Can you believe it’s already January again? Time flies when you’re having fun. My website is still alive but now, it’s time to thrive. Here’s to success for all of us in the new year! Just like last year’s Resolutions & Review post, our family had a smashing Christmas and I’m typing this in my brand new pocketed pajama pants complete with a royal blue fleece-lined hoodie and the most amazing memory foam, cloud-walking slippers I’ve ever owned. All I wanted for Christmas is to be comfy and I got it!

2018 was a great year, all in all. Spennie and I had so much fun during our first full year of parenting, especially with our unlimited free admission as Friends of the Kansas City Zoo. Reila has grown so fast and has around 30 words in her vocabulary now. She took her first steps mid-December but is cautious and prefers to be carried. Who wouldn’t? That doesn’t stop her from chasing the dogs around or climbing up and down the stairs, though.

I’m not sure if many people call their 16 to 17-month-old babies but I can’t anymore. She’s a toddler. Everything needs to be touched and most things go straight into the mouth. Anything put on the table gets pulled onto the floor by these tiny, exploring hands. But hilarity ensues every day thanks to her endless curiosity. My little lady brings smiles, waves and kisses to everyone she meets. She really is our Rei of Sunshine.

I’d like to add a shameless promotion here for my sister’s photography business. She took that beautiful picture of Reila you see there, to the left along with tons of others (lots of examples in Reila’s First Birthday post.) If you live in the Midwest and are looking for an affordable, reliable photographer who really knows how to capture the essence of people, places and pets on film, check out Taylre Pearson Photography. Book before January ends because this lady is all over the place – running marathons and triathlons, working at orphanages in Africa plus making time to be the world’s #1 aunt – and her schedule fills up fast. Wedding? Graduation? Senior photos? Message her now to make it happen.

For more than a year, I have made my living from the comfort of my own home doing transcription and it has been an absolute lifesaver. Daycare costs would have negated the salary I made at the law firm I worked at previously not to mention all the money I’m saving on gas, packing snacks and lunches (or God forbid going out to lunch Monday through Friday) along with the $100/month parking pass. Plus it’s been great for my sanity. I love watching Reila myself, cooking every meal at home, running errands when the stores are quiet and having more time to prioritize what I love.

If you are interested in working from home, leave a comment or send me an email at laurien.rose@gmail.com. There are so many opportunities out there! I am more than happy to share my experiences and maybe point you in a good starting direction.

The craziest part of 2018 was in December – again. We had one blizzard this year – ONE – in which a transmission cable snapped after a 30-minute drive home (we were at the end of our street, so close and yet so far.) Then, two days later, Spennie slipped in our driveway and broke his ankle. The car was a quick repair. Spennie is not. Perhaps the saddest part is that it’s been mostly sunny and beautiful ever since, which is an ideal situation for Crutches when I take him to his appointments.

I want to take a minute to say I’m so grateful for all the support we’ve received from friends and family during this stressful time. We had so many helping hands throughout the holidays and plenty of meals provided to us, lifting an immense weight from my shoulders. Again, I’m thankful to work at home because a month later, Spence is still unable to put weight on his foot and (although he doesn’t want to admit it) still needs a good amount of help around the house. But a metal plate and seven screws later, he’s on the path to recovery! All we can do is hope for the best two weeks from now at his next appointment.

I want to introduce you to a new section of my website which I’ve decided to call my Moony Musing. The idea came to me during a dinner with friends where one of them, a school teacher, mentioned how she could tell when there was going to be a full moon at night because her students were restless and over-dramatic.

Since the gravitational pull of the sun and moon influence our oceans’ tides, why wouldn’t they have an influence on us? Our bodies made up mostly of water. Women who are biologically in tune often notice their menstrual cycle aligns with the cycles of the moon, so is there an impact on our actions and emotions?

Before committing social media suicide, I used to tweet a daily astrological forecast every morning based on an ephemeris I enjoyed reading before it was time to clock in at my desk job. But once I gave birth to Reila and started working from home, I stopped. Astrology has always been an interest of mine so I decided this new year, I would get back into my ephemeris-reading habit and start this daily blog section, if only for my own interest and reference.

If you care to join me on this journey, it will be a learning experience for both you and I. I am self-taught in the ways of the stars but always looking to learn more. Posts will be uploaded every day at 5:00 AM CST.

You want dog posts? Murphy, Lucy & Twinner do, too. Expect dog posts in 2019.

More than half of my resolutions for 2018 were successfully accomplished and will continue into the next year. Reila took a two-day train ride with us to meet my side of the family in Massachusetts. As she transitioned from breast milk to mush food to real food, I started paying careful attention to her diet and, in turn, mine. Then, I was able to expand my website and use money from sales I made here to build a dedicated a photography corner in my home, making it easier for me to get quality shots of my products.

Here are my resolutions for the year to come:

  1. Make This Website My Primary Source of Income
  2. Clean and Organize My Studio/Craft Room
  3. Maintain a Healthy Home Cooked Diet and Exercise Regime
  4. Have Another Amazing Home Birth – I was hesitant to share the news with even my closest friends and family after my ectopic pregnancy last February but Spennie and I are expecting another baby girl next month! We are once again working with midwife Cheryl Gilman and anticipating a shorter labor than the last.
  5. Make Scrapbooks for My Girls
  6. Family East Coast Visit
  7. Create an Efficient Cooking and Cleaning System
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