FOUR MONTHS? (with attached pHOtos!!)

That is how long it's been since I've posted. My last post was not overly happy but was definitely very real, which is where I've been all this time. In the REALLY REAL of life. I cannot even begin to recount all that has happened but here is a short list.

*My Girl started KINDERGARTEN! (She was 3 months old when I started here!) at an amazing nature school!
*Baby K will be TWO next month (what??).
*Diagnosed with Celiac after losing 20 pounds in 6 weeks and not being able to eat more than vegan jello for several months.
*Switched the family to Gluten free (mostly, hubby still has bread and cereal around sometimes but it's kept far away from the rest of the food) and am now attempting to not get cross contaminated every time I want to go out. Challenging and painful when I miss the mark but it's saving us A LOT of money (no more eating out!).
*Started working for a maternity boutique. It decided to close after bombing at trying to move to a new location. I saved it! No really, that's what I DO (small business solutions). It'll be open at least one more year and is making profit right now because of my efforts!! I had a really challenging time with the owner. Stepped back and asked for what I was worth, she balked, I stayed my course. She figured out she was looking at it wrong, She offered me more than I asked for (still hasn't paid, but that's another mater) and asked me to stay on. I declined the job but it was a good experience in patience, communication and asking for what I'm worth.
* I now have at least one more business asking for my help. Good to know that the education and 10 years in retail (including management and inventory) is ACTUALLY GOING SOMEWHERE.
*I'm involved in a project starting a women centered retail co-op selling maternity to eternity fashion, gifts, personal care (including cloth diapers and pads...hey mamas we need consigners!) and housewares for the whole family in Milwaukee. It's really picking up steam and I'm STOKED!
*My house is finally looking like a home. I'm still have renters brain and get anxious when I find more crayon on the wall or drag a piece of furniture across the hardwoods only to realize there is a big scratch where I moved it, but then I realize...It's MY wall and MY floor and if *I* don't care it's not a big deal!
*Have had visits from my mother-in-law, father-in-law, best friend and soon my sister/cousin all since august. I LIKE when people come to me!
*My Husband's Grandma (beppe) died 2 months ago and though it cost us a small fortune for him to go home for the funeral I felt blessed that I've cleaned up my credit enough to go in debt again (lol). His Beppe was one of the only people that really, unreservedly took me in and loved me when lived in the NL. Despite (or maybe because) of our inability to communicate in the same language we became very close and I miss her terribly. That DH could go was a gift I was so honored to give him. There really is more joy in giving, especially in times like that.
*I've become a fa*ebook whore. It's worse than mIrc was in the 90s. Dude. But I still love all you mamas and still have postcards and CDs for a long ago swap I joined and never got out. I hope you are all having a wonderful Holiday Season!

Much love!
LM