Can Pumpkin Cupcakes Cancel Out Hard Weeks? Still Testing...

Here’s a little “secret”: When my blog is silent it usually means I feel like I am flunking life. In this case I know it is not true, but it feels true because life has been chock full of stuff I am not good at. There is definite progress, but it hasn’t been easy! 

Case in point, the only thing I have made successfully in the last few weeks are these heavenly pumpkin cupcakes with chocolate cinnamon buttercream frosting, and these pineapple flower toppers. I can't communicate how good they are except to say that my husband who only eats chocolate chip cookies is contemplating requesting these for his birthday instead. I haven't the heart to tell him that pumpkin cupcakes are not done in April. He just spoiled me with two pairs of really cute shoes though, so I'm going to give him what he wants, regardless of seasons! I only have this little iPhone pic of the cupcake because it was a birthday party and I was pulling it off at the last minute. Oh, I also tried making these darling chick rolls, and... uh... they turned out Halloween appropriate. Not my finest baking moment!

My workspace and laundry have been in the basement, main housekeeping duties on the ground floor, and the bedrooms and toys upstairs. This was a great improvement on some other living arrangements we have had recently, so I wasn’t complaining, but living equally on 3 floors had me feeling like I was living 4 lives: The housekeeper-keep-things-running life, the good mommy life, the creative life, and the adult with interests other than picking up shoes and Legos life. I was spasming with exhaustion and popping B12 like an addict when Daniel suggested rearranging the house: The dining room and living room are now happily sharing space, and my studio accoutrements are filling up the former dining room now. I’ll be darned if life didn’t resolve into a single, natural, peaceful rhythm once the dust settled! It just hasn’t been long enough to have a routine yet. I am really hopeful about this. 

Meanwhile, I attended my first big blues dancing event. The classes were great, but the DJs for the social dances brought out disappointed rage in me I thought was reserved for politicians! As it happens, choking back anger limits my dancing. Needless to say I am missing some dancing friends and DJs who could make this all better. Do I need to become a DJ?

Then I spent the past week doing the last bit of paperwork and baby-proofing for fostering. Neither of those things are hard, Just time consuming. Did I mention the girls have croup? 

This weekend I wanted to bust out of this rut and I tried to just get into the (new!) studio and make something- anything! Spinny winter dresses for the girls are urgent, and I took the challenge. I can just hear Heidi Klum ripping it to shreds on the runway in my mind. It was a cute sketch, but executed from fabrics I had lying around: an un-childlike color combo, a bad print for a child, flowing fabric when stiff was called for... it was turning into a medieval princess something or other. Ay yi yi. I wanted to scrap the whole thing and start again with new fabrics, but my little real life judge decreed that she likes it and I have got to make it work. On the bright side, I guess that saves time? I may have an idea for saving it from the landfill, but I haven't had a chance to try yet. 

And now we are off to enjoy some of this fall sunshine! May your days be full of joy and your nights full of peace dear friends!