I’m not blogging every single day here this month. I miss it, but I have plenty to keep me busy!

Aside from the norm, I mean.

I’ve started a photography blog to go with my Etsy store. Honestly, I didn’t know what to write about at first. I cross-posted the shop announcement and photography tips I’d originally posted here, then decided to post some tips on photography for snow days. I got a great response to it and I was very excited about that! I think I was more excited that my friends learned something than I was to actually make a sale in the shop (sorry Mark).

And so, well, now I know what to blog about: photography. Tips. Fundamentals. And there is a weekly Photo of the Week feature. Come on over and check it out! I’m also on Twitter and have a Facebook fan page too, if you’re interested. I currently have 82 fans and it’s mind-blowing to me to see people I don’t know at all. Fabulous!

I have to brag: I have a recipe featured on the front of Just a Pinch this week! It’s not the featured recipe, but rather one of the blue ribbon recipes featured. I suppose they think my Smoky Chicken Scoops would make great Super Bowl food. (I’m excited about it, even though JAP is owned by the same company that owns the paper that employs me.) Awesome! PS – My dad thinks I can’t cook. And I bet he’d never eat these because it’s – GASP! – chicken. He hates chicken.

Of course Dara and I are still blogging about food over at Daylicious. My sweet sister-in-law informed me I am doing a poor job of promoting this over here and I don’t even have her on my (ridiculously outdated!) blogroll. Photography not your thing? Come see what’s cookin’ at Daylicious. This weekend I blogged about the cinnamon rolls I made Friday. Mmm.

And if I didn’t have enough to say, I’ve started 29 Gifts, a giving challenge. Each day, I will be giving a gift in an effort to become less selfish. That’s the plan, anyway. Tuesday was Day One. I’d intended to start on Monday, but you’ll have to read the blog entry I submitted to find out why Tuesday was actually Day One. (And mom, I honestly did hand wash dishes. That never happens.)

So that’s what I’ve been up to in February.

Also? We have a MAJOR project at work due this month. And my co-worker, our only other full-time writer, gave her notice. She’ll be leaving at the end of the month. March may find me running myself ragged with my paying job. I guess we’ll see.

Today is Day 31 in the blogging challenge Christa and I committed to. And we did it!

And Day 31 was also Day 3 of this snowstorm, so you know what we did all day.

We played outside.

Emma wanted to eat snow. A LOT!

And Jenna ate snow off of the Gabriella barbie’s feet. So odd.

We also ate junk food and went to TJ & Gwen’s house for more sledding and came home with bruises.

And then we went out to eat – TJ, Gwen and their family; TJ’s sister, her husband and son and another couple; Sara; another co-worker Shane, his wife and two daughters and the six of us. CHAOS! But it was chaos wrapped in tortillas. We had a great time.

And now, we are EXHAUSTED. Snow days are ridiculously tiring – it’s all of the suiting everyone up several times a day. How do you people who live up north deal with this all the time?

Like Gwen said, I’m looking forward to going back to work so I can relax! Our roads are still pretty icy, so school is out again tomorrow. Christa volunteered to keep the Denmark-Day children, so she will have three of them (the older two and Emma). I know the kids will have fun; they love Christa and her family.

Ahh .. Day 31. Another NaBloPoMo mission accomplished.

Blogging daily is always a great exercise in patience and time management for me. Like Christa, I’m not committing to daily blogging in February (if it happens, it happens). I’ve planned to start my 29-day giving challenge on February 1, but yesterday I wondered if I had too much going on and needed to postpone it a month? I don’t know.

For now, I’m going to bed. And waking up in February’s chilly arms.

Yesterday was National De-Lurking Day, a day where blog readers are encouraged to come out of the wordwork and introduce themselves. For bloggers, it’s a way for us to get to know our audience, especially new readers we’ve never had the pleasure of meeting (so to speak).

National De-Lurking Day also gives us a chance to take stock of how many people are reading and willing to comment. I have the ability to check my site stats and see that I have thousands of page hits each month and hundreds of loyal readers, but I know many of you don’t comment very often.

I want to change that.

As much as I write for myself, I also write for you. For more than 8 years I’ve blogged here and I don’t intend to stop any time soon. But I would like a little more interaction and encourage you to speak up, share your thoughts, discuss anything you’d like to discuss. This is why I have a comments link at the end of each entry: because the floor is always open.

And because I wanted to reward two of my readers who took the time to de-lurk, here at Two + Four, National De-Lurking Day was disguised as a giveaway! Yeah, I’m sneaky like that.

Two readers – Kim and Linda – were chosen at random (via random.org) to win custom-designed stationery products of their choice! Meaning that they can choose their primary product – either a 5.5×8.5″ spiral notebook or a set of 10 4×5.5″ notecards – plus a set of matching sticky notes and I will design them to their liking.

It’s a small token of thanks, but it’s genuine. I sincerely appreciate your readership. Now keep it up! I hope to do more giveaways – secret and announced – in the coming months. You never know when I’m in the mood to give. Keep that in mind, dear blog readers!

According to LaLa and a host of other bloggers, today is National Delurking Day.

And what that means, dear readers, is that its time once again to speak up and let me know you’re dropping by! Especially those of you who never comment (which is like, most of you).

Drop me a line, say hi! And if you’re a fellow blogger, leave your URL and I’ll link to you in a future entry! It’s been awhile since I’ve really done a round-up of readers and I’d love to get to know you a little better. (While you’re at it, weigh in on the education reform issue in the previous entry! I know Dara and I aren’t the only ones with opinions.)

Months ago I decided it was time for a new look around this place and, well, you know how indecisive I am.

It must have been all of the Dave Matthews I listened to today, because suddenly I had an idea of what I wanted. (It’s about time!) So now the blog is rockin’ a melon and citrus design with a chocolate background. Or pink, orange and brown. I kinda like it, but we’ll see how long it stays.

Just be glad there are no monkeys (have you ever noticed how many songs Dave has written about monkeys?).

And thank you for your observation skills – I did rename the blog. This is only the second time in more than 8 years, but I felt Life’s Like This had run its course and it was best to re-do it. Two Plus Four is the new black around here.

I’ve also added a list of the most recent downloads I’ve added (a new photo wallpaper) and you can also subscribe to comments.

Let me know what you think! Hate it? Tell me!

Baby, it’s cold outside! For the last few days we’ve had temps in the 30s and not only do I hate the cold, but my skin does too.

To help prevent drying out, it’s a great idea to drink more water, use a humidifier and use soap with vitamins A, D and E added to help retain moisture. And, of course, moisturizer.

I’ve used Mary Kay’s Timewise for years and I believe it to be a great product. I love the way my skin feels and the product really goes a long way! (I’ve had a small trial sized tube for several months.) I’ve recommended it to many other women. I love it.

But what’s the best facial moisturizer on the market? I recently polled my Twitter followers and Facebook friends, asking, “What kind of moisturizer do you swear by?” There was one standout winner! (more…)

Today is officially the last day of NaBloPoMo – the month went by way too fast! And I mean that, because I still have a list of blog topic ideas.

That said, I’m proud I stuck to it and did it the honorable way. I never cheated. Only once did I post a photo and a cutline (but it was for Photo Friday and completely acceptable). My posts were all lengthy, though that was not required.

What did I get out of this 30-day challenge? A habit. An awareness of what’s important. The blog? Not as important as deciding to make a habit and sticking to it and conversing with other people. And what I’ve found is that I really do have a lot to say (like there was any question about that!).

On to more questions, though!

Isabel asked, “What meal would you cook…for Darin (sans children and you had no budget and could cook like Food TV folks) and what meal would you say is your favorite to have someone fix for you?”

I have been thinking about this all month long. And still, I don’t know! It’s been driving me crazy. There are actually a lot of dishes that I wouldn’t want to try, but many that I would. Some of them just don’t sound appetizing. I tried asking Darin what he’d like me to make for him, but he said he likes everything I make! lol. NOT HELPFUL, HUSBAND! We’ve been eating pork tenderloin with mustard sauce quite a bit lately because we really enjoy the dish, so that’s what he mentioned.

As far as what I’d like someone to make me, I don’t know that answer, either! Our Valentine’s Day meal from a local restaurant called Marlo’s was absolutely delicious. Oh, and the crabcakes we had in North Carolina on our honeymoon were also fantastic.

You really, really stumped me, Isabel! lol.

Andrea R asked, “What food would you like to try someday? Would you ever eat poutine? Do Canadians just generally have weird food?”

You Canucks are so strange with your poutine and bagged milk! I’ve read about poutine (mostly over at Sherry’s blog – and a few years ago she even wrote a post dedicated to poutine), but the whole concept of gravy (is it gravy?) and cheese on french fries just doesn’t sound appealing to me. What is this poutine? And what does it taste like? Also, how do you pronounce it? Like poo-teen?

Yes, you Canadians have weird food. Ha!

Merrilee asked, “48 hours to yourself. No Budget. What are you going to do?!!”

I don’t know! Does that happen to every mother? We suddenly find ourselves with time and the list of things we want to do without children and husbands just doesn’t happen. It happens to me, anyway. I would probably go shopping. And not for clothes, I want to go to all of the little shops in Memphis that I never get to go into. I like to browse – antique stores, home goods, Target. Of course I’d also like to go to the beach and lay on the sand for two days. Or go to NYC. Or California. So many choices, Merrilee!

I think this concludes all of the submitted questions, too. Can you believe it? A month, already gone. (Yay! I did it!) I just remembered this month there are prizes involved, too. Hrm. I forgot all about those. I would love to win a new blog theme from Woo Themes or even the iTunes giftcard. But let me not get my hopes up – I never win giveaways and contests (I enter them over at Young House Love all the freakin’ time). My gift is knowing that I did this and did it right! That’s all I need, right?