A PROPER Update!

Well, I promised a proper update months ago. Ahem! Sorry about that! Notice anything new?? Yes, I changed the look of my blog! I figured since this is virtually a fresh start after a prolonged absence, I would like a new look. This is a much cleaner layout. Also, there is more info in the sidebar. I still want to do some tweaking, but so far, whaddaya' think?

Summer was busy, busy, busy! We did not ever get a proper vacation. No beach trips (even though the ocean is about 2 hours away). No mountain holidays. Nada.

Our family did manage to spend a long weekend in the DC area visiting my brother's family. It was August. It was hot. It was exhausting. Trying to visit sites in DC with 7 kids aging in range from 5 to 18 can be a bit of a challenge but we squeezed in as much as we could. I want to go back sometime, just s, and spend hours and hours in art museums. YUM!

Summer was dry as a desert for me creatively speaking. I just seemed to lack inspiration to work on current projects or start new ones. I think the disastrously discombobulated workspace added much to that problem...I can't work in chaos. As mentioned in my previous post, I worked some on organizing my office, but not as much as I had hoped. I even bought one of those closet organization system this weekend and hung new shelves and racks etc. in my office closet. I went through all the containers of fabric and supplies and sorted and organized. Now, almost all of my fabric is sitting on shelves where I can actually see what I have on hand. I love looking at all the pretty, pretty patterns. Makes me want to sew. I can feel the need to create welling up in me. Lately I have also been spending time browsing blogs and sites that inspire.

If I could, I would post photos of my office transformation in progress, but one of my dear children dropped my camera on the concrete floor of the Smithsonian and damaged it...severely. The lens will no longer retract and it can not focus any more. Basically, it would cost more to fix it than it is worth. Boo! Hoo! So, I am hoping for money to fall from heaven so I can get a new camera. (((Sigh))) Any recommendations of affordable cameras???

CH-CH-CHANGES:

Our dear oldest son has moved into the dorms and started his adventures in University Land. I think he has adjusted well. Of course, we miss him bunches. But he comes home often. (Can you hear my big sigh of relief?)

Hubby is now working on his masters degree. After years of being unhappy working in "business" and unable to change the situation much, he has decided to pursue his Master's in Library Science. I am so proud of him. It isn't easy to work full time and go back to school. His undergrad is in History, and I know that working in a library environment will be much better suited to his personality and abilities. This means that I actually have 4 fellows in college! Oldest son and hubby in university, sons #2 and #3 are both taking college courses at the local community college concurrently while they are still in high school.

And speaking of school, we are back at it full force with the home schooling. Just to start the year off with a bang, I managed to get some sort of yucky head cold thing that lasted over two weeks. It made me very fuzzy brained and adding 2 + 2 was an intellectual challenge. Near the end of that, last week, a stomach virus made its way through the troops. What a fun weekend was had by all...not!