as a role model to my children?

What are your thoughts? Do you care? Does it matter?

Giving Thanks

This morning is the first morning I don't have to get up early, but because of habit, here I am awake at 5:30 am with my cup of coffee next to me. I actually had a chance to read some mommy blogs and was stirred by all the "thankful" blog posts out there. It was really nice to read. :)

I don't know if I ever wrote a thankful post, but I really should. It's been a whirlwind of a year (a move to the lake house, new clients, raising our 3 kids etc.)

Husband and I talk a lot about gratitude, and as we look out our windows, it's hard not to see why.

It took us awhile to find our "home," with several moves under our belt (and we're not in the military) I wondered if we would ever settle down. It's hard to create a haven for your family when you keep thinking "where are we going to next?"

With that being said, I am so thankful for where we are now. We call our home the "lake house." And even though it will take us years to make it into "ours," little by little we are filling this house with the things we love and experiences we hope to cherish.

I hope we are all taking the time this Thanksgiving to share what we're thankful for.

I Don't Know How She Does It

On the second day of school, I took a vacation.

After three months of Husband, three children and Juno (the slobbery English Mastiff) being home ALL summer, quiet time was certainly overdue.

I embraced that time by finally renting the movie "I Don't Know How She Does It" starring Sarah Jessica Parker. I rented it for two reasons; one) Husband is sick of my chick flick choices and two) This movie is my life (except I don't make that much money, we don't have a nanny, we don't live in Boston and we have three kids instead of two.) Other than that, pretty much art imitating life.

I was surprisingly happy with my DVD choice because if it was a rotten one, no one would roll their  eyes at me and say "well, that's another two hours of my life I will never get back..." (Words never muttered by Husband.)

I think all the juggling she has to do is realistic and don't even get me started with the pressure of baking for school! My biggest fiasco (other than forgetting that it was my turn to bring in a class snack) was the time I spent hours making cupcakes that were supposed to look like ground hogs, but looked nothing like ground hogs. If there was a 'Cake Wrecks' for cupcakes, I would have made the cut.

As a former SAHM and now basically a Jane-of-all-trades freelancer, there are very few luxuries in my life, and scheduling one day off is a HUGE luxury.

Anyway, I liked the movie, I think all moms and dads should watch it. If you did, tell me what you thought!

Pinterest Feats & Flops

As addicted as I am to Pinterest, I've learned that not everything on its site makes for a successful project. I decided to share my Pinterest "hits" and "misses" (and there will be plenty more, I promise!) Some projects/recipes have turned out well, others, not so much...

1. How to clean your Dyson vacuum cleaner? A HUGE success! With three kids and a massive dog, my vacuum better work! After following these tips, it's like brand new (and our vacuum doesn't stink like dog anymore, bonus!)

I don't know why I waited so long to paint furniture, I think I was just being a chicken. I learned a lot during this process, like how you shouldn't waste your time sanding especially if parts of your furniture are not real wood...use a deglosser instead! And if you want that Pottery Barn look (with the wood showing through) don't use a primer!

Saved me a lot of time, I tell ya. And the result was still great! Most of my pins recommended using a primer (which I bought, btw) I might pay the price in the end, since I didn't prime, but my furniture is not high traffic furniture like a table or chairs, so hopefully it will be okay.

This Spaghetti Recipe received high praise in our house last night! :) Creamy delicious-ness, a definite keeper...

And then there were the others... the verdict's still out on this crockpot bread pudding recipe. It's still in the crockpot as I type this, (an hour more than the recipe called for, it was still soupy and the eggs weren't cooked!) Is it me, my crockpot or what? (Is it because I omitted the whiskey?!)

How about this super cute DIY workout shirt tutorial? Have you seen it? No sew, easy-peasy...

Super cute...if you're my 14-year-old daughter. On me, it made me look like a female body builder, who stopped body building. Not attractive.

So, I guess in the end, to Pin, or not Pin, that is the real question...

I Don't Make Resolutions...

But after a month of yummy cookies and holiday debauchery it's time to lighten up...especially interested in the Cinch! book by Cynthia Sass.

We'll see how this goes...