What's new so far this year?

Hard to believe today is September 1. So what's new so far this year?

• I turned 50 and survived; the party was fun and the food delightful (I learned that 200 cupcakes is a lot to make)
• Sweet Mabel passed away; she had been having problems getting around and life each day was less enjoyable for her so the time came to let her move on to happier places
• Life with the editorial team has been great - lots of creativity; plus I had two projects published in the Sept/Oct 2013 Paper Crafts issue
• The puppies turned two in August and with that came new freedoms - sleeping at night wherever they want; our home decor has taken on a minimalist look because of this change