Rose of Sharon

That's my real name.  My parents weren't hippies, but Rose of Sharon is on my birth certificate.

Well, I guess since you've clicked yourself to this page you'd like to know more about me.  As always, I'm happy to oblige.

I find it so difficult to describe myself, it is the WORST task ever.  What makes the difficulty of it even more ridiculous is that I am imposing this on myself.  That should say a lot about me, so we're off to a good start.

Tapping the maple tree in our front yard for syrup!

I love a challenge.  Well, one I think I can succeed at.  Ha!  I will often take on projects that I previously told myself I couldn't do (like cutting angles) or will take on a food challenge I never thought I could do (the family eating for $2/day).  You may see blog posts and think - why the heck did she do that?, but it all comes back to my love of a challenge.

My biggest challenge, and greatest reward, is my family.  I have six children who I raise with my incredibly supportive and sexy husband.  We live with syndromes and disorders like you wouldn't believe!  My eldest son has cerebral palsy, and my youngest has a heart defect, an undiagnosed syndrome and a host of other health issues I can not begin to list.  Two of my six children are not biological, but have been part of our family for 8 years.  We have structured our life around their FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder) and RAD (reactive attachment disorder).  I won't say our life is easy, but it is deeply fulfilling.  Top that off with homeschooling (only the bio kids), my painful compulsion to have things neat and tidy, my love of cooking/baking, woodworking, music, painting and decorating -  and I've got a full plate!

I sent this selfie to my husband from Tanzania, Africa. 

A young girl put those earrings in to my ears, and I said

"well I guess these are sold!" 

I love Africa and I love these earrings!

On a more personal level, the best way to describe me is flawed.  I fall short of my own expectations regularly, and am learning to accept that.  I swear like a fishmonger, I sleep in like a teenager ANY time my husband is home in the mornings, I sometimes buy one donut at the grocery store and eat it before I get home because I don't like the kids to have too much junk food, and I can be a real - true blue - grump.  I'm also too old to simply bash myself and not let you know all the good things I am.   I'm resilient, creative and generous.  I would like to be more creative and I always always always find ways to be more generous but don't think I will ever reach a level I'm happy with.  I firmly believe the only way to change the world is to be the change you want to see and sometimes that makes me look/seem eccentric or quirky - but it's all from a good place.  That's where the title of the blog and the web address comes from, and I would say is a founding belief in our house - only fit in just enough.  

Other snippets...  I LOVE antiques, and all old fashioned things including clothing, food and lifestyle!  I would love to be on a show where you have to live like it was the 1800s.  Spelling is my thang, and I even spell things out on my fingers as people are speaking.  I love Jane Austen and all BBC period pieces, but also love the Walking Dead and The Mindy Project.  I love reggae and seriously hardcore rap, but also love worship music and the old stuff like Burl Ives.  I'm strict on things like kids cleaning after themselves, but am totally cool with them picking their boogers and eating it (just not at the dinner table).

My husband says I can't wear vintage safety glasses as fashion glasses. He is so wrong. I love these things.
They give me a major headache.

So... if you haven't stopped reading yet and you want to introduce yourself I would love if you did that in the comments!  Feel free to share your story, ideas you'd like to see on the blog, or ask me something!  I'm not a popular blogger - believe me - I'd love a comment or two.