When God closes a door...

He opens a window! I have always loved that saying...and for the first time in a year, I am so calm and relaxed about EVERYTHING that it is scary. This month I decided to change my diet, take some chinese herbs, get massage therapy, read and listen to soothing music before bed...basically EVERYTHING to bring my stress levels down.

And...

IT HAS WORKED! I even decided to STOP going into work in DC. It was a crazy move, especially since we need the money...but I realized when I was forced to stay home because of snow, that I have missed DEARLY the time I have with my son. Also...my sweet friend had her baby on Saturday, and she watched Josh...so I felt like something needed to be changed anyway. So, I have been scouring for opportunities for work (I have my clients...but I still have time for more)...and last night I received an email from someone that I was in contact with in December. He wanted me to do his business returns this year, which is fine...but he wanted to handle his own bookkeeping (I convinced him to get organized and into Quickbooks). If you want to be a legitimate business, you need to take care of your financial records right from the start. It is so much easier and less costly that way...unfortunately for him, he has already been running his business for three years.

I received an email from him last night, seeing if my offer still stood on what I quoted him with catching up his bookkeeping and then doing his bookkeeping on a quarterly basis. For now, I don't feel he needs bookkeeping on a monthly basis...but he may in the future. It made me feel good that he came back to me for the bookkeeping. It is not my style to push someone into my services...maybe that will be the death of my company?? But it is my style to be there waiting, when my clients realize that it isn't SO easy to make time for bookkeeping.

Needless to say---I felt so incredibly blessed to receive his email last night....especially since my hours are severely cut down with my consulting work because I do not want to go into DC without Josh anymore. Frankly, the task that I was doing is complete...with one little piece missing...but it isn't anything that they can't handle without me. Will I miss the money?? Hell yeah! But I know, financially, that we are always taken care of...as long as I do my part. At least I know we will make it through March...since I also have other tax returns to complete...and hopefully more contacts will come my way with my advertising and email efforts.

Oh...and stop reading if you don't want to be grossed out!

My stress reliever techniques have helped me in my fertility as well. The last couple of months, I have been ovulating on cycle day 24. Now, most women ovulate probably cycle day 12 - 18. It is REALLY hard to get pregnant when ovulating late...and stressed out about it too! This month I ovulated on cycle day 16!! I will have a 30 day cycle!! This is HUGE! I had 38 day cycles for the last two - three months. I am so grateful for this as well. Even if it doesn't end up in pregnancy...at least my body is working correctly (for once!).

Let's see if we have any new pictures that I can post...

Nope! No new pictures!

Til next time!

Decorating Cookies!

I got to actually enjoy ALL of this week with my little man. It has been a LONG time since I have not gone into DC during the week and left him with Kami (the coolest babysitter and the bestest friend ever...seriously, I am so thankful that she has been willing to watch Josh for so long...even willing to watch him all the way up to the day she goes to the hospital with her new baby...I dont think I will do that to her though!). This snow stuff is for REAL! I mean, like 20 inches this weekend, and then another 8 inches on Wednesday! Patric's work even closed...so he got to stay home. I did work for about 2.5 hours, but at least Josh and Patric got to hang out while I made some $$$ at home.

Today, instead of being in DC, I went to my mom's house and Josh decorated some cookies for Valentine's day. He had a lot of fun hanging out with Sage too. They didn't even fight once! A MIRACLE! Perhaps its because they haven't seen that much of each other for the past five months. I really didn't think I would be working in DC twice a week for so long. I guess I can't complain too much, since it was well needed money...but I am growing quite tired of it. It is not a fun project to work on...and I feel it will not reap the rewards to the company...so basically, I feel like it is a waste of time. Sure, I make money working on the project...but I want a good outcome to come of it...

Anyway--that is boring. Here are some pictures of today!

I really like this picture! Josh was scowling for some reason...I think it is because he wanted to just take the cookies and eat them without decorating them!
He was very excited to decorate the cookies!
Hard at work.
They must be related...the tongue comes out with all the concentration. Earlier in the day they both went into a daze too...it was pretty funny. Too bad I didn't have my camera out then!
Tasting their hard work (well...Grandma actually did the hard part...making the cookies!)
Doesn't look like they like them too much...in fact, they look down right disgusted by the cookies! (They did like them...and would have had a dozen each if Megan and I didn't stop them!)

The woman that made this day all possible. I am fairly certain I said something derogatory to get this face out of her...it isn't hard for me to get my mom going...she puts up with me for the most part!

In other news--

I am working on making a recipe book with all of my loose recipes. So, naturally, when I cook/bake something that is from a loose recipe (piece of paper that I throw into a box currently, instead of out of a cookbook) I have to take a picture of it for my recipe book! Here are my delicious cinnamon rolls. We ate them on Superbowl Sunday!

Speaking of snow...

Holy moly---have we got a mess on our hands! We got about 4 inches on Tuesday/Wednesday, which before this winter would have felt substantial...but Friday evening - Saturday evening (today) we got about 20 inches of snow. So TWO HUGE storms for this winter season...that NEVER happens in Virginia...at least where I live. It has been fun for Josh to play in the snow and for us to just relax in the house...well, this is the second weekend where we have been in the house because of snow. I forgot that last weekend we got about 5 inches of snow too. This is a VERY snowy winter!!

Here are some pictures...I haven't posted pictures in a while!

I wanted to get some good shots of Josh because his eyes just pop with all this white stuff...so I told him to open his eyes...this is what I get!
So much snow!
This is such a cute picture of Josh and I have been trying for about a month to get a really good shot of him. Too bad I didnt bother with make up today, so he looks cute and I look blah!
What a goof!
At least he cooperated...just wish he looked at me!
Patric would throw him up and then stick him in the snow. He loved it!

In other news---

I am working on a recipe scrapbook for all my loose recipes...and I took a great picture of my delicious pizza. I swear, this pizza looks professionally made!! Yay me!
My first stuffed crust pizza was a success!

February

Wow! All I can say is this winter is by far the snowiest that I can remember! We had a light snow in early December followed by like 20 inches on Dec 19. We got about 3 inches on Saturday, so that was snow in January....then I would say we got about 4-5 inches on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, Feb 2-3....and now they are calling for another storm like Dec 19 this weekend! Where do we live, Sweden?? I am not used to all of this snow, though I am not complaining. I always say it is better to have snow when its cold then to just be cold...last winter it was so cold, but not much snow. Can't say that about this winter. We did get a few days of 60 degree weather last week, and wow was that a tease...but its nice to have the beautiful snow on the ground.

Life has been ok lately. Carol, my boss from ADS, emailed me asking me to come work there again. Now, in most of our emails we talk about me coming back, but this one was different and I took it seriously. I went in and met with her and met the department...and REALLY felt good about going back. But I should have known that on my drive home that it wasn't going to happen. Patric and I debated about it, did the pros and cons for two days...went to the temple...and decided it was not right for me to go back. I felt VERY relieved and happy to say the least. I loved working there, but I LOVE my independence and ways that I make money now...plus I would miss Josh so much. I don't know what I am going to do when he goes to school!! I hope I will have another little one by then!

Other than that, not too much exciting has gone on...and I am actually pretty happy for the lull. Patric is winning in the weightloss competition...I think. I haven't weighed myself in like two weeks...and I haven't worked out at all this week...this dang snow and cold is killing my motivation! I just sleep and sleep...so unlike me. I secretly hope Patric will win and I will get pregnant...of course. I am happy that he is at the gym right now and that he has been taking this challenge seriously...I want him to take good care of himself because I love him and want him around for awhile.

Well, Im going up to DC today...so I gotta get out of bed finally and get going.