[big snow]

Wow. We are getting clobbered with snow here in NW Michigan! We can take it though. We're tough. Speaking of tough... I have a pot roast in the crock pot, which is, in my opinion, the easiest way to make pot roast. When my husband and I were first married I tried making it in the oven. After a couple hours, it still wasn't done, so my husband tried rescuing it on the Foreman grill. Obviously not a good move since everyone (but us!) knows you don't grill pot roast. It's 8 1/2 years later and although we're still no culinary geniuses, we've come a long way.

Something else that keeps me warm: beautiful jewelry! Enter a giveaway for a $50 gift card at Lisa Leonard's blog: http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/blog/2011/01/22/a-little-giveaway-and-coupon/
I love Lisa's designs!

Here are a couple snow shots of our front steps and looking out the front door. Beautiful stuff!

[the big question]

I'm so glad my word of the year is "courage." I have chanted that word a lot so far this month, often with my mind leaping ahead to the question: "What's the worst that can happen?" Doesn't everyone ask themselves that question? It's funny how my worst-case scenario imaginings often lead to me being mortally embarrassed. But lucky for me, that's usually the worst that can happen. I have a strong optimistic streak, what can I say?

[courage]

Happy new year! Everyone is posting about resolutions, from lists, to daily reveals, to a single word. I like the single-word approach... So here's mine: courage. This year is going to bring a lot of change to our family, change that will take courage, hard work, faith, business sense, a ton of creativity and more hard work. We couldn't be more excited, but we really need to be heavy on the courage part.

I resolve to start blogging regularly too. I love to write, I love to read other blogs, but to be honest, I am a bit nervous about the family reveal-type of blogging. I am pretty protective of my family, and although I so enjoy and appreciate reading the honest, funny, sometimes sad, always inspiring stories from other talented bloggers, I struggle with putting that all out there myself. Anyone who knows me would not be surprised. Courage, though! We will see where this leads!

Here's to a delightful (and courageous!) 2011!!!

[windy]

It has been unbelievably windy here the past few days. Great for Halloween! I find gray and windy weather very cozy and I'm most productive when fall hits.

I finished some curtains for my girls' room. I "invested" (ahem) in a Pottery Barn Kids panel, green with mini white polka dots, complete with blackout lining, but darnit if it wasn't about 6 inches not wide enough to completely cover the window. I didn't want to "invest" in another panel, so I broke out the sewing machine and improvised. Amazing what a white $4 bedsheet and some cute ribbon can do. I ended up making a panel to go on either side of the PBK panel and it turned out very well. I still need to get some drapery clips to make it easier to slide the curtains open and closed.

I have scoured the Internet for kids' rooms to see what is on trend. Pink and green is still a hot combo for girls' rooms. It seems like boys rooms are just as thought out, although less "done" than girl rooms.

[farmer's market]

We have a burgeoning farmer's market held weekly in the summer. This year, crafts and music were added to give it a decidedly hipper, happier vibe. It is a goal of mine to get enough artwork together to participate at least twice as a vendor this year.

[a note on procrastination]

It stinks.

[today is your day]

I'm needing a little inspiration in my professional life right now, so I decided to turn back to this blog. I think by fueling my right brain, I will somehow feed my left. Here goes. I have some not-so-crazy goals for my right brain life (read that as passion with a secret hope that it someday turns into a self-sustaining endeavor such that I can go at it full time... what, you too?). A biggie is to sell some of my artwork. Er, that is, create some artwork and then put it out there for others to enjoy, and hopefully to sell. The local farmer's market is starting up this weekend. About 6 weeks ago it seemed eons away. Now the only way I'll be able to participate is if I stay up all of Friday night to do some paintings to sell. I really don't want to start out like that, so I think I will shoot for next weekend. I also am planning to get my Etsy shop up and running again soon, and this time around be much more thoughtful about it. That's really what I have in mind for my right brain life: being more thoughtful and purposeful.