A New Year! (And some new changes....)

First off I have to say a big fat thank you to you guys for puting up with my extended "leave" from the blogging world.  I hope you haven't missed me too much. :)  And another huge thank you for all the kind and concerned emails I've gotten from you wondering what's up over here at the Hand Me Down House.  I really do consider all of you gals my friends -- so I 100% appreciate your concern and kind words.

My absence started out as a short break during the start of the Holidays -- but the Holidays for us means a lot of Christmas shopping, and A LOT of Christmas Get-Togethers.  So I decided to stop blogging for the whole month of December.  There just wasn't a lot of time to fit everything in for my family and I, let alone doing projects to the house and keeping up with my blog.  But after a month long recess, I've decided I will be making some changes here for the next year.

This post is SO overdue -- I've been meaning to fill you all in sooner -- but I've really been dreading writing this. So, with that being said I will tell you I'm not quitting my blog.  I would never just give it up like that.  But, I will be blogging much less than my once  5 times a week schedule.  I'll update you on the house as we change it and I'll certainly post any fun projects I do.  But I plan to do projects and house updates a little bit less -- so don't be suprised to see a gap in posts.  And also for this reason I've decided to cut my advertising.  There is a lot of pressure that comes along with having sponsors; and it was making my blogging more of a job than enjoyable.  Blogging started out as an absolute LOVE of mine -- and I want to keep it that way.

Don't mistake this "cut back" in posts and projects for a dislike of blogging -- I still very much LOVE it!  It's so fun seeing my bloggy friends faces every day and see what's going on in their wold.   And as I'm writing this now after a month of "taking off" -- I'm remembering how good it feels to "talk" to you girls!  But my family is the most important thing in my life -- and I have to make them my priority.  That means maybe letting a project at the house sit for a few days so I can visit grandparents, or not stopping at the craft store for new materials so I can go home and see my hubby -- I'm sure you can all relate.  

I hope you can all understand how much I just love being apart of the blogging world -- I absolutely do!  But between family, work and just every day life; I had to cut back on some things that were taking my time away from the things that truly matter.  

Some bloggers decide to make their blogging a full time career, like John & Sherry at Young House Love -- and some decide to give it up completely for the sake of time, like Disney at Ruffles and Stuff.  Well I'm right in the middle -- I can't give it up completely -- but I can't maintain my crazy posting and crazy projects and still have the time I need for work and family. 

So -- I hope you can forgive me for the missing month of December -- and I hope you can still enjoy my posts in 2011!  We've got big plans and dreams for the house that we're hoping to accomplish -- and you guys will be included in the process!