Making Babies Update

I kinda had a moment last year where I felt like I needed to explain to the world WHY I don't have children yet.  I guess because soooo many people I encountered asked, prodded, and generally felt it was their business.  Honestly, I think majority of people (with kids) think that procreating is easy.  And that all you do is have sex and then a baby pops out 9 months later.  Then you decide you want another one, and so you have sex and wah-laa, another baby!  I also think majority of people (with kids) think that everyone else wants kids, so the logical thing would be to ask "WHEN are you guys gonna have kids?"

Its never (or rarely is) "Do you guys want kids?"

Which really would be the best way to approach this if you find yourself NEEDING to know if a friend or acquaintance wants to become a parent.  I think if people asked me that instead of asking WHEN, I could transition my answer quite nicely to say something like, "Well, we DO want kids, but we're in a slightly different situation which is not going to allow us to follow the normal path" (people seem to become uncomfortable with this answer, hopefully making them less likely to ask the next person the same question)

Instead, when I get, "When are you guys gonna have kids?"  (and by the way, when people ask this, they sound like they're 13 again with both eyebrows moving up and down repeatedly)  I find myself answering a few different ways, mostly "Oh sooner rather than later!" Or if I want to shut the person down immediately, I'll say, "We can't have kids." It works. Trust me.

I felt like my blog post was a way to get it out there to those that really know me without blasting it on facebook (although I do realize I posted the link on FB) and its my own space to feel safe.  So I was very surprised and thankful for the response I received, both from friends and strangers.  I felt like the reason behind us not having our own children is super personal, but at the same time, a way to get awareness out about HD.

So, now for the update.  Well, I will say we've tried a couple times to create a baby.  It was costly, but we had to try.  I also was made aware of something that was clinging onto the walls of my cervix that needed removed right away.  Scary, I know, but if we hadn't started this process, I'd still have it, and who knows what it could have turned into.

We will be trying again soon when funds are saved up enough to try multiple months in a row, because really, who gets pregnant the first time they try?  Oh wait. I can think of a few girls.  You suck by the way. ;)

The short and long answer is this:  We do want a family.  Sooner rather than later.  If that means we adopt, foster, or go medical routes to become pregnant, then so be it.  Until then, I will keep posting ridiculously adorable photos of Lola Rae to my instagram and FB accounts. 

***Oh, and by the way!!!!  Blake's Beanies now is on instagram, and when I reach 100 followers, one of those lucky followers will receive an item from my crazy stash!!!****

Its Craft Fair Time Again!

There's one day in the life of Blake's Beanies that is the culmination of a year's work.  That day is this Saturday.  The Clarkston High School Band Craft Fair. 

All year long, I crochet.  This is not breaking news.  We all know this.  But why?  Because I can't sit still while I watch TV? Yes.  Because I am addicted to crocheting?  Yes.  But also because I know that if I waited until September to start getting ready for the crap fair, I'd be screwed.  

This week is called "Hell Week".  I just learned this term this week while talking to my sis-in-law when she was explaining the term for the week before a Civic Theatre production.  I thought it was very fitting to my situation as well.  

There's just sooo much that goes into these fairs.  I can't just show up the morning of, with a table and a box of hats.  Well I could, but my craft table has since turned into the camping cook table and is absurdly greasy dirty.  And I have done this in years past.  When I started doing fairs over 10 years ago, I would show up hungover and completely unprepared.  I also used to do around 3-4 a year, but then realized that I would practically sell out on the first one and then not have enough time to get my inventory back up in time for the next one.  So now, I only do one.  And loyalty wins, so the Clarkston High School Marching Band Craft fair is the one I always choose.  

Branding was always something I wanted and needed and thanks to my bff Jenny, I have business cards, stickers, price tags and bags!  Plus two giant posters.  She's pretty awesome. 

Booth design was another part I knew I needed to work on.  That and not being hungover the day of. 

I would say for the past few years I finally was able get all the pieces together and feel good about how everything, including my product looks.  Felt great!  But I know there's always room for improvement, so this year, I decided to create a mockup of my 10x10 booth square in my living room.  Perfect timing really, due to the fact that Hottie Hubs is out of town all week, because I've made a giant crocheted mess, yarnbomb really, of my living room.  What I found out, is that I have a ton of inventory.  Way more than I thought.  Since I did the yarnbomb bike and stairs at work this September, I was afraid my inventory was going to be smaller than previous years. Wrong. 

Now if I can just stay away from the beer on Friday night, I'll be set. 

Oh, I almost forgot!  I'm selling my Mom's awesome stash of Vintage Children's Books.  Including Dick and Jane!  Next to the books, a basket-o-beardies.

Sneak peek of the main table

The other side of the table

The pile of beards

P.S. Thanks Ruthie Prasil for lending me your amazing cute fabric banners.  They go perfectly with my branding designs!