A page in the life of Gili's Mom

I have so many things - ideas, to-do's - swirling around in my mind today, I can't seem to stay on task.  I thought I would take a break and write some things down. 

My work for the free-loan fund is slowing down, because I am slowing it down.  I'm using as an excuse the fact that we haven't yet received the primary donation from from the women who initiated the fund with her end-of-life savings.  Her daughter finally got her death certificate, but there is a lot to be done.  When we get the money I will need to get my act together.  I was thrown into this responsibility without knowing it, but I want it to succeed. 

This week I am leading an English speaking women's class in the book of Nechemiah, chapter 7.  I just started studying today.  The wonder of being a stay at home mom... I can do these things in one day.  It's great material.  The power of prayer, the importance of ancestry, the value of place.

On top of my real responsibilities... (There is laundry spinning around my washer and dryer and a pile ready to be folded on the couch.)  My mind has been flooded with ideas for my public blog "Cooking Outside the Box" at nonrecipe.com.  I formated and printed a calendar through February, and wrote a schedule of all my blog ideas and when I want to post them.  I post 4-6 days a week.  And I have/had SO many ideas.  But last night the paper got lost and I had a bit of a freak out.  And then another pouty episode today when even the calendar file on my computer could not be opened!  Yes, I could eventually reconstruct it, but don't I have better things to do?  At the same time, an important form for my son's hearing test was lost.  I suspect the kids began coloring on it and then my husband thought it was trash.  I wasted time and stress trying to replace the form half an hour before his appointment. 

More blog news: My cooking blog was awarded the "Stylish Blogger Award."  Yes, it's more like chain mail than a prestegious award, but it's still cool that someone thinks my blog is worth recognition.  And maybe I'll get a few hits.  I also started posting on reddit.com, which has gotten me a few hundred more visits.  I would love to post this blog, but then my husband would see it.  If anyone want's to post for me, I would very much appreciate it.  Pick your favorite post, then send me the link on reddit so I can vote it up.  Or post of facebook, or share it with your friends who might be interested.  There are lots of sharing options in the upper left of this page.

To publicize my cooking blog I was thinking of making some stylish aprons with the name of the site printed in some unique way on them.  I'm having fun with the ideas and spending way too much time thinking about it, and maybe too much total time and money on a hobby that may never make me a penny.  But I like to sew, and it would be so cool if it bought my blog some more followers and then someone in the world was wearing something I made.    I've also started getting more into photographing my food (see pictures below). 

And, "How's Gili?" you may ask.  She went "swimming" this week!  I hope one of the next two weeks I can go take pictures.  She's doing so great in school!  I don't know why I'm not getting more done around here, though.  Why am I sketching aprons when I have so much mending to take care of??

And with this post, my anonymity ends.  You still can't search for my name or my daughter's name and get here; but, if you're reading this, you can figure out who I am.  Just don't tell my family.  I'd like to feel free to share my honest hopes and fears without freaking out my friends and relatives. 

Thanks for reading!

My photography set-up