To Etsy or not to Etsy?

This is something I've been mulling over for a while:

Should I try and sell some of my crocheted bits and pieces online, or just stick to giving them as gifts?

Yesterday I thought about it again and even went as far as starting to set up a shop on Etsy but other than giving my shop a name I haven't really gotten anywhere because now I'm filled with self-doubt.

Am I good enough to sell what I make? Would people actually want to spend money on my creations? If they did buy what I'm offering, would they like them?

So many questions and all they're doing is make me go backwards instead of forwards.

Will just have to concentrate on making a few bits 1st and trying it out maybe and see how that goes.

Will have to talk it through with Hubbie and get his opinion on it and let's hope he doesn't give me the answer he thinks I want to hear and is completely honest with me.

Our 1st Parent's Evening

How daunting!!

We really didn't know what to expect but the 2 teachers and the 2 classroom assistants were very welcoming and friendly and the other parents looked just as nervous as we did so that helped our nerves settle a little.

It was a complete information overload though I have to admit as we were given all the forms we need to fill in (doctor/dentist/health visitor info, details of who would pick them up, ni clearance forms if we want to accompany them on any trips, permission to take pics and publish those pics forms). Basically any form you can think of and we were given it last night and that's not even the end of it as apparently I'll be given more forms on Monday when we bring the girls down for their 1st visit.

At least the initial stuff is over and done with and now we can begin to prepare the girls for their move away from toddler groups to big school as it was called last night.

Now if only I can stop the hubbie from blubbering everytime he thinks of them growing up it would be grand......

Do I want more children?

We've already got our gorgeous little monsters and I've always said our family is complete but is it?

Maybe I'm feeling a bit broody because two babies have been born in our family in the past month, one wee girl and one wee boy and that's gotten me started thinking about us and maybe trying for another in a couple of years time.

Reasons for not having another child:

1st of all, my pregnancy was high risk and I hated being pregnant, I suffered big time. Fortnightly scans from my 12th week right up until 4 days before our girls were born. Projectile vomiting, Severe diarrhea. Heart palpitations that hospitalised me just before Christmas. Falling asleep everywhere and anywhere. Losing 2 stone.

2nd of all the chances of having more twins are greatly increased, is that a risk we really want to take?

3rdly, I'm not sure we could afford another baby. We're just about managing as a family of 4, could we cope as a family of 5?

Reasons for having another child:

According to the fortune teller my hubbie saw years ago he would have 3 children by 2 pregnancies. Okay, not a real reason but still he's used that as an argument since the girls were born to wind me up.

Our real reason for having another child is that we would love him/her and we've got a lot of love to give, and if we were lucky enough to have a boy then so much the better, because I'd love to have a little boy.

I dunno. It's something that we'll have to talk a lot about and we've got another 3 years roughly before my coil needs removed so plenty of time to come to a decision. Plenty of time to save up just incase we decide to try for another!

Reasons To Be Cheerful - 29th November 2012

1.

Our little terrors are almost back to their little bouncy, happy, terrorising little selves after a couple of days with a heavy, phlegmy cold - they just weren't in good form but thankfully they're on the mend. It means they aren't going to go see Santa on Saturday as we want to keep them indoors for as long as possible but there's plenty of time for that next week.

2.

This is a bit of a silly one but I was all chuffed when my oil light came on as I was driving to work this week and I rang one of the guys in the garage (I work in a lorry transport company with their own on-site garage) and asked him about it, I wanted to make sure it was my oil light before I rang the husband to bring up some oil for me but instead of just answering my questions he sent someone over for my keys and they took my car into the garage, checked my oil level and topped it up. How lovely was that? Even better was they did it for nothing despite the fact they had their own work to get on with. I work with some lovely people.

3.

In 2 days time the house is being decorated for Christmas (I absolutely refuse to have any Christmas decorations put up anywhere in the house until December, after that anything goes really) and we can't wait especially with the girlies helping more this year with decorating the tree and making various decorations for our house and for other family members. I'm looking forward to explaining to the girls what Christmas means and telling them the story of baby Jesus

Me time...

Tonight I get to have some 'me time' i.e. time to do whatever I want, no children demanding my attention, no hubbie also demanding my attention, and no-one expected to call round to the house.

Hmm, what to do, what to do......

Of course all the housework shall be duly ignored; doing housework would just be a complete abuse of 'me time'.

Possibly a night curled up on the sofa with my crochet hooks, a few new patterns to read through and an endless supply of tea (or maybe hot chocolate with a sneaky splash of Baileys or two). I'll also have to catch up on I'm A Celebrity and eat at some stage too.

If the neighbours are making a racket I might just have to play the piano for a bit and play all my loud marches just for badness.

Maybe to top it all off when the hubbie gets home from work we'll have a take-away of some sort seeing as it's just the two of us home tonight (girls are spending the night with their Auntie) and a couple of drinks as we won't drink if the girls are home.

That's my Friday night all sorted. Any plans yourselves?

Reasons to be Cheerful - 15th Nov 2012

1.

I'm in full-time employment for the 1st time since before I went on maternity leave almost 3 years ago and though the extra money will come in handy the routine that will be shortly in place will be the biggest benefit of all mostly to the girls but also to myself (housework is going to get a direct hit though!).

2.

A couple of weeks ago my hubbie moved from being a temporary agency worker to a permanent employee of the company he work and it's now we're starting to hear about the extra perks of being a proper employee of the firm which is all completely unexpected but very welcome and reassuring. It's nice to hear amongst all the doom and gloom an employer who hasn't cut back on everything it can and is still doing it's best for their employees and morale.

3.

Our daughters are almost potty trained!! (please insert a rousing chorus of 'Hallelujah') This is absolutely brilliant, the only problem is that they both need to go within 2 seconds of each other every 15 mins and will only pee in the toilet and not their potty. Oh well, can't complain as the worst of it is nearly over.

The novelty has worn off....

After almost 3 years of getting up when our girls do and not having to wear proper clothes until after lunchtime each day these early starts are starting to drive me potty. I'm not sure how much more I can take before I either start wolfing down the chocolate or attempt to smother my hubbie the next time he says with a smile on his face it's time to get up whilst he remains in bed all lovely and warm.

Maybe it's the dark mornings?

Maybe it's the road works that's making some drivers act like idiots on the way up the road?

Or maybe it's just that I'm not a morning person and I love my bed too much to have to leave it when it's still dark and raining and miserable to come into work to have to be polite and courteous to some rude people when I answer the phone?