Breaking up is hard to do.

I've been thinking about this blog. I'm not hanging up the blog. I like writing it. But I've realized that there are two distinct groups of people who read it. There are my friends and family, those who know me personally, and there are people I've encountered through other blogs that I read, primarily crafting and family/mama blogs. And in a way, I write to both.

Then I started thinking about the blogs that I read. I read two kinds of blogs, and they correspond, not surprisingly, to the people who read mine. I read the blogs of people whom I know personally, friends near and far, as a way to keep in touch with them and because I care very much about them and what is happening in their lives. I also read the blogs of people whom I do not know in real life, but who share my interest in crafting or my passion for family.

So then I was thinking about how I don't read the "family update" blogs of people I don't know. About how the people I've met through crafting and family* blogs are not reading to keep up with my personal life. About how my friends, except for maybe a couple, are not reading to see what I've been sewing. Small as it is, my readership is divided. Which finally led me to the decision...

It's time to split the blog.

I'll keep this one much as it is now. It has always been primarily a personal blog, the comings and goings of my family, things I find interesting or amusing, general life happenings. Not much will change around here, really. I just won't be posting much about my (or anyone else's) creative endeavors.

To accommodate my desire to write about creative domesticity, I've started a new blog. (Yes, yes, I started a new blog once before and it quickly went by the wayside. I blame morning sickness.) You can find it here or in my sidebar. That is where I will post sewing, crochet and other craft projects; home projects; birthday and holiday ideas; ideas and thoughts on raising children, making a home, and being a mindful global citizen. Pretty normal crafty mama blog business.

Of course you are all welcome to read whatever you want. One, the other, both - whatever strikes your fancy. And of course there will be some overlap. I can't compartmentalize my life so precisely. I am excited to separate the two, though. I've always felt a strange uneasiness about this blog somehow, like I'm trying to combine two things that weren't meant to be combined. I've wanted to join more wholeheartedly into the crafting and creative family blog community, but have also wanted to have a place to just talk about things of interest to my family and friends. Divide and conquer.

I hope you'll join me at one place or another!

*I don't have the right descriptive phrase to differentiate well between what I've referred to here as family update blogs and family blogs. I count family update blogs to be those written by individuals who want a place to post family stories, pictures and updates that will be of interest to their loved ones, and as a way to chronicle their daily life. I count family blogs, or mama blogs, to be those usually written to a wider audience, dealing more with the commonalities of families - specifically mothers - in general. These naturally contain stories of individual families, but usually within a context of issues that concern families and mothers at large. Craft blogs are another creature altogether, and are pretty self-explanatory; but many family/mama blogs double as craft blogs, as mine will do. Does that make sense?

Spelling Lesson

What do these letters mean to you?

PRNSAS LAU

Nothing?

What if you were three years old?

And you had recently watched your cousins play this game?

Still nothing? Here's a hint:

Okay, it's a big hint.

Yep. My girl was making cards tonight (one of her favorite activities) and she asked what she could write. I told her she could write whatever she wanted. "How about Princess Leia?", she asks. Sure. And by golly, she wrote her little heart out. It was so great to listen to her sounding out the letters, trying to figure out the sounds. "Prin. P-rrrr-inn. Innn. N!"

Prnsas Lau.

We'll refine later.

Fish

"Look, Mommy, I made a fish!"

Indeed she did.

29

I am 29 today. The last year of my twenties. Weird.

We had a busy weekend planned, so I really didn't expect to celebrate my birthday today (we have plans later in the month), but my wonderful husband made it a really great day. It included an Andy-made breakfast, lunch out with my in-laws, three cards from my husband and daughter throughout the day (one of which was so perfect it made me cry; one of which included a gift certificate to a local quilt shop), and a birthday cracker topped with a tea light from friends in our parenting class. And my girls were good-natured all day long. It was a good day indeed.

And now I am watching Everybody Loves Raymond and drinking a glass of wine. I think this is a very good start to 29.

"There is too much butter on those trays."

My three year old loves this show. Cracks me up.

Do you think that's weird?

Charitable Knitting

Last week I posted about a way to use your old greeting cards while contributing to a good cause. I like the idea of using every last bit of any given material, especially when doing so can help others. Today I came across a way for you knitters (you know who you are) to use up odds and ends of yarn while again helping someone out. Even if you are not a knitter (I'm not), you'll want to click on this link. Maybe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7844193.stm

I double dog dare you to take your, um, contributions to the post office and ask the postal employee to package them for you.

Edit: I just saw that they accept crocheted versions as well, so I could actually contribute!

Today...

...is a good day. Despite a nasty cold, the kitchen is clean, the laundry is going, the taxes are filed (thanks to my husband), my oldest daughter had a good quiet time, I had an encouraging talk with the pediatric nurse, there are groceries in the house (again, thanks to my husband), our insurance policies are updated (umm...thanks to my husband - have I done anything?!?), and a workout has been completed. I can't complain.