looking back

2011

I had some good things happen

and some bad things....

I accomplished many new things and 

got further then I thought I would. 

I am going to strive to be better this year. 

Better at my loving God first. 

Better at loving my husband and my kids. 

and I am going to try and not be so hard on myself. 

Hope you have a very happy New Years! 

Amy

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree....

We have a Christmas Tradition that every year in December

we drive and drive and drive some more 

to a beautiful tree farm in NJ. 

It is a colonial farm...

I love me some history. 

We picked such a lovely crisp day to go. 

This year. 

The Farm has rolling fields and many trees to pick from. 

This was Sara's year to pick.

Lulu is always in her glory when we go to a 

space with wide open fields where

she can run freely. 

Good thing for big sister's when little legs get tired. 

Maddie insisted on putting Lulu on her lead... Poor Lulu. 

Our girls... 

A rare  photo of me with my girls... 

Sara trying to cut down her tree.... 

It was harder then she thought. 

Her Father Stepped in..

So we wouldn't be at the farm until New Years....

Merry Christmas! From our Family to yours. 

one week

So, i am sitting here roasting myself in front of a fire... Drinking my morning cup, madelyne is eating a bowl of mint chip ice cream for breakfast... (yup she's our third) lol and i am thinking. Thinking about how good it is to just sit. I have been going going going for the last few weeks. Trying to prepare for shows and Christmas and life....
When it hit me.... One week. One week till Christmas day. I told jen this week that i was stressed. Christmas was becoming a stress for me. She loveingly reminded me that it was a stress because, well, we aren't focused on what christmas really is about. Yup. Thanks Jen. That is for sure. then my mind went to Mary. ( or Marylou as maddie insits on calling her... )
How do you think she felt one week before she gave birth to our Saviour? Do you think she was complaing about riding on the donkey? How about how uncomfortable you are a week before you give birth, do you think she was saying to Joseph how she couldn't wait to give birth? How she couldn't see her feet anymore...swollen ankles... Heartburn....having to go to the bathroom every ten minutes...can't sleep...can't eat very much....? I had never before thought about these things. Now throw on top of all that riding on a donkey for days going to Bethlehem....
Yikes. By the way have you ever riden bareback? I have. its not so comfortable ...now throw nine months pregnant into the equation.... Well anyway, lets just say she endured alot. She did! She did it to bring us the Messiah!
I want to tell Mary, one day when i get to meet her, Thank you. Thank you for giving life to the King of Peace. Thank you for all the sacrifices that you made as his Mom, even before he was born.
Anyway, that's what i was sitting here thinking about. Have a wonderful Sunday. Enjoy this upcoming week. Try not to be stressed about finding the perfect gift....we already have it.
I hope you have it too. But incase you don't and you want to know why that precious baby was sent to save us... Email me and i will share it with you.

happiness

I am happy.

Despite my life circumstances right now... I am trying to look 

at all the wonderful things. 

HERE GOES.....

1. Last night I got to go on a real date with my husband.

dinner and a movie.

2. Came home to a warm house. (Emily kept the fire going)

3. Came home to 3 kids in bed. 

(Emily got everyone to bed and then put herself to bed)

4. Came home to a clean clean home. 

(yup, Emily again.)

by the way.. I LOVE when she cleans up the kitchen. 

it always seems better when she does it

5. Going to cut down our Christmas tree today. 

It is Sara's year to pick... (this is a great honor...)

6. Despite the fact that I never get to pick the tree (I like a small tree the rest

LOVE the most ginormous tree you have ever seen)

I love this family tradition! 

7. I love my family. 

I am not sure how many more Christmas's I will have with all 3 of my girls 

living at home, As Emily is 18. 

(makes me so sad to think of a Christmas when

we are not all together) but I know that someday that 

will come. 

8. I have only bought one Christmas gift so far... 

i am trying not to stress about this... but I am usually done by now. 

but, I am going to trust that the LORD will

allow me to get it all done.

9. I have one more Christmas show this coming Sat. 

YIPPIE!!! 

so this week I will be sewing like a nut job again. 

10. I am so thankful for everything I have. 

God has blessed me with a wonderful husband, 

3 amazing little girls. 

and I am HIS. what more could I ask for. 

Have a blessed Saturday. 

Holiday Show

I had a fabulous show this weekend. 

The response was wonderful.

It made all my long hours of sewing and preparation worth it.

I was also invited to do another show on Dec 17th. This one is only a day.

PERFECT!

So, here are some photos from my set up. 

I was pleased with how it worked. 

I especially loved my monsters in my boxes in old wash tub!!! 

I also had my dolls in a Coca Cola box that I found at the 

hottest Flea Market Ever in Georgia! 

(Remember Maddie's Melt down, Jen????... Good Times.)

my monsters sold like wild fire... and I came home and made 12 more Sat night. 

It was great being with all these crafty ladies and making some

awesome connections. 

Thanks for all the support and prayer. 

Happy December 1st & a blessing

First , happy December 1st! WOW. how can that be already? 

Is this year flying by or is it just me? 

Last year when we cut our tree this truck was sitting on someone's farm

OH HAPPY DAY!

I did get out and ask the wonderful owner if I could take a photo of it.

She said yes, and It is one of my favorite shots that I took last year. 

And a blessing. 

Dom and I have been looking for a wood stove for about a year. 

We didn't have the money to buy a new one... 

That's okay. 

I started searching craiglist. 

Looked and looked. 

The problem is you see around this part of the country

People were putting rusty old stoves that had been stored outdoors... 

and they wanted a small fourtune for them... Yep some of them wanted 

over $1000.00 CRAZY.

So, I started searching farther west. and farther north. 

Still were not finding anything. 

Had the stove people come in to acess the chimney and they kinda 

sold me on gettting a brand new one. 

telling me I would never find anything. 

(but they forgot I have someone who has my best interest on my side)

YUP, God. 

(Guess I had kinda forgotten too..)

because the 

The very next night after they had been here....

Craigslist in Buffalo NY.... the 

exact stove we were looking for....

$250.00

no kidding. 

So, began the week of emailing this very very patient woman. 

the stove people told me this was to good to be true. 

No one sells this stove for 250.

they told me we were crazy for even thinking of driving 3 and 1/2 hours to purchase it.

But I didn't care. 

Dom didn't care. 

We left the kids at home and started out on our long drive. 

we drove 

and drove it started to snow... and the sun was shinning all at the same time. 

and we drove some more

and I kept thinking what a blessing it was that God was 

meeting our needs. 

To keep our family warm. 

I also kept thinking that we only live 30 minutes from NYC and 

were were driving was so completely wonderful and remote.

How incredibly beautiful the land is. 

So when we arrived the nice man, 

showed us into his garage where the stove was on a pallet and wrapped in shrink wrap.

They had clearly taken very good care of it. 

He handed us the owners manuel and 

I was soooo happy. 

the stove was beautiful! 

He knocked 25 off... and loaded all 550 pounds of her into the 

back of our truck. 

Dom strapped her down... and away we left. 

 We stopped and had a romantic lunch at McDonalds...

which was right next to a delicious TIM HORTON'S

Apple Fritter... yes please! 

and we started our adventure back. 

It was so nice to have about 8 hours alone... with my

husband. That rarely happens. 

On out way home we figured out why the stove was so cheap out that way...

Everyone, Everyone out there has woodburning stoves to heat their homes. 

We got home, 

Dom lined the chimney... with my assistance.. 

it took 3 days... 

we saved about 1000.00 dollars doing it our selves. 

and we went out and purchased a limestone hearth from a local quarry.

and Voila! 

It has just gotten cool enough to use! 

Praise God! He is good. He meets all of our needs...

even little ones like

heating our homes. 

     don't you just love my little mouse... so cute. 

thinking...

Don't forget if you haven't entered the giveaway for one of 

my littlest beansprouts... its the last day to enter  at Imprintalish.

the Holiday Boutique  that I am in is this weekend, starting Friday night. 

So, my Etsy shop will be closing Friday morning until Monday.

I am a little nervous... Hard putting your creative self right out there on a ledge. 

I have either made way to much or not nearly enough. 

being that i Have never done this before I had no way to judge.

We will just pray for the best... 

And I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by  this entire process of getting ready. 

Tags... Sewing... inventory list... 

I have 63 dolls

4 small monsters

17 medium monsters

9 Large monsters

& I have several berets and boy caps.

Still have 4 more little beansprouts to finish sewing. 

speaking of Etsy... 

I got my first order and first custom order all on the same day.

YAY for me. 

I have been waiting and waiting... and then it happened. 

Someone ordered. 

The hardest part about this is.... The person whom I would most 

like to share all this nonsense  with, 

JEN.... missing her like crazy.

 So I promised her I would  take tons of pictures.. and phone pictures

so she feels like she is with me. 

Wish me luck.. 

I will be back to regularly blog post when this event concludes! 

missing you guys!