warning: random stream of consciousness

Kids are off to school and the two youngest are sleeping in, so I can actually hear myself think right now. Warning (another one): very little sleep last night, so my thoughts may take on a life of their own. Piles of laundry staring at me as I type, trying to make me feel guilty. Kitchen is a mess and in need of attention, but that is pretty much all the time, so it's easier to ignore for a bit longer. Is anyone else out there always cold during the winter? The thermostat is always at a nice place, but I'm never quite warm. Need to exercise. Especially after that NASTY sweet caramel corn we made last night. Bet my blood sugar was sky high! I really need to get more serious about holding off full blown diabetes before it's too late. I know it's coming, but hoping I can delay it for a very long time. Usually I am a bit better about controlling myself, but holiday time is sooooooo tempting. Christmas presents / projects are starting to get finished off, FINALLY. Completed a project for my sister and brother-in-law last night at 1am. Can't tell you all about it (it's a good one!) because she checks this blog. So glad that's done. I took on way too much this year. I think I should have the time to be able to accomplish everything I used to when I had no kids or only a couple. Five is kicking my butt! As much as I completely adore each one of them, whooooweeee! I think I'm headed for an early grave. Good thing I'm blonde. Can't notice all of the grey hairs I'm sure I must have. Speaking of grey hair, my beloved is going to be 40 years old in March. 40. 40! Blows my mind. Sang in the choir yesterday at church. Watched my 3 year old get taken out while we were singing. Subbed in nursery, and get to sub sunbeams for the next two weeks. Why can't I say "no?" Ah, well. Blessings in heaven, right? This year for neighbor gifts I made raspberry jam (a couple of months ago) and we put a nice little tag on it: "Merry Christmas from the Flandro Family...because we give a jam." Get to take those around tonight. I wish I had the guts to do what some in my old neighborhood do, which is to send around a flyer about not giving neighbor gifts to each other, but rather take that money that would have been spent and use it to purchase items for a charity. A great idea, and I may still do it someday, but there would always be glitches. Some neighbors wouldn't do it or give gifts anyway, then what? Do you give them something anyway? Then there are those neighbors who assume the "church" is behind it and won't cooperate with anything LDS driven (heaven forbid!) and feel resentful and controlled. Then, where do you draw the dividing line? Ward boundary? That can be a bit awkward. Took some friends to see the Peter Breinholt Christmas concert Saturday night. LOVE IT! Always a good show. Dinner beforehand was at the Blue Iguana. My love ordered the Burrito Grande. If you eat it all, they give you a free dessert. He accomplished the feat a few years ago, but they've made it bigger. He managed to eat about 1/2 of it, amazing in itself. The other 1/2 fed five of us for lunch yesterday (good sized portions too!) I hear my 3 year old upstairs now. I'm just gonna keep typing. Love my guitar lessons, and love my teacher! She's awesome. I can actually play one of my all time favorite Christmas songs now, one of her arrangements off of her Christmas CD. What joy! I've wanted to learn guitar since I was a little girl, and my man has made it possible, even taking lessons from Nancy Hanson, one of my favorite artists. I still can't believe it. I've been a fan of hers for about 15 years. Lover boy got me a new guitar for Christmas. The old one was falling apart! He gave me the gift about a month ago so I could try it out and we could determine if it was the one we wanted of if we should exchange it (30 days). Apparently I know everything he is getting me this year, except for one small item. I'm thinking box of chocolates or book. That's OK. He bought his own gift this year. No big surprises this year. I really should put little boy on the potty. We've been working on that for 2-3 months now. Training pants. 1/2 the time he uses the potty, 1/2 the time forgets. He has been the slowest to train so far. I'm not worried though. On the bright side, we're using 1/2 the diapers we used to for him. He'll get there. Eldest child has been building a snow fort in the backyard. Serious business, this. Except he took a spray bottle full of water, added yellow food coloring and dyed the thing. Yellow. Ahem. My second born in the wilderness actually completed the Book of Mormon yesterday. Proud mama here. He also started a blog over the weekend. If you really want to read the ramblings of a somewhat unique 12 year old boy, let me know and I'll get you an invite (VERY private blog). I really thought my photography business would taper off to nothing during the cold months. It was really busy this fall (almost more than I could handle!). But I've had two sessions this month already and one more coming (newborn...yea!). Surprised. Glad. Kinda hard to find a balance. Too much won't do and not enough makes me nervous. Hope it keeps going this coming year. Last year was amazing. Hard to find a balance what to charge, too. Too little isn't worth my time. Too much won't bring as much business, and I don't have good enough equipment or extensive training to warrant, say, $500 for a session. I think I've got it about right for now. Maybe as I get better and purchase a better lens and flash I can charge a bit more. I will brag and say that I'm getting a lot better at photoshopping. Faster too. I look at some of my earlier work now and cringe. Thanks to all of you out there who let me use you as guinea pigs. I know I have so much more to learn, though. It would be awesome if I had a spare $5000 laying around to get the equipment of my dreams. Any benevolent benefactors out there want to take me up on that? Actually, there is a sign above my oven which reads, "There is a $5 charge for whining." If I had just enforced that all along, I would have at least $5000 at my disposal. Probably more like $25000. It's not like we're pushovers. Pretty firm parenting going on around here. Don't know why the still whine and think they'll get anywhere with that. No takers (only 1 inquiry) on my Oquirrh Mountain Temple print (see Sweet Sassafras Blog). I really didn't expect much action on that, but I do think I did a good job with it. I LOVE the one hanging in my kitchen. Maybe I charged too much. Hmmmmmm. Probably not enough people look at that blog! I'm thinking I need to change the Sweet Sassafras page on facebook. I haven't been adding new pictures for a while. I was grouping them according to label, but now I'm thinking I should do a new album for each client. Do you think my fans would get sick of seeing a link to each session and "hide" that page? They probably have already! I need to pay a little more attention to my church callings. Scout advancement chair and canning specialist. Not that I'm dragging my feet. I think I've done a good job. But I think I can do better. Gotta light a fire under these people! OK, now I hear the dragon lady. Both are awake and need mama's attention. Please leave a comment if you actually read this far. Then I will know who my real friends are. ;) Have a great day and a wonderful Christmas!