It's a new post!

The weeks continue to fly by without new blog posts here. Back when I had so much free time that I read not only friends' blogs but random strangers' blogs, I used to hate seeing the same old post at the top of those blogs day after day. (Google Reader solved that first-world frustration for me several years ago.) Once again, I'm sorry for being THAT blogger. While I was gone:

Granny had a knee replaced. She's still in the midst of painful first-week therapy, and it's no fun living in a rehab center for that, but she's a champ. With luck, she'll be home in a few days, and her doctor predicts she'll be back for the second knee in four or five months. The current one is a hot topic in Claire's prayers lately. We love you, Granny! And major props to Mom, by the way, who rises to occasions like this to selflessly display her unmatched caregiving skills.

Our house is being framed! Or, maybe that will start tomorrow, actually. Anyway, progress is being made. I spent some time this morning searching for a stained glass window to use instead of glass blocks in the master bathroom. Unfortunately, most of the old ones are small, most of the new ones are ugly, and most of the beautiful large old ones are, like, five times our budget. And we're trying really hard to be cost-conscious on this house. Something about building a house makes it seem like $12,000 is pretty much the same as $15,000, which I guess on a large scale and in a 30-year mortgage it kind of almost is, but I keep reminding myself that that $3,000 difference is real money.

Speaking of stained glass, remember these windows, from Matt's dad? They'll be prominently displayed in our new house -- one in the powder room, and one at the stair landing. I still love love love them and can't wait to see them every day.

The kids are both still loving school. Claire learned a new favorite song, "There's No One Like Me," which she unfortunately and hilariously belted out as "No One Likes Me" for a few days. Evan's rocking the schoolhouse too. One of the teachers told Matt that one of Evan's teachers told her (did you follow that?), "If Evan ever goes missing, don't come looking for him at my house." He's pretty irresistable, if I do say so myself.

We have never used a night light for Claire, but it occurred to us that she'll need one to see her way to the bathroom when she moves from her crib to a bed in the new house. Right now she's still sleeping in a diaper at night, even though she's been potty-trained for a few months, because I have no desire to be summoned for a bathroom break in the middle of the night if she wakes up and needs to go.

Anyway, so last night was Night 1 with a night light. FAIL. She woke up at 3:30 a.m., which absolutely never happens. I went to check out the situation and the night light was way too bright. She thought it was morning. I turned off the night light, pulled back the curtains to show pitch-blackness and held her for a minute, and then we all slept until we were rushed to make it to school on time.

I've been using some of my freed-up mornings to write for Demand Studios and I won't say I love it, but there are definitely some perks. The most notable benefit is that there's unlimited work to be done if you're inclined to do it.

It's not stimulating writing, and it's not work you'll ever include on your resume or showcase in your portfolio, but it's pretty easy money if you are smart about the articles you pick. "Adverse Effects of Potato Chips," yes. "Benefits of Saturated Fats," no. You don't have to be a stellar writer, just able to write coherently and accurately, so check it out if you'd like to earn some extra cash. And no, I did not get paid for that plug. Too bad.