Happy 2012 from our home to yours! How were your holidays and New Year? We were blessed with a wonderful break – gatherings with family and friends, awesome houseguests, many mornings of sleeping in, crazy eruptions of laughter in the house and constant eating. We all put on a few pounds, I think. (Among visiting Chicago favorites, we tried a new place, Slurping Turtle – yummy!)

Amazingly, my brother-in-law didn’t have to shovel our driveways and walks – not once this break (Merry Christmas, bro!). But it did make for a weird Christmas according to my little one (Where’s the snow? I want to eat snow, but not yellow snow.).

Every year, I marvel at how quickly time seems to pass. I think about what we’ve done over the year, remember people who’ve touched our lives. And, I quietly make resolutions for myself – mainly personal improvement things to enrich my family life. I’ve only shared one simple resolution on the So This is Julie Facebook page… to finish more projects than start. If you know me, I’m forever dreaming up things to do. And while my Pinterest boards show all my “someday” projects, I feel like I need to teach my kids about completing projects, too. I love that they know their mom is a crafty nut.

I’m totally excited for 2012 and all the sewing, papercrafting and cooking ahead of us. Thank you for reading along, all the comments and support… health, happiness and peace!

update :: sites to visit for journaling and renewal this 2012

New Years Manifesto | New Year’s Writing Ideas | A Year in the Life of an Art Journal

We’re coming around to the home stretch of 30 Days of Creativity.

Not a typical “30 Days of Creativity”. I have my good days and then there are not-as-good days. Recently I had my annual checkup, and my doctor couldn’t be happier with me – steady weight, great cholesterol numbers, light exercise, fair diet (still love good food). But, some symptoms were bothering me, my doctor and I talked, and now I’m researching fibromyalgia. I sort of suspected it – achy muscles from a little horseplaying with the kids and pain from simple activities. Like, you know you don’t feel well, but you ignore it, and then one day you wake up and think, “What happened?” I guess I would have chalked it up to aging, except, I keep thinking I’m doing all sorts of things to stay active and healthy, but still feel like… crap. On the flipside, my acid reflux issues are under control.

Unloading this right now seems so anti-holidays. But, really, the symptoms are manageable, and I’m thankful, so thankful, for my health when it could be so much worse.

Day 25: Write a simple Haiku. (5-7-5)

Getting older, my
Body betrays my spirit.
Hypochondriac.

From October 10-12 some of the best stampers are joining together to support and encourage fellow stamper, and former Craft Critique Reporter Katie Renz, who is currently battling inoperable gastric cancer.  If you’re not familiar with her, Katie’s cancer story started just before Christmas last year.  This young, beautiful, healthy, vibrant mother of 3 with her infectious smile was suddenly diagnosed with an inoperable cancer, virtually overnight.  A few tummy aches and then stage 4 gastric cancer.  Her first post about it is here.  The idea of “Swimming for Katie” came from her recent post here.

This exclusive stamp designed by Becky Oehlers is available as a clear stamp, as well as a digis or a dig and SVG cut file.  100% of the profits go to Katie’s fund to help her and her young family.  Her husband Kevin and her three young children need our help and support.  In addition to the Keep Swimming Octopus, Marianne Walker and True =D Doodle Designs both also donated digis that are for sale.  Direct donations are also being accepted.  Information central is HERE.  This is a permanent page that will stay active at i{heart}papers with current information and the full 3 day blog hop listing, as well as the donation button.

Please visit the blogs in the hop today to see what they have done with this inspirational stamp! Here’s mine… won’t you Swim for Katie, too?

If you would like to send her a card, her mailing address is:

Katie Renz

PO Box 5913

Bellingham, WA 98227-5913

**update** Craft Critique will be posting more creations (I submitted mine.) – supply lists and/or tutorials will be included!

I hope my kids and husband forgive me for dragging them out on a school night to listen to and meet Alton Brown. He was in the area on his Book Tour – Stop 6 – Good Eats 3. I say it was a successful evening considering the little one asked if we could watch Alton on Food Network when we got home.

Mr. Brown amused the crowd with his quick wit during a fun Q&A session… what an approachable and friendly guy!

A couple of memorable quips:

• If he had to request a last meal – duck confit, because it takes three days to make.
• Stuffing (a turkey) is still evil.

Thanks, Alton, for sharing your time in Chicago via The Book Stall at Chestnut Court (Winnetka, IL)

If you’re going to a signing in your area, check his Fanifesto.

What a fun-filled weekend!

• Attended a Filipino food cook-off, Adobofest 2011, in one of the many forest preserves around Chicago. It seemed pretty well attended, but I heard there were four times as many entries as there were this year. More on this event tomorrow.
  

  Filipino Cook-Off Event: Adobofest 2011

• Used our fire pit for the first time. Told the kids this was a close to camping as we’ll ever get! I’ve never been camping. Ever. But I am open to the idea of putting up a tent in the backyard one nice summer night. Maybe next year?
  

  Roasting dinner over the fire in the backyard with the kids

• Abby’s soccer team won their game after a harsh season opener (they lost 8-2)!
• And I rode 50 miles in the North Shore Century Ride! Started with a lovely sunrise over Lake Michigan – but quickly turned into a rainy mess of a day. I was drenched by the end. Took me 4 hours and 25 minutes, and on somewhat spongy tires for the middle leg of 20 miles (Oops.). It was really fun, but I won’t lie – it was a lot of work in some spots. And, I’m not very athletic at all. This may be my one big athletic accomplishment to date.
  

  Sunrise at Lake Michigan - Dawes Park - Evanston, IL

  

  The eager cyclist - I'm so excited

  

  Morning registration

  

  Bike odometer reached 50 miles at Bahai Temple of Worship, Wilmette, IL

I’m ready for a relaxing week. Too bad it won’t be… always something happening around our here! *grin*

Have a great week everyone!