allow me to share a little bit about myself...

Because I always like to know a bit about other people.

I'm 32 and live about 30 miles north of Chicago.  Truth be told, it's usually faster to drive to Milwaukee, but I'm definitely a Chicagoan.  My parents still live in the house I grew up in, a mile or so from the house where my husband grew up...we had the same bathroom tile and likely went to day camp together in third grade.  We've been married for almost eight years.  I taught seventh grade for seven years (right now, you might be thinking something like You couldn't pay me enough! or It takes a special person...--but really, seventh graders are cool human beings) until my son was born (can you guess how old he is?).  I'm home with him now, and loving (nearly) every second of it. 

He's gone four mornings a week now--when did he get so big?--so I've been using some of that time to get myself organized (note: Do not plan a mostly-do-it-yourself kitchen remodel to overlap the birth of your baby.  Just don't.) and some for making.  Friday's a making day, though I didn't get as much done as I'd planned--never do.

My weekend: Alex has an overnight at Grandma & Grandpa's, so I'm hoping to get my pantry organized while Mike works on our basement remodel.  I've been working hard on planning meals ahead, stockpiling when things are on sale, etc.--and this post has been in the back of my mind since I read it.  Before and (hopefully!) after photos tomorrow.  Then dinner and a movie.  Movies are such a special treat for me these days!  I can count on one hand then number I've seen in the theater since Alex was born.

And when I was looking for the pantry post, I found this one, so I might have to be making some seven-layer bars too.

Happy weekend!

beginning

That's my lunch--seriously good cheddar-jalapeno bread from our farmer's market, via this wonderful place.

I feel like I'm a little late to the party.  I've been reading lots of posts lately focusing on the feelings of burden or pressure that can come from blogging--some of them from bloggers with several-year-deep archives--and here I am just getting started, on my last day of being thirty one.

A difficulty with starting now, in 2009, rather than, say, in 2006, is that there are so many blogs to love--how will I make a niche for myself?  Are there not already a hundred or a thousand blogs from women with small children who like to make, eat, and take pictures? 

The advantage, though, is that I've also had many months to form a vision of what I'd like this spot to be: a place to share things I've made and love, reflective of my voice (without trying too hard to be clever), sleek in its design, a record of things in my days that have made me happy.

It's daunting, but I think I'll give it a go.