It's On, Baby!

how cute is THIS? Just an idea...

Happily, I got a GREAT response for the Winter
Gastronomy Swap, despite it's ridonkulous name. Yay!

::I do have one swapper who is all on her lonesome
because I don't have an even number. SO, first one to comment and say they'll
swap gets in on the fun!!:: WE HAVE ANOTHER SWAPPER SO EVERYONE WHO ORIGINALLY SIGNED UP IS IN (as of Tuesday).

Now let's keep the good vibes going and go over The Rules one more time, swappers.

1) Email your swapee and get the 411 on them (mailing address? food allergies? bad childhood experience with plaid....whatever. You get the idea).

2) SHOP/CREATE! Remember: we all know it's better to give than to receive, blahblahblah, but make sure you give like YOU would like to receive. In other words, don't skimp out. $25 should be spent.

3) Remember that since this a food swap, all items should be FOOD or FOOD-RELATED. It's totally cool to have stuff for pooches included but remember that you are sending something to the humans too. Otherwise this would be a Pet Food Swap and I'd have to come up with another stupid name.

4) Package it up cute and SEND IT OUT by no later than Monday, January 11. I can feel the utter lack of douchiness from all of your comments so I KNOW no one's going to wuss out and drop the ball here. Because you VOLUNTEERED to do this. Because it is FUN.

Because Laura and I will praise you to high heavens if you do the right thing and talk shit about you if you don't.

(AHEM)

If you need some ideas of what a nice swap looks like and aren't familiar with Laura's blog, click on THIS.

THIS is cute too! And you get to keep it for yourself

instead of giving it for *RamaHanuKwanzMas!

SO, here are the partners **(and I'll be emailing you with each other's e-ddresses):

Laura and Slack

Tracy and Lynn

Tracy and Doreen

Jenni and Bev

Jodi and Katy

Jen and Stephanie

Amanda and Kellie

Michele and The Perfect Details

Moi and Mamacita

So have fun! And don't forget one more thing--when you do get your package, please take pictures. It's fun to see what everyone got and I would be more than happy to post them here!

Happy Swapping!!

*I just think this is funny. No political crap here, people.

**EDITED TO ADD: I'll be getting out your emails by Wednesday. Sick in bed today. YUCK.

Is Anyone Out There? Wanna Swap?

Holy crap, has it really been a month and a half since I've posted?? Wow. I'll be amazed if anyone but me and my two loyal friends (hi Patti! hi Audrey!) are actually reading this. So, what's been happening, you ask, Patti and Audrey? WELL! A hell-of-a-lot. And it's ALL GOOD.

Can I get an A-MEN?! Even I was tired of listening to myself moan before, during The Summer of Suck, and my mother always told me if you can't say anything nice.... you know the rest. But the truth is that I did have some pretty great things going on at the end of the Summer Suck. In fact, I was having a ball. But I felt guilty about it and didn't want to gloat because my man was still Stuck in the Suck (okay, that's the last time I work that in, I swear).

WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT?

Well, I had started grad school and the most fun job I've ever had to date. I was getting into the groove of an office full of fun and crazy and inviting people and meeting like-minded students and talking about cool stuff.

And then I was going home. To worry. To sadness. To my Handsome Husband who was trying so hard to make Things Happen on the job front. And I felt bad about being so happy. I would dance off to work in the morning, not being able to WAIT until I left the Sad House. And I was sad that both of us weren't having a career ball.

But that's all behind us because HH is employed. WOOT! Who knows if it's the job of a lifetime, but it's a job. And a good one. And one that he can excel at because....he's awesome.

YAY!!

Now I'm not going to go all philosophical because, hey, I'm not that deep. But I AM going to say that now that I don't have to worry ALL THE TIME about things like shopping for food, life is pretty fucking awesome. I have a GREAT LIFE.

Like I said, AWESOME.

So, to celebrate life's awesomeness (and the fact that I can shop, with only the normal amount of restraint now), I have decided to do something I've never done.

I'm hosting a SWAP.

The lovely Laura hosted one during the Suck time (sorry, it's a habit now) that I couldn't participate in but because SHE'S awesome, she included me anyway without any reason at all. I didn't have to buy her anything in exchange. She just sent me a beautiful package for me and my pooches that made me smile and get a tear in my eye. It really did.

Here it is:

nice, right? so so so nice... it made my whole week.

So when she mentioned she wanted to do a holiday or winter one, I thought I'd offer to take the job on for her so she could think about one less thing until said holidays are over, what with all her cookie and cupcake madness going on.

So, here are the rules:

1. Comment if you want to get in on some wintry fun.

2. Agree to put together a package of goodies for the person you are given to swap with.

3. Don't spend more than $25.

4. PUT TOGETHER A PACKAGE OF GOODIES AND MAIL IT by the determined date (to be determined)! Seriously, don't be a douche. If you say you're going to do it, do it. OR at the very least, let me know if something comes up and you can't. Wouldn't you hate it if you were the only one who didn't get something?

4. Either post a picture of your goodies you receive on your blog or send me a picture to post on mine if you don't have a blog of your own. Here's Muttel sniffing the pumpkiny goodness of the Doggie Biscotti Laura sent:

note the insane, hungry eyes

It's really that easy. Our theme is going to be Winter Gastronomy. That means 'food,' people. Since I hate the word "gourmet," I picked the other G word (even though it sounds even more pretentious. Whatever.) And I picked Winter because I AM A JEW and you can *keep your Santa shit to yourself.

Happy Winter! :o)

The theme is LOOSE. You're supposed to have fun on both ends of the swap. You can include anything you want and it doesn't have to be expensive. You can include homemade stuff (awesome) or you can buy goodies (great) or a combination of both (fan-tastic). Just have fun with it because chances are if you do, the person who receives it will too.

So let me know if you want to get in on it. Don't make me hunt you down!

*not really--I kid! It's totally up to you and your wacky Christian ways!