Our broken road

The other side traggedy

2012-01-30T05:55:00.000-08:00

It's been almost a week since our electricity came back on and yet somehow the whole ordeal is still the number one topic of conversation. Some of the yards have been cleaned up a bit from all the tree limbs and the remnants of trees litter the roadsides still... the fresh cut of a downed tree still exposed as if sharing a view into its soul. As I look out into my yard, I have flashes from the movie Fern Gully flickering in and out. In the movie there is a scene where a forest of trees is branded with red Xs on all the trees subject to the cut throat evil of the developers. And then there is a view of the trees who have already met their ill fated futures, cut down and sad.... That is how I view our area lately. The trees are all broken off mid way, or fallen over completely, some even taking the roots right with them. There are sections of our woods that will never be there same and the clean up is far from over. We've only hit the tip of the ice burg, and I know that even once the fallen trees have been removed and our pathways have been uncovered... these woods will never be the same.

Along with the stories of snapping trees and an inconvenienced few days we all had to endure in some way, there are the other stories being told. Some of them are heart warming tales of neighbors pulling together, sharing what food or warmth they had to give. Friends reaching out from towns away to bring safety and comfort to friends in need. There are the amazing workman, who have worked so tirelessly on our behalf, some working nearly 36 hours straight to bring us our most prized conveniences like cable and hair dryers.... Those are the good stories that I want to remember from this ordeal while others stick with me and make me want to be a better person so as not to ever go to the dark places I think some people go to in times of need and panic....

Right along with the good stories, there have also been bad ones. Tragic occurrences like these tend to either bring out the really good in people or show ugly sides of people we never thought could be there. I have seen so many comments on FB of people complaining about the power outage, as if someone was to blame for it. They want to pin it on someone and make them pay. I have heard of great loss and people making snide comments as if they deserved it and more.... only because those individuals were not in the "norm". I have felt the need to get these thoughts out, but then wondered if I really should, if the words would come out right...and then the other day it was just too much.... while praying with other moms at my homeschool co-op, it was brought to my attention that they have actually had to call out police to guard the men and women working on the power lines.... yeah, there is that kind of ugly in the world where the very people trying to help us, putting their lives on the line to work around such dangerous trees, and weather, aren't even safe from the people they are trying to help....

As for me, everyone keeps asking me if we've gotten back to "normal" yet and I just have to answer "no"... because I don't want to.... That first 24 hours of no power, I will admit, was a bit overwhelming and I felt a panic that I've never felt before. We get so dependent on things like water coming out of our faucets and lights turning on on command that we don't know how to function when they are suddenly taken away. After we got used to having to think out our next move, and plan how we were going to execute things, there was a simplicity to life that I don't want to let go of. I think that it takes times like this to make us stronger and to show us who we really are. I'm proud of the way we handled the situation, and while I was very excited to have power again.... I'm glad for the times we spent in the dim light of our little livingroom tent....I'm glad that we chose to take the high road and pray for those who didn't...

97 hours of darkness

2012-01-24T23:06:00.000-08:00

Wow, where to begin... the power outage ended up lasting for 97 hours!!!

97 H O U R S!! I've heard of such things on the news, and heard stories of people who lived thru such things after natural disasters but honestly, do we ever think it will happen to us?! NO!

For 97 hours we huddled under that make shift tent in our living room. It was by no means toasty but it was warm enough. My fingers were cold tho so there was little knitting for me. Bummer huh? Nothing to do but stay warm and I couldn't even knit! :) You don't realize how fast a day can go by when you have to think out and execute every little thing you need. We were able to go to my husbands work that actually had power, and fill up water jugs and take a shower. Who would have thought that after 3 days of no shower, such a simple act would change my entire outlook on things! lol I felt like a million bucks! And we went home with drinking water to boot! It was a win win!

We were among the lucky ones, having the generator meant we didn't have to lose all of our food. I was able to move a lot of it into one freezer and that one freezer was hooked up to the generator. Then it became a game of putting food from the fridge outside in the snow, on the back porch and eventually into the freezer (the snow melted away fast with all the rain) that was not plugged in but still very cold as I had a few big containers of ice that just happened to still be in there. All and all, I think we only lost about $100 in food. It could have been SOO much worse! Some of my friends were able to be reimbursed their losses thru insurance, and we could have too but our deductible was higher than what we lost so I'll just consider ourselves lucky! :)

I've had a few people ask if this all happened due to the snow. Yes and no but mostly it was the freezing rain that quickly followed and then the wind that came thru with a vengeance.

It started out with a beautiful snow...

Followed by LOTS of freezing rain....

And ended in what looked like a tornado had come thru our trees....

It went from this.....
To this.....

What a difference a night can make huh?! lol

Indoor camping

2012-01-20T20:30:00.000-08:00

Its hard to believe its been over fifty hours since i first sat down to write about our blackout. We thought we were out if the woods when it came back on... only to last about an hour before going out for good.... and so, its been over fifty hours total that we've been without it and we don't really see an end in sight!

An adventure is putting it mildly! We managed that first night in the cold but after it had been out for over ten hours,the house temp definitely took a nose dive! Dh decided to brave the roads and head out to get us a generator, definitely not something in the budget but wow am I glad to have it!

When he first hooked it up, we were so excited to stand in front of it and feel heat coming out of our fireplace... but soon realized that it wasn't going to heat the room. It wasn't getting any warmer and it had been a few hours already! I must admit, I thought he was crazy. DH suggested we build a tent out of plastic to help hold the heat in. Maybe I was in denile about just how long we were going to be in this predicament. So, we moved the furniture in close to the fireplace and build a tent with big sheets of plastic we had from moving. I still can't believe the difference it makes! As long as we are in the tent, it is taking the chill off but boy, if you step out of the tent you'll know it!!

I still can't believe how crazy this is, sitting under a plastic tent in my living room watching movies on the laptop. But I can say how thankful I am to have such a resourceful husband!! :)

>

Simplicity unexpected

2012-01-19T06:43:00.000-08:00

It’s funny how a simple thing like electricity going out can cause what feels like chaos in a house hold. The mad dash for flashlights, the digging in junk drawers for matches, the occasionally tripping over a much confused dog or two… lol In the 30 minutes or so that its been out already, I’ve found my mind racing to figure out how we will manage without it and coming up fairly empty on answers. Our dinner was about half cooked, but not warmed enough to eat and after a bit of digging we have a nice warm glow coming from the candles we have placed around the house. I do find it funny all the little things that the girls keep asking if they work…. If I turn on the night light in the bathroom will it work? Why can’t we watch a show? Will you make me something to eat? Lol

IF you’ve watched the news at all, you know that the Pacific Northwest has been getting hit with one heck of a snow storm, on top of snow storm and yet another snowstorm! And now we await the freezing rain that's on its way! We have been finding it fairly comical to watch the news and see the reports of people who clearly weren’t using their heads while they were driving (SLOW DOWN!), or should have just been staying home all together.

Having spent time in Alaska, this little break from the rainy norm has been a welcomed diversion! Even our dog (who is an Alaskan husky) is in pure joy over the 10-12 inches of goodness that fell over night. She was literally like a kid in a candy store when she plowed out passed the girls to race them to the snow first! Lol

It’s times like this that we are forced to slow down and re-group… it shows us how programmed we are to something we’ve come to depend on entirely too much! I think back to pioneer days and what they must have felt when the sun went down and the lights grew dim. It’s no wonder they were early to bed and early to rise! Lol I have candles scattered all over and it still seems as tho the dark will swallow us up. It’s kind of funny just thinking that I am sitting here in the dark typing this out on my laptop! Typing out my thoughts are just so much easier than handwriting it and scratching out mistakes and such. Plus it would be an adventure in itself if I were to go in hunt of a notebook at the moment!! lol

Lego play by candlelight! :)

Of course, it doesn’t help that our house runs completely on electricity, and that the only fireplace we have also plugs into the wall!! Ah, the joys of being renters! Blah! We are starting to feel the temperature in the house drop and the layers are coming out. Our trusty knit slippers and cozy robes are coming to the rescue for now but to be honest I’m not sure how we’ll manage long term. DH ran into town to fill up the propane tanks (I do believe I remember mentioning about that a few days ago! I’m not one to say I told you so tho! Lol) If it gets too bad we could go out in the camping trailer and stay warm that way plus I’d have the stove to be able to cook on out there. Hot water might come in handy… oh wait! We have very little bottled water! Ok, maybe I need to make a list of things we need to have on hand or rethink in case this happens again!! Lol I guess we’ll just have to go find some clean snow out there! Oh the adventure!

FYI- The power ended up being out for about 10hours... so we layered up and added a few blankets to the bed and snuggled in for the night! :) The list of survival gear to have has grown tho... will be saving for a small generator! :) Last night makes me think of this song... it's one of my favors... just picture two adults, two kids, a cat and a jack russell under a feather down comforter! ha!

Dying to be creative!

2012-01-16T01:10:00.000-08:00

I started this year off with ideas of what I wanted the new year to be... goals I want to accomplish I guess. Not really resolutions, because come on, how many of those do we actually follow thru on? I set a goal for myself to really use my stash of crafting materials this year, to at least try not to by any materials but rather use what I already have! I know I'm only two weeks into this challenge but I'm really excited with what we have accomplished so far and am really enjoying the joy that I feel when I have completed a project... So take a look into what the girls and I have been doing this week and how we turned this boring Fisherman's wool into something to really get excited about! :)

We started with this Fisherman's wool that can be bought at Michaels or JoAnn's (use a 40% coupon and it's a great deal!)

I then used this chair to wrap the yarn around and get it ready for dying... you can see I had lots of help for this stage of the process! lol NOT! Kobuk enjoyed this step way more than I did! lol

Then we used cotton yarn to tie the yarn into something we could hopefully keep somewhat neat! I read that you could use cotton yarn because it will not get colored in this process and will then stand out easier in the mess of colors and yarn.

From here on, you should probably follow this tutorial. It's the one that we used and it turned out great! Definitely take her warning about the red tho.... that stuff is wicked!!! One the first batch the colors really bled... on our second batch R accidentally poured almost a whole packet in... and it was VERY RED!!!!! lol So red that I had to dump the water because the yarn wasn't soaking up all the color, nor did I want it too!! Luckily, I was able to add in some other colors and all was not lost. I'll have to post pics of the second batch tomorrow tho as it is still drying and we have yet to use the yarn baller with it yet! Another day!

Now J is plotting her newest project... a scarf! She has been knitting for awhile now but only making little projects like book marks. So, I gave her a challenge. If she makes her own scarf and finishes it, I will make her a pair of matching mittens. I guess I gave myself a challenge too since I've never actually made mittens before! lol I like a good challenge and it has given her the boost she needs to keep going. She even asked if she could knit in bed instead of reading! I so enjoy doing these kind of creations with my girls. I hope they learn to love creating worthwhile and useful items and that with hard work and perseverance you can create beautiful things no mass producing machine could compete with!

Duck, Duck, Coyote

2012-01-15T22:59:00.000-08:00

I really thought that I had run out of tears this week. My face has ached from it actually and I thought I was done... but Mother Nature had another idea.

It was actually a wonderful morning. Our first snowfall of the winter had come in the night and the world was a calm and quiet that only a winter white day can bring. The girls actually couldn't wait to get outside and before I knew it they were bundled up in their pjs, rain boots and a miss matched collection of hats, mittens and layers of coats. There was no stopping them. It was actually pretty comical. Hubby FINALLY had a day off and we were enjoying a cup of hot coffee on the porch while the girls played. Not long after, the girls and I went in to warm up and make more coffee while Daddy stayed outside. I saw him out of the corner of my eye as he walked in the direction of our duck pen.... I saw him looking around and then I realized that Max was no where to be seen....he had to just be inside out of the snow right? I knew that something was up....

I won't go into details but things were not alright, and Max is no longer with us. There was no being strong in front of the girls this time, and it literally felt like my heart was breaking even before I had to tell them the bad news. I had seen a coyote earlier in the day, so I made sure to keep Max penned up. I thought that would keep him safe but it just wasn't enough...

What I want to know is how... not how this creature took the life of our much loved pet.... there is no going back on that now, but rather, how do you move on from this? How do you deal with the loss that comes from living in the country and having animals. Is it something that you just have to get used to? Is that really even possible? I don't want to be so hardened to life that I don't love animals or that I just don't care at all but I do have to wonder if I am cut out for this. I so want to be more self reliant and live off the land but at the same time I just don't know how to manage the heart ache....

There's a change in the air

2012-01-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one that hates taking down Christmas decorations.... it's really not the act of taking them down and packaging them up for another year that I dispise, it's the come down off such a warm and cozy season down to an other wise bleak and dreary month of January. Everyone else seems to be happy to have the holidays over with, to get it out of site and move on and here I am on the 14th of January, just now taking my holiday decor down! lol We took our tree down last weekend but I have been dragging my feet on the rest of it...

I just woke up this morning, after a long emotional week (the funeral was yesterday) and decided that today was the day... there was a change in the air... I could feel it... So I dug out the storage boxes and packed away our treasured decorations. All the special little things that just seem to "make" the season... they are all packed away with care

It was almost exciting to get out something "new". I always enjoy setting up the buffet with pictures and the mantel with photos and trinkets we've collected too. I store my mantel decor in the drawers of my buffet so there are always little things that get lost in there, tucked into table runners and table cloths...so my display from year to year is always kinda of the same but with a different flare. :) I was digging out some frames that I knew were in there and would go with my Valentine's theme, when I reached between two layers of a table cloth and found this... I knew just what it was as my fingers touched it and I had a big lump in my throat before my eyes even saw it...

This was the first wedding present we received before our wedding...I remember getting it and being so moved that it was so early and had been specially made just for us...This picture doesn't do it justice but it is simply beautiful... and was the first time I'd seen our names together and with the date like this... It also meant so much that it was from Aunt Joy.....

So once again, I had a good cry...

And just in case there is any question... I am not trying to wish this time away and rush the holiday of Valentine's day either... I want to enjoy every minute of every day with my husband and two girls.... I just love the favorite pictures and the essence of LOVE in the decor....I will take all these bleak January days... with high hopes of snow and warm days knitting by the fire place. We drink more tea and read more books and try to savor the stillness of the season.... I think these quiet reflective days make the spring and summer that much sweeter! :)

A black cloud

2012-01-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

I feel like there is a black cloud hovering over me... I have felt it for a few days now and for once it's not because of my dreary location...it's due to loss...the kind of loss that has no words, no way of fully being able to describe it, no real relm of comprehension that life is changing and we can't go back...

I'll warn you now, and apologize for rambling... I just need to get this out in hopes of healing...

We take it for granted when we are kids. We get used to being able to count on certain things and don't realize that we are making memories that will stay with us forever...they help to shape us and give us a sense of belonging. I've been thinking a lot lately about what has shaped me as a person. The little things, events and people that have helped to make me who I am today. My very earliest memories are with my Gram and her sisters.... I look back now and I realize how lucky I was to get to spend time with these great ladies.

My Gram is the baby of two brothers and three sisters. I never got to meet one her brothers and the other one lived away, but those three sisters are so much of a part of my growing up and the memories that have been filling my mind these last few days....they are woven into my very being and the memories are so vivid....lunches out with them and my Great Papa Harry, visits to their houses (two of them being basically on the same street as us) and one amazing car ride to Florida for a trip to Disney..... gosh those ladies had some patience! lol

As an adult, I now realize how lucky I was to have such a sunny childhood, surrounded by people who loved me. I know it couldn't have been easy to have a toddler always in tow and I know they probably dreaded it at some point, just out of human nature, but I never felt it... I just always felt safe and loved and included....I have memories of all four sisters gathered around the table in a restaurant near a buffet... they were all cackling (I mean this in the nicest way) and eating and all was right with the world... that's how memories work as a child... you don't realize that they were probably frustrated with the day-to-day life like we are today, you just remember the good.... the smiles, the laughing, and the way they made you feel.

My Gram lost one of her sisters years ago, and Aunt Bern has been so missed...I remember thinking that I couldn't imagine life without her in it too... but new memories have been made with the remaining two sisters.... I long sinced moved away but those lunches I had with them still stick in my mind with such love... as do the lunches and visits we have when I return....

I am preparing to take my girls back for a visit for the first time since my gram has had her strokes and the dementia has taken so much of her... and those lunches are the a thing of the past now.... and would be lacking so much....a few days ago, my world lost another one of those treasured woman and my Gram lost another sister....

My Aunt Joy passed away at the age of 85. Just saying that seems impossible. I can't seem to believe it. She's just gone and I keep waiting to wake up and have it not true...

Aunt Sis, Gram, Aunt Joy

This cloud just keeps hovering and I just keep praying for peace, glad that she's not hurting and never had to suffer. I know its being selfish to be so sad but I just can't fathom her not being there.... and I hope she knew how much I loved her... I love her... In the words of my seven year old after telling her about Aunt Joy.... " Ah... I miss her already"

If you are still reading this, I thank you for being there.... I just needed to get that all out and have a good cry... thanks for listening...

One last inspiration of 2011

2012-01-04T06:27:00.000-08:00

I always have the best of inspirations. I see great ideas on other blogs, or simply dream up a craft on my own (I'm often creating even in my sleep! lol) and I'm even good about getting the materials to make them happen.... but the follow thru just isn't there. I really do mean to but somehow the days just get away from me and unfortunately there are many crafts in our closets that are still waiting to come to life!

Making candles has been on my list for so long, I don't even remember how long! I was so excited to find an older gentleman at our church who raises bees so that I could purchase local bees wax!! I love the idea of taking something ugly and "worthless" and turning it into something beautiful and useful! :) But again... the days just slip away from me and this blob of beeswax has been taunting me from the pantry for months now! So, just two days before the new year, when nothing else about my day seemed to be going right I decided to drop everything and make those darned candles! No more putting it off till the perfect time for a learning opportunity, no more casting it off till tomorrow.....and one less unfinished project was going into the new year! :)

We started off with this blog of beeswax that had to be cleaned and cut into smaller pieces...

Then we melted it in a coffe can placed in a big pot of simmering water, and began dipping the wick into the wax. It didn't go an easily as I had envisioned... and then I realized that the wax just wasn't sticking to the wick so we got out an old jar and filled it with ice water. We alternated dipping it in the wax and then into the ice water and after just a few dips the wax started to build up and the candle started to take shape!!

When all was said and done, we had made 4 beeswax candles!! These candles were far from "pretty" but I think for a first try they were pretty good! I'm sure there is a right way to make them and I'm sure we were not doing it by any rules of candle making so the fact that they turned out at all is a small miracle! lol The girls were so excited to eat dinner by candle light and it really opened the door for so much nice conversation. The girls love learning about pioneers and pretty much anything having to do with them so it was really fun to have started with such a raw resource as the beeswax and followed it all full circle into a useful item in the house.

I know as adults it probably seems silly to sit in the dark with two little candles eating dinner but there is something calm and enjoyable about taking away all the distractions and just focusing on the food in front of us and the people closest to us. While we won't be eating every meal in the dark, we will definitely be doing this more often. I think it makes for such a nice meal time experience and something I hope my girls will grow up treasuring as much as I do!

I've joined in on these great parties!

The Story of US

2011-12-31T10:42:00.000-08:00

I had it all worked out, after a few years of feeling lost I had finally decided on a goal. I had been accepted at a college back east and actually felt empowered by my choices.... I can remember my mom asking what she could do to talk me out of it and I joked "Get orders to Alaska".... God wasn't messing around! It was definitely clear that I had strayed away from His plans for me and He was about to reign me in! I kept on course with my plans, even putting in my deposit ...and within the month, my parents had orders to Alaska and there was never any question about where I was heading next....Within 6 months I would be living in the cold north of the Alaskan frontier!

Meanwhile, already in Alaska was a wonderful man going through a terrible divorce and thus swearing off women forever! He had no idea what he was in for! :)

I knew when I went that Alaska was going to change me. You don't get that kind of life altering direction from a higher being for just anything! I didn't however know that it would only take a few short months before my life would never be the same again.... I'd actually started dating someone else but it didn't take long to see that wasn't going to last. BUT, it was him that set me up to meet Jason and he probably never even knew it! I guess I owe that guy a big thank you! He made an innocent comment something like "You're a cute girl, you should try one of those internet dating sites!" This was SOOO not something I needed to hear from a guy that had just dumped me! lol Or so I thought at the time.... :)

For some reason, that small comment haunted me, annoyed me and eventually ended up becoming a challenge for me to conquer. I did end up putting myself out there and ended up meeting some really nice guys (some of who I am still friends with today!) . Oh, and don't worry, I only dated guys that were in my Dad's realm of checking up on before I actually met them in person !! I wasn't meeting just anyone from on the internet- are you crazy?!

Well, as it so happened, Jason was having a bad night one night and just so happened on to my profile.... but he didn't think much of this arrangement and did nothing about it.... again, God had a plan. I thought that I wasn't getting any responses because I hadn't gotten any notifications for about a month. Then for some reason, I logged in to check something on my account and I actually had hundreds! Talk about an ego boost! lol I went thru the list and deleted the obvious "no" guys and wrote to just a few that seemed promising.... one of which had just come in the night before from a guy with a little boy....God had gotten us back on track! :)

We spent the next month, to the day, emailing and talking on the phone. We could talk for hours!! Actually our first phone conversation lasted for 4!! lol Which is really funny looking back, because he hates talking on the phone! Then one night, after we'd hung up the phone, I just couldn't take it any more and had to know in person how this was going to go. I called him back on a whim and we met up in town just a little while later at a coffee shop called Jitters. The rest is what they would call "history". From that day on, we were inseparable. I knew the first time I heard his voice on the phone that he was either "the one" or he was going to break my heart into a million pieces.... but I was betting on the forever option!

We got engaged and married within 7 months of that first meeting....

I am just blown away at how good God is to us. I think of the journeys that both of us took to get to the places we needed to be to meet each other and how we could have easily gone a stray. God just kept inching is back on course to finding each other and he's been guiding us together ever since.

The Eagle River Nature Center on our wedding day!

I am so lucky to have found my best friend and I hope that if you are reading this, you have found yours too... but if you haven't, don't give up and don't be afraid to keep looking if that little voice inside of you doesn't think he/she's "the one". When it's right, you just know!

Looking back, I love that we got married on New Years Eve... we get to start each new year together! :)

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A season of blessings

2011-12-30T16:12:00.000-08:00

I really don't know where the time goes! It seems like it was just yesterday that we were getting home from our trip and getting the house in shape for Christmas!! How does it all just slip away so fast?

This season has been full of so many blessings I don't even know where to start! With the surprise kick off to the holidays, the wonderful time spent with family and these two amazing little girls I have the privilege to be raising, I really don't think I would possibly be any more blessed....

We jumped into decorating the house just as soon as we got home and even started what I think might just be a new tradition of cutting down our own tree!! The memories of that day and the joy I saw in my girls' eyes when they got to "help" Daddy cut it down will forever be a Christmas favorite!

Of course there was lots of crafting....

These little guys were made as part of an ornament exchange with Living Craft magazine

The girls each made these trees and cinnamon ornaments for a kids swap with Bits of Goodness!

And quiet moments...

A beautiful night of Solstice!

And of course our beautiful candle lit service at church!

Now the days seem to be going by even fast and the new year is upon us.... I so enjoy the quiet days in between these holidays... the games we play, the books we read and the yummy food we share with each other and our friends. I hope you are all able to take a few quiet moments to take it all in this holiday season... I don't' want to rush even a minute of it...

Counting our blessings continued

2011-12-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure when it even started, this world of blogging and following people's lives online. I think I really just happened on to a blog I liked and it became a new world of "friends" online when I so needed the outlet for ideas and support on this Waldorf-ish homescholing journey. I lived in an area that was so foreign to the idea that sometimes I think it would have been just as easy to live on Mars... .

Now are in our forth year of homeschooling (pre-k thru 2nd), and I can't even begin to express how fortunate I feel about the people I have met, both in person and thru blogs online and am just so thankful for the support and opportunities that we have happened on to. I became involved with a yahoo group called BitsofGoodness, which gave us the chance to see crafting and creating our own natural toys in a whole new way! And then, again thanks to a blog, I happened on to this amazing magazine LivingCraft and actually got to be part of a group of ladies from all over the world who made ornaments, swapped them and were part of an article in the magazine. Unfortunately, mine was not included due to some issues with Canadian customs (they lost ALL of my ornaments! and had to be remade gasp!!) but I was still part of the swap and have continued to be for the next two years.... It has been such a fun holiday tradition to make ornaments for the this group of ladies and to received some amazing creations from them too!!

This blogging world has been such a big blessing to my life that I would like to send out some goodness from my blog too! :) I still have an extra issue from the magazine that the original article was in and I made extras of the ornaments I sent out to my swap partner this year. So go enter for a chance to win either a magazine or my two little creations. you have the option of having them with or without a hanger so you can use them for an ornament or for play on a nature table! :)

(sorry for the sideways pic! I can't get it to go the right way! )

So go enter and tell your friends! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Counting our blessings....

2011-11-30T18:25:00.000-08:00

How do you count your blessings?

Is it based on the things you have; cars, toys and electronics? Is it based on the amount of friends you have on FB or followers on your blog? Or maybe it's based on the amount of great deals you get after standing in line for hours at the store?

The last two weeks has been full of counting our blessings around here. We made our yearly trip to visit family for hunting season,after surviving a very hectic period of crazy work schedules and a two day long craft show. We started the trip by being blessed with gas money from the craft show. Really.... such a big blessing!!

The longest trip Linus had ever been on was to go camping so I was a bit nervous! He was SO good!!

The trip was beautiful but we arrived only to get hit with a terrible cold front, blowing wind that cuts right thru you and elk that just weren't cooperating. Being separating from hubby for six days ended up with nothing for the freezer. :( But the time we got to spend with family and friends was the real blessing. My husband got to spend some quality time with one of his best friends from high school while the girls and I got to spend quality time with my inlaws.

The Princess and the Pea was wonderful!!

I think that blessings come in all shapes and sizes. Not only did we arrive safely and got to stay with dear friends en-route but we got to experience snow (our all time favorite!!), good visits with family and a few trips to Hobby Lobby! lol The girls and I even got to attend a musical at my husband's old high school!! lol Again, sometimes blessings come in small unexpected packages... and sometimes they come on planes all the way from Kansas to surprise us!!! But, I'm getting ahead of myself!!

DH and I took advantage of the opportunity to sneak out for a movie while we had a babysitter ( a VERY rare occurrence in our house!) and got to see one of THE best movies I think I have ever seen.... Courageous! If you haven't seen this movie, you really should try to seek it out... I think every parent, Christian and person in general should see this movie... we all need to be a little more Courageous!!

These little guys are heading to Hawaii but you can order yours thru my shop! :)

And now, back to that plane load of family from Kansas!!! I was enjoying a quiet day with no plans other than some wood burning (for a huge special order) and the girls were enjoying the chance to catch up on Disney shows.... needless to say, we were also enjoying a late morning in our pjs!!! WELL.... my dear MIL had said that she had to go in to work for a few hours so we were in no hurry to get around and start the day.... when all of a sudden.... she pulled up along with my SIL and out popped the heads of ALL of our family from Kansas!! They had all worked it out to come from Kansas, a college in Tennesee and New Mexico to surprise us for Thanksgiving!!! Surprise us they did and I have never gotten dressed faster! lol

While the time seemed to fly, it was also so full of new memories and funny stories... and of course FOOD!! :) Isn't it funny how certain things just taste better when eaten with certain people!? lol Jason's aunt even brought us our favorite goodies from KS, coffee and homemade snacks that we always SOO enjoyed at her house!! For a few short days, we had a house full of family around us and more fun that I can possibly describe.... We are so very blessed in all the big and small ways... in all the ways that matter....

How do you count your blessings?

One last blessing.... two deer will be going in our freezer for the winter! :) So very thankful!!

A creative success!

2011-11-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a peak of my table at the craft show last weekend! It was cold and blustery outside but that didn't seem to slow the shoppers down! It was warm and cozy inside and definately full of Christmas cheer! I kept pretty busy throughout the two days, so much so that I forgot to take more pictures!! The lodge we were set up in was just beautiful!! I so wish I would have captured it! I guess I'll just have to do it again next year! :)

By the end of the two days, my stock was pretty well picked over but I was excited at how my toys were received! I came home with a lot less toys than I went with and a few orders for more that I need to make before Christmas! :)

I sold a bunch of my peg dolls too!! I only came home with a hand full of them but am happy to take orders for more! :) I've actually been working on orders today! :)

The highlight of my day was when one of the other vendor's little boys came over to show me his sketch pad!! He had been drawing my monster puppets!!!

Neglected space

2011-11-08T23:12:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry this little space has been neglected.... but really I have a good excuse! I have been so busy getting ready for a craft show that I hardly know what day it is! lol The show is this weekend and what ever doesn't sell will be listed in my shop asap! :) Don't you just want to take them all home?

Young Scholar’s Guide to Composers Review

2011-10-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

While planning our year of homeschooling a few months ago, I had SOO many things I wanted the girls to learn about. We have enjoyed learning about trains/travel, pioneer life and read a number of Classic books but I also wanted then to start learning about music. They have been listening to Bach, Mozart and Vivaldi since they were babies so the actual music would not be a new thing to them, however the people behind the music would be a new discovery for them.

I started getting ready for this aspect of school by purchasing a dvd series called Little Amadeus. I thought this would be a great starting point to get the girls interested in learning about the people who made this amazing music we've been listening to! :) And THEN, I just happened to get an email from Joy at Timberdoodle, asking if I'd like to review Bright Ideas Press' Young Scholar's Guide to Composers!! What amazing timing!!

I must say, I think I would rather have the hard copy of this book rather than the e-book version. I am just a more hands on type of person and have a hard time flipping through pages online versus having a book in hand. That being said tho, I loved the way the book is organized into periods and the helpfulness of the teacher introduction and then the student one also. In the teacher introduction, it gives you a layout of how to use this book daily, which I really appreciate. I hate getting a huge book of wonderful educational information and feeling overwhelmed with how to present it.

My daughter is a bit on the young side for this book (2nd grade), but she has still gotten SO much out of it and will continue to as we work on it the rest of the year. I like that the book includes different games/ ways to review the names of the composers, the periods they came from and the songs that they wrote.

Over all, I think this is a GREAT resource, perfect music for homeschool and makes learning this part of history very easy. There would be little to no planning involved but SOO much learning!! I am so glad we got to review this book and would refer my friends to it without hesitation. :) While you're at it, be sure to get your free homeschool catalog... you won't be sorry!! :)

We have so enjoyed learning about Mozart and other musicians and can't wait to use this to help us learn more about Tchaikovsky as we move into the holiday season and our favorite ballet, The Nutcracker in the next few months! Music is such a wonderful part of learning! :)

Legal Disclosure:
As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free copy of A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.

Santa's elf at work...

2011-10-23T00:14:00.000-07:00

The holidays are fast approaching.... shh... don't tell me how many days! I don't want to know! :)LaLaLaLa... picture me covering my ears!:) I know the time will go way too fast!! I have already started collecting the few store bought things that Santa will be bringing and am starting to get to work on a few handmade presents from Daddy and I too....

And then, just now, I happened on to a blog giveaway on my dear friend Robin's site that would put Santa's elf a bit ahead of the game ! They are the cutest little things and you really should see them! :) After having real little hermit crabs, I guarantee these will live longer! lol

Go check out this adorable give-a-way now!

ABC of Me

2011-10-09T13:17:00.000-07:00

Stop by my book blog Books2BridgeMiles to see our newest project and be sure to check back on Mondays and Friday to join in on the fun!! :)

Sniffles coughs and moans....tips for helping to keep your family cold and flu free

2011-10-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

Now that fall has officially arrived, our house (like so many others) have been fighting head colds and allergies as the weather decides on the temperatures it is going to keep and the trees and other plants begin to lose their leaves. It's pretty much inevitable that we are going to have some sickness come our way but I'm not about to go down without a fight! lol

I've already started making more warm healing soups and have started us all taking more vitmin C and D too but sometimes it's just not enough. Little kids can only "catch" so many of the sneezes and coughs so I try to make up for it in other ways...

With the days getting shorter, it's easier to sleep in a bit later (I'm sooooo thankful we can do that as homeschoolers) thus getting more rest..... lots of hot baths to wash away the germs... and I think the biggest help is the fact that I go around the house wiping down all the door knobs, doors themselves, light switches and anywhere else I can picture little fingers going.... While you're at it? Dont' forget remotes, phones and computer keyboards!! Why not just have a bath party for Little People? I shutter at the thought of the amount of germs those little guys collect!! lol

Another thing that seems to happen around this time of year? Tissue boxes become a new decoration in every room! ha! Why not just have them handy at all times?

My youngest is now probably too old for it, but we still use the grocery cart seat cover. It has a bit of padding to it so I'm sure it's more comfortable and she actually asks to take it in! My hubby gets annoyed having to carry one more thing in the store but I figure that it's just one more protection from the germs of a little kid who used it before us that should have been kept home instead of going to the store spreading germs to strangers! :) And don't forget to wash the seat cover regularly too! :) Gosh, there is a lot of washing going on in our house right now. How about yours?

I think that when it comes to keeping your family healthy, it's really good to think old school... keep them home when you can, put a hat on their head when they do have to go out and have something warm to eat or drink waiting for them when they return! :)That has me thinking.... I think I'll set another pot of tea on and start another knit hat.... you can never have too many! :)

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Lysol blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

The search for the great pumpkin...

2011-10-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

Fall is definitely here in the Pacific NW. It feels like we've been inching towards it in baby steps, being spoiled with a nice day here or there but now, it is here with a vengeance! The rain is starting to set in and I'm afraid my days of berry picking in the sunshine and wearing flip flops is over.... I could be sad about it but really I am looking forward to all the fall activities and tho we missed some this last weekend, we got the month off to a great start yesterday at the first of many planned trips to a local farm!

The kids enjoyed going thru the hay maze in the barn, which was a great idea considering how much it rains here! lol I just couldn't get over how pretty it looked with the lights cascading from the ceiling like a spider web! I love how this picture turned out but it still didn't capture it completely!

And of course, no trip to a farm is complete without animals to pet!!

And you know these little guys were a favorite :O) Say an extra prayer that we get a call in a month or so when they are in need of a new home! :") I left my name and number! lol

I think he was wanting to pet them but I so afraid that he was getting the wrong end of the deal! lol

Who doesn't love a good hay ride!? Again, this farm was really thinking things out by having them covered! We were lucky and it was dry while we were there but you know there are many wet days to come!

This particular farm also raised trees for Christmas time. We got to see all the trees in various sizes on our tractor ride!

When it was all said and done, the girls had each found their perfect pumpkin and we'd acquired two more for baking and 6 miniature ones to add to our fall decorating! It was a wonderful day out with friends (I feel so blessed to have other homeschooling moms to make this journey with) and a day full of new memories with my girls!! Now on to the next farm in a few weeks for apple picking!!! :) Isn't fall grand?

The countdown begins!

2011-10-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

I realized a few days ago how fast time is flying by.... its only 6 weeks till my big holiday craft show and I still have so much to do!! I sat down and made out a schedule of how many puppets, playfood and peg dolls I need to create each week to hit my target goal for the show!! Needless to say, it's going to be a busy 6 weeks but I think I got off to a good start don't you think?!

Once I get a few more in the done pile, I'll be hosting a give away so be sure to check back often for a chance to win!!:)

What becomes of the broken hearted...

2011-10-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a sad 24 hours in our house.... We lost one of our much loved ducks....not to sickness but rather mother nature in some way....we don't know details....only a handful of white feathers in a path leading into our woods. Meanwhile, Max ( the duck left behind) is just lost. He was the one that tipped us off that something was wrong when we saw him walking in circles in the backyard... him and his brother were never more than a few feet apart. The girls were beside themselves and I found myself at a loss. I'm sure I was a sight tho... walking around the back yard with a gun following feathers.... It's not that I really thought that I would find him alive. I guess I just wanted to be prepared.

It's been a whole day now, and it just makes me sad to look out and see Max by himself. I have feelers out to everyone I know looking for another duck or two to be his friends. I have a lead on one, so please keep your fingers crossed that it works out. I just got back inside from putting Max to bed and he was a nervous wreck. I actually had to get a hold of him and hold him while he calmed down and stopped shaking. I know it must be terrible going back to his pen and pond. He didn't even step foot in the pond today.... That's where I found the most feathers so I'm sure poor Max has bad memories.... I've never really thought about the intelligence of a duck. I wonder how long he'll remember this terrible incident... and if there is anything we can do to help...

The neverending battle....

2011-09-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

.... of toys!!

How do you do it?! How do you have a house that looks presentable and yet kid friendly?! This is a subject that I struggle weekly, daily and hourly! lol

It was just last a week or so ago that I woke up and decided our school room needed a change and headed off to the lumber store with a list of measurements and came home with a pile of cut wood ready to assemble!! But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself!

I, by no means have all the answers, or even any of the answers... and my husband would laugh if he ever read this but I do keep trying..... and keep trying.... so here's my top ten!

Ten best strategies for de-cluttering and organizing toys in your child’s playroom

1.Over the door shoe racks!!
These work great for more than shoes!

2. Big bowls from thrift stores...
Work great for storing little toys and look nice on a shelf

3. Build in shelves
Every closet has wasted space and each time we move I am out to find out how to use it to the best of my ability!!

4. Clear bedding bags
You know, the kind that come with sheets and comforters? They work GREAT to storing toys and slide easily under beds!

5. Clear totes
These stack easily at the top of closets (out of reach of children). I have mine labeled with what's in them and the kids have to ask before getting them out! This ensures that the last mess they made is cleaned up before I will get more little pieces out! :)

6. Sweater boxes
They aren't just for sweaters! They word great under beds for bedtime reading, extra clothes and of course .... toys! :)

7. Wooden Cubes (or rectangles)
These can be made from basic wood pieces you can have cut at your local lumber store. I bought a few of them from a friend and have made more since. They are easy to stack and have served the purpose of holding my scrapbooking materials, serving as nightstands for awhile and currently holding books!!

8. Huge Bucket
My girls have a never ending collection of stuffed animals! I think they are multiplying at night!! So we got those big buckets, in the gardening section, and they each have one in their closet to help corral their zoo!

9. Curtains
I know this isn't really an organizing secret but it does make things look nicer!! Instead of having a shelf that is out there for all to see... why not cover it with a curtain and give the appearance of being neat and tidy! :)

10. I know I should have something profound for it being the last one... but really I think it all comes down to.... if they play with it.... and really enjoy it, you'll make it work. If you are constantly finding it on the floor or cast off under the bed, is it really something they love or rather something they are casting off to get it out of the way of they things they do? :)

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

2011-08-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

My name is Hallie and I am a wood burning addict.... lol

That's what I feel like these days... I get up when hubby goes to work and by 6 I am working on another wooden toy creation and laughing at myself for enjoying it so much!! lol

This little guy is for a swap with BitsofGoodness. I so enjoy these swaps... you could say they are addicting too! :) Anyways, this little guy is hanging out on the play mat I made R a few years ago and he comes with three little discs to help him plant his garden: row marker for carrots, seed packet and shovel!

When you flip them over, you find his garden has grown! There are carrots, tomatoes and a bunny! What garden isn't complete without a bunny competing for the vegetables? :)

And to make him ready for travel, they all fit in this little bag! :)

Not a part of any toy swaps? I made one extra and he's just waiting in my shop for a new home! :)

A gift...

2011-08-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

It's funny to me how the universe brings us what we need when we need it.... I've always believed that but sometimes have to be reminded from time to time....

From the time I was little I have had this gift of thrifting... I don't know how I was blessed with it, and feel kinda snobby even talking about it but when it comes right down to it, I really do have a gift when it comes to thrifting and I really do feel blessed by it... over and over again...

My first experience with it came when I was probably 4 or 5. I was going with my grandparents as they set up at a flea market. I can remember being told to bring a jacket and fighting that I didn't need one. Then my next memory was opening the door and seeing the fog floating across the field of tables being set up and thinking that I had been soooo wrong!! What is it about being a kid and just having to fight what we think are terrible rules? lol Anyways, I can remember thinking that I was going to be sick, it was so chilly and I didn't have any room to complain! My gram took me to look around while my papa started to set up their tables and I remember bending down to look thru a box and finding a Cabbage Patch blanket for $.75!! What luck!! I had it wrapped around me for the rest of the morning!! I still have that blanket to this day... yes, I know I'm a packrat! :)

From then on, I have always had the best of luck at finding what I need/want at yard sales, thrift shops and even the occasional dump! lol In high school, I even passed that luck on to friends that would take me shopping with them when they needed to find the perfect dress! After I got my first prom dress for less than $20 (new) they became believers in my gift too! lol

I think I must be passing it on to my girls now... I must sound like a terrible parent in the store tho. I can remember my oldest wanting one of those electronic dogs on a trip to Toys R Us. You know the ones... they bark and pant and cost a small fortune? Yeah, as we are looking at it in the store, I told her that in a few months, after Christmas had passed that we would start finding them in thrift stores when the other kids got tired of them and then we could get them and "rescue" the homeless toy dogs... little did I know how true that would be! A few months later, on Freecycle, someone listed not the little dog that we'd been looking at but the $200+ big electronic lab! He even came with working batteries and his very own bone! Now my girls make comments in the stores when they see something they like.... "Guess we'll have to keep our eye out for that one huh Mom?" lol I love it!! :)

If you've been reading my blog for very long, you already know about the newest "treasures" as we call them, that fell into our laps. Again... we are so blessed... But more so, I think that it's all about timing. I think that had I found those tools a few years ago I wouldn't have known what to do with them, or at the very least I would have bought them and they would have set in my closet unused. But to get them now, when I am ready for them? It's amazing!!

I have been a wood burning fool! lol I've been working on toys swaps, and gifts and even a few custom orders from friends! As soon as I get caught up I am hoping to start listing some in my etsy shop too! After years of feeling out of place at our last location, I feel like I can truly feel the glow of God's good favor on us. I know it's probably silly to feel that finding the best tools for our hobbies is a blessing from God, or that he would waste his time on such trivial things is crazy but I really do... We were ready for it and He is opening doors for us....

After having such good luck with the wood working tools, a few days later I got a call from one of my favorite thrift shops in town. They have a wish list board and I had added a reel mower (yes I know I'm crazy) and a spinning wheel. I knew that they were both long shots but figured I had nothing to lose! Well, a few months ago, she did get in a reel mower (which I love by the way!) and then a few weeks ago she had gotten in a spinning wheel!! The price however was A LOT more than I was willing to put out for something I had never tried before! lol She asked what I was willing to pay for one if she ever got one in again. I explained that I was really just looking for something to try out, not a big investment so I was looking for a cheap one, probably not more than $50. At the time I thought for sure that I had blown it. I would never possibly find one that cheap in a thrift store, and sighed as I kissed my dream of spinning my own yarn away... but wait!! She called again! A lady had overheard her talking to me on the phone. She said that she had a spinning wheel at home that she had used in while and that I could have it for $50!!!! You remember that gift I told you I had about finding what I need/want? I think it's been in over drive lately! lol

So, within a few hours of getting the call I was in at the store and bringing my new "baby" home... :) But just wait... God wasn't finished with me yet.... but that will have to wait for another day! :)

I love learning about the process of things. Whether it's making a recipe from scratch or turning wool from a sheep into yarn that will later keep my kids warm on a cold winters day... the process is the real journey and I'm so glad to be on this adventure....

2011-08-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

I was featured!!! Go check out the other amazing creations that were spotlighted... I'm so flattered to be included!! :)

Friday Day dreamin

2011-08-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

Becca over at R We There Yet Mom? got me to thinking today... Thinking of a family vacation and taking the time on this fine Friday morning to dream a little dream of a favorite family memory...

I was just talking to someone the other day about how long we've been in our new state... and I knew it was coming up on the anniversary soon but I didn't realize how soon! Looking back on pictures that we taken exactly a year ago today... we were in route to Washington! Gosh how much can change in a year.

A year ago, we were on the road to the unknown....

A year ago, we were "homeless".....

A year ago, we were carefree.... There is something to be said for being in limbo...Today I am daydreaming of a time when I didn't have a house to clean, a growing pile of laundry to fold or a kitchen to cook in!:)

{this moment}

2011-08-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

A Friday ritual inspired by Soulemama. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment to pause, savor and remember.

One berry, two berry, pick me a ....

2011-08-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Blackberry!!

I know, that's not how it's supposed to go but right now I am not thinking about blue berries ( I just buy them in bulk at the store!). I've got blackberries on the brain!! Everytime I leave the house I have to drive by the mass amounts of berries that are growing down our road! And I thought last year was amazing... I think this year is going to leave last years totals in the dust! lol

To bide my time, I am working on new wood creations and felt toys! I see craft shows in my future and LOTS of berry picking... just in time... we're out of jelly! :)

It won't be long....

2011-08-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.ourbrokenroad.blogspot.com" title="Our Broken Road"><img src="http://i974.photobucket.com/albums/ae228/wpooh_9/button.jpg" alt="Our Broken Road" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Thanks to my friend Kim over at The Davis Daily Dose, I finally figured out how to make a button for my blog! Woo hoo!! So if you would like to... I'd love it if you share it! :)

Not your average pharmacy...

2011-08-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Giggle, giggles, giggling...

I just asked my daughter what she thought we could do to gear up for the fall and the germs we are sure to come in contact with at group events in the near future... her answer? Apples, carrots and cucumbers! lol I know, not exactly what you had in mind right? lol But there is some truth in that and I'm glad to know that she has actually been listening to some of the things I have been trying to teach her! lol

Although I know that we are just getting our first real taste of summer here in the Pacific northwest, we are also well aware of the fact that fall will be upon us before we know it, and with the start of school and more outings will also bring the contact with more flu bugs and colds... ugh! I know this first hand as I think I picked something up from my week long fun at VBS! :) My day yesterday and today has consisted of many of the things on my list below... and on day two now, I am starting to feel much better!!

To help ward off yuck in our house, you won't find me running to Walmart to buy a bottle of magic potion to clear to my head but rather some good ol' fashioned home remedies, or in my opinion, common sense stuff. Even my girls know our "go to" things for building up our immune systems and for flushing out the yuck if we happen to get it... here's just a few of the things we consider must haves in our house!

1. Tea- I have read that a cup of hot drink will help wash away some germs before they have a chance to make you sick. We are huge fans of all sorts of teas and it makes for some great chatting time with my girls in the mean time. When we do happen to get sick, our first go to tea is Cold Care

2. Netting Pot- Ever since I saw this on Oprah a few years ago, this has been a staple in our house! My daughter started using it when she was 2!!! As soon as a nose starts getting stuffy in our house, or even when we just know the allergines are high... we all go straight for it!! My husband was skeptical but even he is on board now.

3. Vitamin D- This is one of our preventatives...Good for your immune system along with elderberry syrup and homemade black berry cordial!

4. Vinegar!-Are you aware of the healing qualities it has? Just a little bit diluted in a pan of water is our number one cold remedy... just warm it up in a pan and breath in the steam!! You'll smell like a salad but boy will you feel better!

5. More tea :)

6. chicken soup- That's pretty much a given right?

7. warm pillows/ heating pads/ hats.... I am a firm believer in staying warm. Keeping your body heat in with something as simple as gloves, a scarf and hat will help your body not have to work so hard and keep the natural body temp in!

8. Fresh Juice! (hence her answer of apples, carrots and cucumbers!)

9. Clorox wipes... for door handles, phones, computer keys and anywhere else little fingers might touch!

10. and last but not least REST!!! Why push it and take the chance of sharing your nasty cold with someone else or even worse, catching something worse yourself while your defenses are down!!

In addition to these, there are the obvious preventative things like taking the time to get your eyes checked on a regularly basic. ...

About Eye Didn’t Know That!

Transitions Optical created the Eye Didn’t Know That! program to help people of all ages learn more about healthy vision. The program was developed by a team that includes eyecare professionals, science and education experts, and Transitions Optical, Inc. The Eye Didn’t Know That! website offers materials for children, parents, teachers and eyecare professionals to use to teach and learn more about eyecare basics and the importance of eye health and regular comprehensive eye exams. The information includes fact sheets, games, quizzes, lesson plans and free downloadable materials. To learn more and to find out what makes your friends and family say “Eye Didn’t Know That!” visit www.eyedidntknowthat.com.

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I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Transitions Lenses blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Friends that last...

2011-08-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

The life of the military is all I know. Having been raised as an "Air Force brat" I've had my fair share of moves, starting new schools and having to make new friends. And now as an Air Force wife, I find myself still having to deals with the trials of moving around and starting our lives all over in a new location. I've had some people actually say that they feel bad for me because I don't have friends like they do that they have known all their lives... but that's just not true! Just because I've moved around alot don't mean that I haven't had lasting friendships... it just means we've had to work harder at it! :)

I believe that soul mates come in many shapes and forms, the most accepted usually being a spouse (which mine definately is) however I was luck enough to meet my first soul mate when I was in the 5th grade attending school on Edwards AFB, in California. Heather and I were in different classes but knew of each other because we both liked the same boy! It wouldn't be until 6th grade that we would actually like each other and realize that boys are only trouble!

It's crazy to think of all the moves we have both endured... her going back east, and then to the other side of the world and back while I bounced back and forth across the United States only to find ourselves both in the same state again many years later in Texas. I was surreal to see her again... both of us were married with little girls.... and we only had a few days to spend with them but it was like we had never been apart. She is my sister by name only but in my heart forever....

So to those who may feel bad for us having moved around and left so much behind each time.... please don't... we are one of the lucky ones!

I wrote this as an entry into this contest!

It all started when....

2011-07-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

How many times do we look back on our lives and think "It all started when..."? Well, I can already see that comment coming true in our lives and I'm excited at the possibilities...

It all started when....

My first interested came when my Grandpa passed away. I know that sounds sort of odd but I can remember all of my Uncles standing in the garage deciding who wanted what of his tools. A few of them took a tool that they remembered him using or something like that but then there was a lot that they all decided could just be gotten rid of. Even at seventeen, I remember feeling this urge to hold on to it, to try and carry on a tradition I had otherwise never had any interest in. I remember seeing his work bench with wood parts already cut out and in progress for some bird feeders... it still makes me sad at the thought that he left something unfinished...I've often thought about those bird feeders and how I should make one like it just for some more closure.... maybe to prove to myself that I did it...

I'm so glad that I spoke up that day, and asked to have his scroll saw. I still to this day don't know why I did and then went on to feel bad for years because it sat in a box being unused. It would sit for about 6 years until I met my husband. Now I think it's pretty cool to think that a grandpa I wish I could have known more and my husband that I adore, would come together to teach me how to do wood working. We both come from a long line of "makers" and now we are both learning more and more so that this work of art isn't lost on our generation and so that it gets passed on to another one.

Well, if you've been following me for very long at all, you know that I am big into making childrens' toys... puppets, play food, and in the recent years... wooden. I've dabbled with the scroll saw, somewhat enjoyed the band saw and now fallen in love with wood burning!! I've had one of those junky ones for a few years, and it has served it's purpose well however I've been feeling lately like I needed to step it up a bit.... enter THE ad in the paper... THE ad that would change my toy making forever! :)

I was actually going to this sale in hopes of finding some woodcarving tools for my husband . The ad said that they had wood working tools but I figured it was a long shot at best. DH is always teasing me about why can't I find him good deals at yard sales! The tools I tend to find at yard sales are usually either way over priced or completely worn out and not worth the money... But still, I keep trying... and boy am I glad I did!!!

The girls and I went to the sale and showed up to a carport and cover porch FULL of old men going thru table after table of misc tools... now I'm not completely helpless when it comes to tools, but this was so overwhelming and packed that I decided just to ask. And wouldn't you know, they had just sold their nice wood carving set complete in a nice carry box?! I could have just cried.... until they directed me to the corner of the porch and said they thought there was some more up there... so there I am, in a skirt with two little girls in tow weaving in and out of old farmers etc (we were getting some pretty funny looks) to go find these other tools... not only did I find a set of carving tools for my hubby but I also opened an old plastic case to find what I was pretty sure was a more professional wood burning tool!!!! I asked one of the other guys shopping there just to be sure and it was!!!!!! I went up to the guys selling it to ask him a question and he was a bit hard of hearing... instead he answered back... I'll take $20 for it! I thought I was going to fall over as I gripped it a bit tighter! lol

And so my newest obsession, uh I mean adventure, in wood burning began!

These were my first attempt at making peg dolls... I made one for each of my girls and they love them!! Now I am hooked and have been crafting up a storm!

We are big fans of Anne of Green Gables so I had to make Anne and Gilbert! :)

My friends saw my postings on FB and have been making requests for custom orders too! What fun!!

I'm having fun with the new challenges and my list to make keeps growing and growing...

I later found out that the wood burner and other wood working tools that I bought, had been used by an old lady that passed away. I had the chance to go in her wood shop and see some of the projects she had made... they were amazing in details, the kind that take your breath away. She too left a few projects unfinished... but I have a sense of awe... at the idea that these tools went from one crafts woman to another... and I'm proud to keep these traditions going... both for a lady I never met and for a grandpa I dearly loved...

Traditions are priceless...

Another moment in the recent past that has left a last impression on me and gave me the courage to try my hand at wood burning came from one of my VERY favorite fellow bloggers, MamaRoots! It was her article in Rhythm of the Home that first game me the confidence to try... just try to create something as beautiful as hers... not that I will ever be that good... but I tried and I loved it!!!

And bit by bit I am learning and getting better!! :)

I am just loving the learning process involved in working on wooden toys. I came across this post and thought it was really great! So if you're interested in making wooden toys... let me be the first to say... JUST DO IT!! Take the leap... cast your fears of messing up away... and see where the adventure takes you!!!

Someday you'll be able to look back and say "It all started when..."

19 Books!! Enter now!!

2011-07-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to explain how giddy I am at the idea of winning this giveaway!!

Valerie over at Jump into a Book is having a giveaway of 19 (yes you are reading that right!!) Elsa Beskow books!!!!

We have only read them from the library and absolutely love them!!! My girls would flip to actually have them in our school room!!! I'm crossing my fingers BIG TIME!!! :)

Surviving the school year...

2011-07-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but I LOVE school supplies! There is just something great about having that new box of unused crayons or the notebooks blank and ready for the unknown... Yeah, I know, I've thought about this way too much... I actually get giddy around this time of year, although it seems like the supplies are coming out earlier and earlier every year.

My advice for surviving the school year with ease?

Start early!!

Every year I tend to wait till school is in full swing... if you wait that long you are too late. There won't be any fun notebooks left or good deals on glue sticks (and everyone knows that those are golden in our house!) so my advice to you is to start early... the stores are all getting out those cardboard bins of crayons and pens and glue sticks and right now they have them dirt cheap or even free with great coupons!! All that creative goodness.... go get some! :)

While you are at it, check out MasterLock on Facebook!!

Disclosure-
I wrote this blog to enter a contest for a Master Lock back-to-school prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.

Lavender fields

2011-07-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Well, once again we have been off on more adventures than I can keep up with writing about! Perhaps some day I will get caught up with sharing them with you! Our next round of family, AKA Grandma, arrived and we were off again exploring!! :)

This week found us at our first soccar game (yes I'm officially a soccar mom!), the farmers market and a local lavender festival too!!

Just a short drive from the nearest town, you will find the sweetest little lavender farm Mountain Meadow. From what I understand, this is only the second year of doing this festival and it was small but not too small and not so crowded (you know how I am about those!) that you couldn't enjoy it! :)

They had an antique car show....

Crafts for the kids to make...

And then of course... there was lavender!!! :)

It was a simple outing, nothing flashy but we so enjoyed it!! After sampling the lavender icecream and lavender lace cookies... we came home with some lavender ready to bake with and two pots ready to plant!! I see more lavender goodness in our future don't you!? :)

2011-07-11T06:52:00.001-07:00

It's another week and another chance to mingle!! Stop by Mingle Monday and see what new blogs you discover!! :)