Today, this blog is one year old.

When I look back and see all that has happened in the last year, it is pretty amazing to me.  I am so grateful that you take the time to check in and see what's happening over here.  I truly appreciate it.  I really do.

And because I value all of you, I am giving something away.  I am not sure what and I can't promise when you will get it.  It will be made by me, out of fabric or yarn, or both.  Kind of vague, huh?  But, if that doesn't phase you, comment and I will put your name in the hat.  Or the random number generator thing-y.  I will cut it off Thursday at midnight.

Wish I had a cake to share with you.  Instead, here is my current work in progress pile.  Happy Birthday House on Hill Road.  Here's to another crafty year!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program....which I guess is the encyclopedia of me.

Are you all as sick of the alphabet as I am?  I don't know if I have it in me to finish - I am tired of talking about myself.  Please share your thoughts.

...is for love.  I am extremely thankful that I love and that I am loved.

...is for laps.  Like Meg, I am trying to put some swimming into my routine.  It starts today.

...is for limes.  They are my preferred citrus fruit.

...is for ladybugs.  Hands down, the cutest bugs.

...is for lists.  I should make lists more often because I get things done when I do.

...is for lazy.  Exactly how I feel today.  Maybe I should make a list.  Now.

...is for Kate.  Funny, funny Kate.  I adore you.

...is for kites.  I look like such good fun, but I was never really good at flying them.  That didn't stop me from trying.

...is for knitting.  I have a love/hate relationship with my needles and yarn.  When it is good, it is really good.  When it is bad, it just sucks.  I stick with small projects because if I don't love it, at least it is over soon.  I thought the last project would be fast and it wasn't.  It is sitting on the needles, untouched for a couple of weeks.

...is for kudos.  This photo is an old one.  Really, I can't believe I could match recent ones up with the letters all the way to K.  Patting myself on the back right now.

...is for Jane.  Sweet, sweet Jane.  Mmmm...I love her so.

...is for jokes.  I like the dorky, stupid chicken crossing the road ones.  If the punchline is based on a pun, I appreciate it even more.

...is for jam.  I grew up with homemade jam.  My mom made it every year and my grandma did too.  I do not like store bought jam.  Since Jane was born, I have made my own every summer.  Well, I take that back - I didn't make it this summer.  I know I will be cursing myself in mid-winter when we run out of our current back stock.  Really, I could kick myself for missing the strawberries.

...is for jump rope.  When I was in elementary school, I jumped rope at recess.  If I wasn't jumping rope, I was playing four square.  Seeing a jump rope make me smile and think about being a carefree kid.  I hope my girls will have those kind of memories, too.

...is for Japanese craft books and fabrics.  I can't get enough.

...is for justification.  I had to think of some good excuses for buying four unnecessary, but very good, craft books.

...is for Irish.  With a name like mine, you'd never know I am Norwegian, too.

...is for indecisive.  I think this drives Fatty crazy.  Example:  I never can pick where we should go out to dinner.  I don't like making those kind of decisions.  I will tell him where I don't want to go, but beyond that he has to choose.  Yeah, the more I think about it, that has got to be annoying.

...is for inclement.   It was very rainy in New York yesterday.

...is for indulgence.  Rain means shopping.  Doesn't that suck?  We made some purchases.  At Purl.  And Purl Patchwork.  I will go back before we go home.

...is for imbibe.  All that shopping made us thirsty.  You have got to love vacations.

...is for H.  I collect them and am quickly running out of wall space.  I've had this vintage one for over a year, but just haven't decided where to hang it yet.

...is for hair.  My red hair has always been my most defining physical characteristic.

...is for house.  Houses of all types and sizes make me smile.  I am in love with our 96 year-old, beautiful and quirky house.

...is for hugs.  Big squeezes from the girls are my favorite.  Fatty gives long ones.

...is for haircut.  It was time.

...is for girls.  I love mine so.  When Jane was born, I didn't believe the doctor when she said, "It's a girl!"  I felt so blessed to have a daughter.  When Kate was born, that blessing doubled.

...is for guacamole.  It's one of my favorite foods.  I make mine without a recipe, but it always includes the same things.  My secret ingredient is cumin.  Trust me.  It makes the difference.

...is for grace.  I don't have it.  I can be rather clumsy.

...is for gregarious.  I am a social girl.

...is for green.  This is my color.  It suits me to a tee.  It calms me and energizes me at the same time.  When I wear it, I just feel good.  And who doesn't like to feel good?

...is for getaway.  Fatty and I hit the road this morning.  I have my alphabet posts already written for the next few days, but I won't be answering emails and responding to comments.  Thanks for taking the time to stop by - I truly appreciate it!

...is for Fatty.  Yes, I call him Fatty.  No, it is not his given name.  Yes, he responds to it.  No, he is not fat.

...is for family.  I am blessed with a wonderful family - the small little one that lives in this house and the much larger, extended one that lives all over the place.  I wouldn't be who I am without all their love.

...is for frogs.  I like these cute little critters.  I find them incredibly charming.  And that whole business about having to kiss a lot of them before you find your prince?  True.

...is for flip flops.  I have 7 pairs in rotation.  These are the dirtiest by far.

...is for  French.  I used to speak it fluently.  In fact, as a child I went to French camp (love that place!).  Of course, if I were to spend a week in France (wouldn't that be nice?), I think it would come back.

...is for fabric.  Of course.