Retail Therapy, an emotional experience

Okay this Thursday, I leave for Utah for a weekend with two amazing women. We attend craft fairs, shop at stores like World Market, Taipan Trading, rarely do we step foot into a clothing store. Coldwater Creek in Jackson, Wyo, being the exception. Although this weekend we are going to a pajama outlet. Sounds very fun. This years weekend is at Wendy's house and Wendy is single, so for Carrie and I this is pure heaven. No children needing/wanting/demanding/acting out to get attention and no hubby feeling neglected and wanting to run away from the antics when good friends get together. We are also making chocolates this weekend, YUM YUM YUM. We will stay up late talking/laughing for hours on end. During the day its nothing but shopping!
After the weekend, I come home exhausted but rejuvinated by my weekend with friends!
Better than a spa any day!

Black Friday

Okay since I'm looking at a couple of inches of snow outside and it has not stopped, I'm most definitely getting in the Christmas mood. I mean I listened to Christmas music this morning, Straight No Chaser, love those guys! Also this weekend I was doing a little online shopping/price checking on some things and checking out gottadeal to see who's ads they had up for Black Friday. I noticed that some stores are doing online deals earlier. This has started to be a trend in the last few years online and in store, get you in sooner and spend more money. Does not necessarily mean the earlier sales are the better deal, although last year I did buy some things at Shopko a few weeks before Black Friday, that where on sale for BF, but the sale earlier was better. You never know. Most stores will let you take the items back or show the receipt the morning of BF and get the difference back in credit.
Years ago, I used to sign up for a ladies black friday email, who lived in Utah who literally spent Thanksgiving day going over the ads and comparing to her price book, created by her. She then would let you know what things where really good deals, what was a steal and what was not to be in a rush for. She no longer does this. Now I know the prices on the big ticket items I'm after for Christmas, so when I do go over the ads, I know if they are a steal, deal or no big deal. Now, there are always things being on sale that I was not thinking of, which gottadeal usually has some reference to if its a good price or not. Honestly it pays to know your prices, or otherwise it is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of Black Friday. From what I have been reading, from news, articles, columns, blogs etc. Very few deals going on now are the best deals, which is fine, I hate to think I might have spent more than I needed to, which I can honestly say, is very very rare for me. I love to shop, but I love a great deal and I love to not overspend! Anyway, just some thoughts on Black Friday. Now back to some Christmas tunes, and wondering if its going to stop snowing.

Sunday Evening

Sunday evening is not my favorite. It reminds me that my weekend is over and in the morning it is back to work. We had some really great weather for November in Idaho. Upper sixties on Saturday, and low sixties today. NICE. It also comes to an end tonight, next week I think the high is mid forties.
We thought we would get an estimate to have someone come install the outdoor lights on the house, since we have a pretty steep pitch. Besides the house is two stories. Anyway so far we have only got one estimate and can I just say, HOLY COW that is a lot of money. So not happening. File that under "good to know" nothing will be done, but good to know. I did not get any fall bulbs planted, which means next week I get to do the planting in cold weather. My fault.
Thanksgiving is coming up pretty quick, which means Black Friday! Looking forward to that. Only a week and a half until the girls shopping weekend. YES!
Still so much to get done before winter hits, have not had much time for projects. Will need to try and fit one in here. I have a couple of old doors that I have plans for. Fun.

It's in the air

I can feel it, and not just because its only 34 degrees outside with 20mph winds. Winter is coming, which means CHRISTMAS! Yeah, I'm like a 5yr old when it comes to Christmas, the excitment, can't sleep at night, is it here, is it here kind of excitment and not for presents, okay yes I like presents, but really what gets to me is the feeling. I've peeked at a few catalogs, okay fine, they are dogeared and marked, and I've checked online to see if it really speaks to me. Christmas is my holiday and not just evidenced by the numerous totes that could fill a storage unit but instead take up just about one side of the garage, but by my obsession with all things Christmas. I love to shop, I love to decorate, I love to bake, I love to eat, I love to just sit late in the evening staring at my Christmas tree in all its glory with some Christmas music in the background, like maybe Donny Osmond singing Mary Did you Know? Or Straight, No Chaser singing just about anything, or Amy Grant, or okay the list is long, the cd's are numerous, but the music is important, the peace and contenment that I find at the time is worth more than any gift. That's what I love about Christmas. Now it's only 60 days away, which is hardly anytime at all, but I will not decorate before Thanksgiving, except to get the light up outside. I'm strict with the no decorating, each Holiday deserves its own time. I do not listen to music yet, although when I'm driving to Utah to my girlfriends for the annual shopping weekend, I do listen to it then, this is usually the weekend before Thanksgiving, so I give in then. After Thanksgiving, its like Santa's workshop comes alive.
Truly I blame the weather for getting me going.

Catch Up

WOW! It's been awhile. Lots of "Life" has been happening. First the freezing and canning continued. Did get peach and raspberry freezer jam made. Even made a small batch of raspberry/huckleberry jam. Huckleberries were like gold this year. The peach jam was made late at night with the help of this little German lady known as my mother. Thanks MOM!!
I made another small batch of salsa, this time just a bit hotter. I also made 2 1/2 pints of pepper and onion relish, like H & D's. Not bad, just a bit spicier than the original and not as spicy as the hot & spicy. Happy medium. I have to admit its been kind of fun. Also during the peach freezer jam, my Mom made a batch of her spaghetti sauce for the freezer. That is my husband's favorite gift for Christmas from my Mom.
More updates, State Fair, 4-H, no placement ribbon for Caitlin, she was disappointed but she and the hubs won goldfish at one of the games at the fair, and 4-H was forgotten.
School has started and we have parent-teacher conference tomorrow night. Her weekly updates look good, and the grades are pretty good, except for Language arts, that one is a B-. We have some work ahead.
My husbands stepfather went into the hospital (ICU actually) for an aorta aneurysm. It had not ruptured, thank heavens. However, they are getting a second opinion from a specialist in Utah. Basically should he have surgery to put a mesh casing along the vein to keep it from bursting. The surgery is extremely high risk. Not doing anything but treating with medicine could mean he could be going along and it bursts and the likelihood of survival is very slim. Not encouraging. Lots of prayers.
With that, are fall plans will be adjusted. My hubby will be stopping at his Mom's to feed their cows and the rest of the critters, then come home to do ours. Then during calving season, ugh, that will make for some very long days and nights, but we do what needs to be done. I worry for the hubs, hoping he will be healed completely from the horse episode to handle all of that. Too many unknowns right now.
This is part of life, trials and struggles come and we deal. Just as the joys that come our way, its a package deal, the good with the bad.
I stand behind my thinking of boring is good!
Now for what is on my plate next. Lots of projects, furniture, small projects, fabric. The list is endless but I'm very excited.

Life

Busy August and its barely half over. But being barely half over means school starts for Caitlin the 1st of September. Yesterday I got her registered for 5th grade. This will be her first full year at Southfork, hope its better than last year. Moving into a new school mid-year was really hard for her. Let's hope this year is good. I was disappointed with the registration, it was very chaotic. JE did such a better job, I'm sure this year was no different. Anyway its done, and she is ready for the first day, kinda. We have to put in for a deviation on transportation, since we are both at work, she will go to Grandma & Granpa Henman's after school. For the most part that works well. She needs to try harder to get her homework done, instead of go watch t.v. I think we are done with the school shopping other than a couple pairs of shoes. She thinks she can wear my shoes, "they fit" just because there is another inch or two of space does not mean anything. Sorry, but I do not share shoes. I'm funny that way.
Last weekend I made and bottled 24 pints of salsa, whew that was one long day. But I'm glad to have it done. I have not "canned" anything for years. I mostly freeze, but this was good. I think I will freeze some corn this weekend, we love corn, and I am not a big fan of canned corn. I don't think too many packages, mostly still on the cob, a few packages of cut corn also. Looking forward to getting some peaches and raspberries, so I can make some more freezer jam.
Tuesday I had to go into my dentist, back molar causing me pain. They had done some temp work on it, with thoughts of root cannel next. However the tooth was in bad shape when they did the temp work, it was even worse when I went it. It's just slowly deteriorated, so since its in the back and the root canal would help but just for awhile til the tooth completely came out, I went for the yank it out now. Which they did. So now I'm hurting. Yesterday was a liquid diet, gag protein shakes. Today is a soft foods diet, pretty close on the gag, with lots of Motrin for the pain. If I could have I would have stayed home yesterday and today. This is just miserable, but short handed in the office, so I work. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow.
We need to get our camper ready for labor day weekend, that's a chore. Not a trip, just taking it up to the farm for the labor day weekend campout with Chris's family. No biggie, but do need to have the camper ready. Perhaps this weekend along with everything else that keeps getting put off. YUCK. Need more hours, days, weekends.
Oh well, its life and I love mine.

Just the Everyday

We got all the school supply shopping done. We had to run into Wal-Mart one Saturday and I had the list, so we started and finished and came in under budget. I mean we only have one child so it really is not a huge thing for school supplies. We also pick up extras, the price is always the best, then the extras get stored in a school tote for use as needed. Works well for us. Caitlin has been going thru her closet very slowly. What still fits, what is worn out, and what she does not wear, never liked gets put in a pile. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't sell them on e-bay. Is the pay-off worth the effort as opposed to just giving to someone you know needs the clothes. Still thinking on it right now. Have done some online shopping for school clothes, love online shopping, always find a coupon, so those packages should start showing up. I am much more restrained this year than in the past. Probably tired of all the stuff that gets put in the give-away pile.
I have been purchasing produce thru Bountiful Baskets for quite a few months, one of the many benefits that I am realizing is even if I know we are not going to get something eaten right away, I can do something with it. I have made numerous batches of freezer jam, but small quantities, like just a few pints. Do you know how nice that is, to just do a small batch, instead of flats of fruit. This weekend I'm getting tomatoes, 25lbs. Not a small batch, but oh well. Going to do the majority in salsa, a very small amount in Pepper & Onion relish. All will be canned. Long time since I've done that. That ought to be an interesting day.
Today, Caitlin is at Lava Hot Springs swimming with the cousins. She loves when she gets to go with my brothers family. She gets the fun and chaos of a large family. She should be dog tired tonight. Glad she gets to spend the time with them.
We really have not done much fun stuff this summer. Sometimes that is just the way it goes. We finished 4-H horse, not on a great note. She showed in halter with her horse, then was practicing on the track and her horse freaked and ran off with her on, she held on, but it scared the daylights out of her and not in any mood to do anymore. Chris said no that was it. Not worth an accident. She did get a blue ribbon on her Idaho History project, her rag rug. So it goes now to the state fair, which she is really excited about. I also got a couple of ribbons for my pictures, one blue and one white. Kind of fun to do. My nephew Quinn got two blue ribbons for his art. Pretty cool.
Have not finished any projects in the house, which frustrates me greatly. My motivation never seems to make in the door when I get home after work. Need to work on that. Have been playing with my Cricut machine. Fun stuff. I see lots of vinyl words on my walls in the future.
School registration is the 18th of this month. Caitlin is not at all excited. I hope its a good year for her, last year was a struggle, with transferring not quite mid-year.
Well that is the everyday and yes it is our everyday. Its a good everyday, and I am content with that.