I would embark on the new projects with hubby. I don't stress about UFO's for several reasons:
They kept me occupied when I needed to be occupied
Most do not have a recipient or occasion attached to them
They take up less space than quilts (when the recipient or occasion has not been determined, as noted above)
If I force myself to finish them when the creative juices are beginning to flow for something else (like your husband's cool ideas), then quilting becomes another chore.
My mission is to challenge my skills, to grow creatively, to not be afraid to cut into fabric to make a test block or two.
The UFOs do get finished, but many without time constraints or a "to-do" list.