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!