...because home doesn't happen overnight.

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Hello, my lovely readers! I hope you had a wonderful holiday break filled with good food, good company and good health. We enjoyed good food and good company but fell short in the health department. Our household was invaded by a bevy of nasty viruses including but not limited to roseola which had our sweet babygirl down and out for a full week. I normally don’t get sick (even when everyone else is) but this time I wasn’t spared. I haven’t felt so bad in years! I took it as nature’s way of reminding me that I need to pay more attention to ME. That can be really hard to do when you’re a parent, right?

Anyhow, that’s my explanation for the extended blog silence. Yesterday was the first day I felt a little like myself again. I was looking forward to getting back at it today with the kids returning to school but then this crazy winter storm hit and school was cancelled. In an effort to rid our house of all the germs, I put the kids to work helping me clean this morning. It feels good to have our house back in order. On a side note, the kids are more than ready to go back to school now – ha!

Did you make any new year resolutions? With all that has been going on behind the scenes here, I didn’t really solidify a resolution list. And I’m totally okay with it. Although, I do love Holly’s idea of criticizing yourself less and loving yourself more. That’s right in line with paying more attention to ME. And Sarah’s commitment to taking risks, making more mistakes and learning new things is spot on for how I’m feeling about 2014.

Finally, I’m making a few minuscule bloggy changes. You might not even notice if you aren’t a regular reader but I thought I would share in case you are and do notice. 1.) No more curly brackets. When I started this blog years ago, I saw another blogger using them instead of parenthesis and I thought they were cool and different. But lately they seem awkward and forced. I never use them when I write so it makes sense not to use them here either. Bye bye { } ! 2.) No more “HH”. When I created House*Tweaking, my husband wasn’t entirely comfortable with me using his real name online so I came up with a cutesy acronym for him. Handy Hubby = HH. Again, lately this feels awkward and forced. I don’t call my husband “Handy Hubby” or “HH” in real life. I call him by his name, Steve. Yes, Steve Miller like the band. And, yes, it was the first concert he took me to. From here on out, Steve = HH but feel free to refer to him as HH if that’s what you prefer.

Happy (belated) New Year! I’ve missed you all and am looking forward to another year of sharing my home and interests with you.

image: Dana Miller

36 Comments

06.January.2014

Sorry to hear about the bugs, but glad you guys are on the mend. My new year’s resolutions are things like “kick my house’s ass into shape” but no need for me to resolve to make more mistakes when doing so – I do plenty of that already. Happy new year to you and your family (including “Steve”).

06.January.2014

I know how you feel! After our fun new years party we hosted a day later I woke up with the flu. I am the same and hardly ever get sick and the flu was no joke! Im just lucky the kids and husband did not get sick. Still trying to get back into the groove. For 2014 I want to make sure and let all my loved ones know how much they are loved and apreciated. I tend to get busy and shut people out so I look forward to being mindful of showing my love and appreciation for the awesome people in my life.

06.January.2014

sorry to hear you haven’t been well! we’re off school because of the weather, too…even OSU is closed, and that hardly ever happens!

as a long-time reader, it’s been fun to see all of the changes as the blog has progressed. wishing you health and happiness in the New Year!

I’m happy to hear your household is on the mend! Here’s to hoping that’s the only round you guys will have to face this cold/flu season!!

Happy New Year! :)

06.January.2014

Thank you for getting rid of the {}!!!! I loath them. Isn’t that funny how certain typeface bothers us? And I may still refer to Steve as HH….I think it’s quirky! (like $herdog). I’m so excited for 2014 (for all of us!!).

06.January.2014

For what it’s worth, from this reader’s perspective, HH didn’t feel forced. I sometimes refer to my husband by his initials when writing (e.g. MB). It’s just shorter, and people know who I’m talking about. Kind of feels like a little nickname. The curly brackets though, we can gladly say goodbye to them with the old year 2013!

It’s always tough when mom gets sick too. Good to hear you’re on the mend. As for resolutions, it wasn’t so much a conscious decision as it was an epiphany that I needed to get back to the basics of blogging. Holly’s post really inspired me to start a new series this past weekend. I feel like this year will be a change for many of us. Cheers to taking new risks!

06.January.2014

We were sick too. It really takes the fun out of the holidays. I think I’m going with a no resolutions kind of thing this year… and it has been working out really well for me.

PS. Nice to meet you Steve!

The Steve Miller Band was my first concert! My dad is a huge fan. Welcome back!

06.January.2014

Welcome back, Dana! And, I am so sorry to hear that you were feeling under the weather! Happy New Year! And I like the little changes to your blog :) I always wondered what HH’s name was!

Oh my goodness! I grew so accustomed to HH that I never noticed I didn’t know his ‘real’ name. I’m looking at him with new eyes lol ;)

06.January.2014

I was sick too during the holiday season – I’m having trouble bouncing back. Glad you are feeling better and Happy New Year!

06.January.2014

I always ready HH as Handy Hubby, not just HH. I’m pretty sure I’m going to read Steve as…STEVE HOLT! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rREGbLdOzfg
:)

06.January.2014

Welcome back! You were missed! I’m glad to hear you’re feeling a bit better. Shout out to Steve!!! and Happy New Year!!

06.January.2014

A big “get well and stay that way!” message to the Miller clan. I was glad to see even this message (selfishly), because your blog is high on my list of favorites. Hope that your family has paid its sick-time dues for the year early and will now enjoy robust good health for a long time.

06.January.2014

Oh no :( I hope you all heal up and feel much better soon! (You were missed :)) I’ve always looked at the New Years as a way to “do better, be better” but also “make this better”. This year, I am focusing on “loving”- life, my friends, my family, the world, my hubby, and myself. Finding a way to love, even when we are so hard on ourselves, and sometimes others. It just seems the right thing to do. Good luck! Glad you’re back(ish). Stay warm!

06.January.2014

I’ve been reading for 2+ years and I’ve always thought HH was cute and not forced at all. You’re just a great writer!

Ps. Hi Steve!

06.January.2014

Glad you’re back! For what its worth, I’ve never been able to read HH as anything other than hottie husband so using Steve’s name is going to be a lot more comfortable :-)

06.January.2014

I agree with the others, I like HH!! But welcome, Steve! And the curly brackets didn’t bother me either. I love your blog!

06.January.2014

I too used an acronym to refer to my husband for a long time – DH, which stood for Darling Husband (or Damn Husband, depending on my mood). I dropped it a couple years ago. It felt silly and contrived.

Glad you’re feeling better.

06.January.2014

Aww, welcome back! And welcome Steve!

06.January.2014

HNY2Y2! :) I’m glad you and Steve and the kiddos are on the mend.

jbhat

(who may or may not miss the {}s. But if losing them makes you happy, then so be it!)

I have heard of lots of households getting hit by bugs this holiday season, not fun. Glad to hear you are doing better. I too liked “HH”, I though it was fun and playful. But I am sure I will get used to “Steve” as well. It matters most how you feel about your blog. I love it either way. Have a great week.

07.January.2014

Happy New Year Dana and the Miller family ! Hope you all feel better soon and get back on track with you usual energy and creativity. Can’t wait to see what’s next on you to-do list ^_^

Im so sorry your family was on the outs Dana. Im glad to see youre back and feeling better though. I don’t really make resolutions. This year my goals are to simply and embrace adventures. Ive been a long time reader and I though ive gotten used to HH, I like Steve better:)

07.January.2014

Dana, so sorry you weren’t doing so well. It definitely puts a damper on starting off the new year. I hope you guys feel better. So glad to see you back!!!

07.January.2014

Ahhh, Steve Miller Band. The second tape I ever purchased with my own money- right after Tom Petty.

Welcome to 2014. Glad you are feeling better.

Feel better Dana! And enjoy that clean house while it lasts ;)

07.January.2014

We have missed you!!! Hope that your family is on the mend. Happy New Year!!

07.January.2014

You have been missed! I’m so very sorry everyone’s been sick…

Here’s to good health returning and staying throughout the new year!

07.January.2014

I thought having a nickname for a husband was almost required for bloggers. I just started blogging and already want to ditch nol-dog and start using his real name, Nolan. Can I jump on your real name bandwagon?

07.January.2014

Here’s to changes!

[…] After reading this post from House*Tweaking about referring to her husband as Steve, rather than HH (Handy Hubby), I’m […]

08.January.2014

Funny, My resolution was to take better care of me, too. I tend to put myself last, and decided that this would be a year where I work on what I want to do, and who I want to be, instead of who I think I should be, or should want to be, etc. I started blogging in December, and am trying to find a voice for the designer I’ve always wanted to be. I’ve started playing the piano again, instead of looking at it like it was something I wanted to do, but couldn’t allow myself time to tackle.

And I was pretty sure the partner’s name in code was mandatory too. Long suffering Ryan has a nice ring to it, though.

10.January.2014

Finding out HH = Steve is like finding out Big’s name was John at the end of “Sex and the City.” :)

10.January.2014

Hahahaha!