The other day I thought to myself, this whole winter thing . . . this isn’t so bad.  It’s hardly snowed.  And when it did, it was melted within a couple of days.  I’ve seen some green grass many a day.  And James even made a rule that I didn’t have to wear a coat unless it was below 35 degrees.  I’m not much of a coat wearer—it’s not that I don’t like them.  It’s just that, to be honest, I sort of forget.  I get the boys all ready in their coats and shoes and then I get them in the van and just hop into the driver seat.  Sometimes it doesn’t even cross my mind.

But this week, well, I retract that statement that I thought in my brain last week.  I remember why I don’t like it.  There’s a negative windchill outside right now, and I just had to shovel a path for Brayden to walk down the driveway in order to get to the bus.  Yes, spring, you can hurry on up to Rochester.  I’m ready for you with open arms.  And we all know those flip flops are just dying to make their way out from under the bed.

I have many friends that are great bakers.  A couple weeks ago we went to a friend’s house, where she had buttermilk bran muffins with chocolate chips, all warm and steamy out of the oven.  They were delicious.  They were heavy and filling.  The top of each muffin was a perfect little mound of delicious muffin top perfection.  And the chocolate chips were melted just perfectly.  She gave me the recipe, and I tried my hand at it.  The first dozen were flat–I didn’t fill them up enough.  The second dozen were a little better, but still, I couldn’t quite achieve that perfection on the top.  And the third dozen was no better.

Another of my friends makes a scrumptious banana bread.  It’s light colored.  It’s nice and dense and you can slice a piece and hold it in your hand all at once without it falling apart.  She gave me the recipe yesterday, and we made it today, the boys and I.  Sure, ours is nice and light like hers on the inside. . . but I can never get the outside of the bread to not overcook in order to cook the inside through.  And I sliced a piece to try–the whole piece crumbled while I was cutting it, and I had to throw it on a plate in many pieces–then I ate it with a fork.  Brayden usually eats anything that I give him, but he actually left half his piece and said it was just alright, mom.  

I used to be able to bake.  Two and a half kids later and I’m a baking disaster.  Oh well.  At least I still have my athleticism.  Oh wait . . .

January always brings me to a place of reflection for my business.  Last year I had a whole list of goals that I wanted to accomplish.  This year is leaving me rather confused.  I’m unsure of what approach to take.  How many goals to set.  What do I exactly want to accomplish in a  year where business will obviously be different because of the whole having a baby in the middle of the summer piece.  Weddings are pretty much not really happening because of this–not shooting weddings in May, June, July, August and half of September sort of puts a damper on wedding season.  Thankfully, Dave Ramsey taught us what to do (in theory), during times like these, but it’s quite difficult when you have an inconsistent income in which you can’t really rely on any sort of definite amount during any month.  Pair that with a teacher for a husband who doesn’t get paid at all during the two summer months, and it really makes it for a budgeting challenge.  On a wonderful note, one year ago we started our Financial Peace class and so far we’ve paid off four out of the five credit cards we had.  Student loans will be lingering for the next fifty-five years, but at least we’re chipping slowly away.

On a final note, I still haven’t figured out what’s with my blog and why people can’t comment.  I know I have over one hundred readers, on average, per day–none of which comment on my posts.  Some people have told me that they can’t.  It’s still something I supposed I will have to mess around with.  Technology is so picky sometimes!