Summersick

(The Homestead last spring)

This time of year is hardest for me.  The holidays are over.  I've packed all the pretties away.  The new year has begun and I am ready for warm weather.  Then guess what?  Winter just goes on and on and on.  I am homesick for summer-- summersick. 

Saturday Nathan pruned the raspberry bushes.  All of us were out there, bundled up and picking up sticks.  The kids built a tepee with the cast off canes.  I kept looking around and thinking how much I want to be able to sit outside in the sunshine.    I want to wander around in a sweatshirt without gloves and be warm.  I want it not to be dark by 4:30 p.m.

Today, the clouds hang low again.  The color is washed from the sky.  I keep reminding myself of the song we sang in church yesterday...  "There is sunshine in my soul today..."  I wish it was warm enough to kick all the kids outside without finding them coats and shoes.

No comment

So, I couldn't figure out why no one was commenting on my last post.  Then I came back to my blog today and realized that I didn't post it.  There was a reason I didn't post it.  The bulk of my photos are on the other computer.  Once again, someone else is using it when I am ready to blog.  Tomorrow.... Will you come back?

I hope so!

Wyatt Earp

Nathan got creative with his razor on Christmas eve.  So, Merry Belated Christmas from Wyatt Earp and me.  I am in serious need of some powder here.  Shine, shine, shine. 

We had a very nice Christmas.  On the 23rd, we took the kids to Leavenworth.  In the Black Swan store, Nathan bought this hat.  He's turning forty soon, so he thinks he can wear this.....

Now, if he would just start looking his age.  :)

Card Catastrophes

Five more days until Christmas.  My kids have been reminding me everyday.  For the first time, I bought each of them an advent calendar.  I saw them in Michael's and grabbed them as I was standing in the check-out line.  Then, to my utter embarrassment, I had to explain to my 11-year-old what they were and how to use them.  It's a pretty sad statement about the mother I've been.  I always loved advent calendars when I was a kid.  We had one every year.  I hardly see them in stores anymore.  I guess I don't really know where to look.  Now I know that Michael's carries them.

The advent calendars have been one small thing that has brightened our season.  I sneaked off to town one afternoon with the girls to buy a tree.  Beaver Bark had real reindeer in a pen in their parking lot, so the girls got to pet them.  That was pretty cool.  We bought a live tree again this year.  Last years made it until spring then died.  We are going to try it one more time.  My hope was to have the tree home and decorated before Nathan came home from work, but we were late, so I only beat him home by a few minutes.  The kids decorated the tree by themselves.  I sat by the box and handed out ornaments.  It took some self-control on my part, but I did not hang a single ornament.  Usually, I'm front and center telling everyone how to decorate the tree.  I decided that wasn't the best approach.  There is a drastic difference between my tree and the beautifully decorated ones in the stores.  Mostly that's because mine has lots of mismatched homemade ornaments, but I really like our little tree.  It's small enough to fit in our little house.

Now that I am enjoying the holidays again, I decided to send Christmas cards.  It has been a catastrophe.  My addresses are all out-of-date.  I bought a pile of cards with photo inserts at Michael's last year 90% off.  Now I know why they were on sale.  The frame is too small for a 4x6 photo, so it cuts off part of the kids' faces.  I never could get Nathan to sit down and do a family photo, so this year everyone is just getting a picture of the kids.  The cards are basically a disaster, but at least they are going out.  No letter, though.  Seriously, I couldn't think of enough happy things to say.  Maybe next year?

For Valine

I have had these photos on my computer, and I've been meaning to make copies for my sister-in-law, so I am just going to post them and let her copy them.  They are cute, so you'll excuse the fact that they aren't just my kiddos.  This is Rack-ree playing in the mud like any true boy.  His older brother broke his mamma's camera, so I captured this moment.

As Josie says, "I yike mud."  And, she means the taste of mud.  Yeah, gross.

Now, on to the three bouncing princesses.......

Have ball gown...

...will fly

Just one more.... put 'em up, mister.

The Bazaar Line-Up

I have three more bazaars this season.  Some are fun and others are frustrating, but I always look forward to the next one to see if it is any better.  I am starting to recognize other vendors who are making the rounds, too.  I decided to post some of the items I am selling to convince my hoards of readers that you should each come out and visit me at a bazaar. 

This is the Dream Cream.  It is a thick moisturizer handmade with Shea butter, cocoa butter and olive oil.  I use it head to toe and I love it.  It comes in Tahitian Vanilla, Citrus Twist, Ginger Lime, Cucumber Melon, Mountain Stream and Tall, Dark & Handsome (a man cream that smells DIVINE, especially on my own man.  Mmmmm!)

Next up is my handmade lotion.  I wasn't actually planning on selling lotion because I feel that the Dream Cream is a better product.  However, I had the bottles, so I filled them and they have sold very well.  I have sold out of Tahitian Vanilla lotion.  I have Huckleberry, Cucumber Melon & Green Apple. 

The larger 8 oz bottles are $8. 

The upside down tottles are 4 oz for $6.

This weekend every bottle of Green Apple lotion is $1 OFF!

Time to try out this great scent or give it as a Christmas gift.  It is the most subtle of the fruit scents in my opinion. 















And now for the jewelry.  Oh, how I love vintage inspired jewelry.  I really thought I would see other vendors with jewelry like this at bazaars, but so far all the jewelry I've seen other than mine has been beads.  So, if you are looking for a unique and stylish gift, I highly recommend something from this vintage inspired collection. 

I have these cabbage rose necklaces in assorted colors.  Some are with strung glass pearls, while others are with black Czech glass beads.

This is my newest necklace design.  I actually designed it with Janae in mind.  Isn't it gorgeous?

I also have bracelets....

... for only $10...

Rings...

... and earrings....

COME AND SEE!!!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Faith Assembly Christian Center

1800 North Road 72

Pasco, WA

9 a.m. to 3 p.m

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Marcus Whitman Elementary School

1704 Gray Street

Richland, WA 

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Richland Alliance Church

1400 Sanford Ave.

Richland, WA

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Here We Go Again

Valine wanted me to post a report of the last bazaar.  Okay, I'll give you the run down.  Friday, the Kennewick Senior Center, was mostly a bust.  The highlights of my day were that my dad came and bought me lunch, then later my mom came to say hello and I sent her home with a sample of my new face cream.  I sold very little, but I did sell a few bars of soap, a few jars of cream and one of my rose and pearl necklaces.  I was too tired to be bummed, because the next morning I was out of the house by 6 a.m. to make it to Ferris High School by 8:30. 

The Ferris bazaar was awesome!  First of all, they had senior boys waiting at the door to unload your car  in the rain.  The bazaar was supposed to start at ten, but by 9:30 there were already customers milling around.  Don't worry, thanks to that strong senior guy, I was all unloaded, set up and ready.  It was a steady flow of people ALL DAY LONG!  There were other soapers there, and I know at least one other company was selling skin care, but I did very well, especially for a newbie.  Best of all, I got to see Victoria and her lovely daughter Ella.  It was a fun day.  I love the bazaar scene. 

So, here I am, ready to do it all again.  This weekend I will be at:

Island View Worship Center

1520 Fowler

Richland, WA

Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6th

9 a.m to 3 p.m

The church is located at Columbia Center west.  Fowler is the road that leads down to Cash & Carry.  Instead of going east toward Cash & Carry, you turn west off Columbia Center Blvd.  There should be signs to guide you. 

Spread the word and enter to win an 8 oz cream.  Post the info about the bazaar, then leave me a comment.  (Eastern Washington bloggers only-- my apologies to all others.)  I will enter you into the drawing.  Come see me Friday or Saturday and receive a second entry.  Thanks!

Come and see me there!