A Brief Introduction

I'll blame this blog on Mandy, who three weeks ago told me I should have a blog. At the time I wasn't feeling like I'd be able to be one of those witty people that would attract blog followers in droves (Pioneer Woman, I am not).

But since Mandy said that, I've been thinking that maybe even if the droves of followers don't come, perhaps blogging is something worthy of doing.

It's not that I'm a complete novice to the blogosphere. I've posted a time or two on LK's blog when I've had a rambling thought or two. And anyone that follows me on Twitter knows that if you linked my 2,600 140 character posts together it alone would equal a blog. But I've never really had a blog, my blog.

And so, here I am, blogging.

And who am I?

I'm the wife of a man who has loved me through the ups and downs of our 8+ year marriage. A man who I respect and love. I'm blessed to have him as my friend, partner and love.

I'm the mother of two amazingly curly-headed boys. Parenting isn't easy, and the fact that the younger is so much like his mother has presented new challenges, but it's a role that I wouldn't exchange. And the older they get, the better it is.

I'm a work from home travel agent who loves the challenge of putting travel packages together for my clients. It's like working a giant puzzle and every day is something new. But really I aim to keep work out of this as much as possible.

I'm a home improvement fiend. We bought a house two years ago and I've already redone the main bathroom, boys room and guest room. The hallway (my lovely silver hallway) is mostly done as well-- started too many projects at one time to get that one finished in a timely fashion. However, most of the remaining projects are requiring professional help. It's a new role for me - paying someone else to do the demolishing and re-creation; but I like it because I get to plan and then it's like magic and it's done. LK doesn't believe me when I tell him the saw dust is Pixie Dust. But it sure feels that way.

I love photography- when LK and I travel it's the main aim of our trip and our photographs have become the main souvenir we take back with us. Though currently I still use the "P" setting on my Cannon and would like to work towards a more fully manual setting. And I do enjoy tweaking the pictures once I've taken them. It's not that I don't like how they come out on their own, it's just I see tweaking as a furthering of the artistic process.

I am finally enjoying cooking. I hadn't really (ever) cooked before I got married and back then a "meal" was Hamburger Helper paired with a can of fruit cocktail. To me, cooking is one big science experiment. I don't follow the directions well (more I don't pre-read the recipes and thus are unprepared for following directions much of the time). Some times my science experiments are bad (and I mean substitute ranch dressing for milk or hot dog stew bad) and some times they're good (Like apple crisp I can't recreate because it I threw it together and can't remember how I did it- but was met with AMAZING acclaim by the guests). The last month I cooked only from 365 days with Rachel Ray. I wish it had pictures and don't believe them when they say it can be done in 30 minutes (they don't include the pre-prep time), but overall the outcome has been very very yummy. And none call for canned fruit cocktail.

And most recently, I'm a student of guitar. I've always seen myself as a guitarist, playing along with the Indigo Girls or Ani DiFranco as I drive the kids to gymnastics in the mini van. But I was always too much of a perfectionist to try it. Until this year. This year I've hired a tutor and am working towards better combining the person I think I am with the person I am.

And I am an avid fan of the color turquoise.

So welcome to my complykated little world of apron and guitar strings. Please, make yourself at home.