Which is worse:
–losing all your carefully collected Christmas tree ornaments from the last five years of marriage…
OR
–losing all of the bookmarks carefully collected on your internet browser?

Both are gone or at least missing at this point. Every year, I carefully pack up our tree ornaments and re-label the boxes which are stored in the basement. But this year, somehow, the ornament box is missing. We haven’t moved. We haven’t had a major cleaning project in the basement, so I just can’t figure out where they could be. I have to admit it took a bit of the holiday spirit from me. At least it stole a little bit of my decorating motivation. But I hope to regain my momentum this week.
As for the bookmarks, I have no explanation. When I turned on my computer a few days ago, and clicked on firefox, the bookmarks were gone except for three randomly selected winners that I guess my computer thought I still might need–my blog, weightwatchers.com and ebay.  I have been "collecting" bookmarks for awhile now, and since my introduction to the world of blogging my collection has tripled–good blogs, tutorials, crafty ideas, good links from other bloggers, ideas for gifts, projects, things to get when we have a little money….
And Dad, I tried all the things you suggested and the search DID turn up my bookmarks. But only the three that are showing in the browser!

And so I have to face these losses with the same attitude–a chance to start fresh:
new ornaments–many more handmade than before, many crafted by the little hands in my life, new ideas, different tastes and styles than what I would have selected five years ago…
new bookmarks–I will no longer bookmark EVERY blog I come across, just the ones that truly inspire me, there’s no feelings of anxiety and pressure when I click on my bookmark tab and a GIGANTIC list of links is displayed before me, just teasing me with projects that I have yet to find the time to attempt; new ideas, different tastes and styles….

Aside from all of this, Emma has managed to succesfully pass her cold on to each member of our family. We have spent the last few days in a haze of congestion, sore throats, and bodies that ache so badly it hurts to even be touched by another human. Dan and I have been on a napping rotation as well as an "it’s your turn to get up with this crying child in the middle of the night"-rotation. I was beginning to think that I might be getting bed sores.
But, I am the first to emerge from the fog. I am just thankful that we were hit this weekend, instead of over Christmas. That would have been miserable. All of this illness has put quite a damper on my homemade present projects. I have so much work to do this week in makes me want to climb back under the sheets.

But I did manage to get one project started this evening. The first of a few batches of homemade hard candy. This recipe is a flashback to my childhood. It was the first thing I entered in the county fair as a 4-Her. And, I won champion hard candy, thank you very much.  I called my mom this week and had her dredge up the old recipe from her box and I’m hoping to make a few batches to give as gifts to neighborhood friends.

You can make it in any flavor and color you want.  I did a bit of peppermint flavor with just a drop of green coloring. Here’s the recipe, if anyone want to give it a try. It’s very easy, messy, but fun.
(In case you can’t read that last part: drop the pieces of candy into a plate of confectioner’s sugar to coat.)