Happy New Year! *cough, sneeze*

Happy 2008, everyone!!! The new year has kicked off with some exciting stuff around here.

1. I've wrangled TWO work from home opportunities with two incredible nonprofits: MomsRising.org and HealthyBuilding.net (Pharos Project). I couldn't be more happy about getting to work with the smart, motivated, creative people at these orgs.

2. D's workload will be about 80% of what it was last quarter, and in spring it will be probably 75% of what it was, so we never have to survive that madness again. It was awful.

3. P is dancing, running, babbling, playing, coloring... looks like we've got a toddler!

4. We discovered beautiful Lake Chabot, which if you're in the East Bay, I highly recommend. It is such a hidden jewel. Castro Valley, who would have thought?

And then, the not so exciting...

1. We came back from visiting D's relatives in the Midwest with three raging colds. It was AWFUL. I have to admit- I was annoyed (and, at 3 am as I held a crying, coughing, vomiting baby, I was enraged) that my inlaws did very little to keep their sickness contained. Because the part of the vacation that was supposed to be just the three of us having fun turned into the three of us sleeping, coughing, mouth breathing and generally miserable.

I am generally a very positive person, but I decided to give myself permission to be mad about this. It just isn't right to expose others, especially babies and young kids, to crap. Crappy germs, crappy attitudes. We did what we could to protect her, clean off her hands, and keep her out of the line of fire, but it just happened.

2. So, D is going back to work and we miss him a lot already.

But all in all, I'm very excited about 2008. Because I have ONE resolution (which I'll blog about more in my Parenting Moment of Zen blog)--

*** HAVE A GREAT TIME FOR A GOOD CAUSE! ***

I have decided that my true calling isn't to *work* for a good cause- it's to have a good time for a good cause! So, my plan is, after we get a house, I'm going to set up my home office, and also hold fundraising parties, but most importantly-- I want to have monthly salons to invite friends who write, make art, craft, journal, etc., to have tea and snacks and a nice space to work. Almost like a monthly retreat.

I'm really excited for this. Good times ahead!