It's Been Awhile....

Wow, I thought I'd have more time after the market closed, but I've been....

*dealing with a daughter who had the flu (she was the worst although I think we all had some mild version)
*dealing with a son who has strep throat (and now we're all on meds)
*trying to catch up on the farm accounting
*trying to catch up on the house work (I moved the sofa today to dust and sweep behind it, ugh! Actually, we're trying to figure out where to put the Christmas tree this year!)
*avoiding -- I mean, trying to catch up on OUR accounting
*trying to get my expense and commission reports turned in to Greenstar (yay! Money!)
*trying to figure out staging for our Christmas program
*trying to keep up with email newsletters and catalog requests from Pioneer Woman (keep 'em coming!)
*slowly getting back into the home-school swing of things
*canning the rest of the apples into apple pie filling (and it's been yummy...but I still have a bushel!)
*figuring out when I can start canning chicken soup for the winter
*enjoying my husband
*enjoying my kids (usually, although under-the-weather kids are usually whiny kids)
*getting things finalized for our Christmas showcase

We also enjoyed having Tony's brother Paul and his wife Lori over for supper Saturday. Well, except when, as we were sitting down for supper, Susanna turned to Aunt Lori and said, "Aunt Lori, I have to tell you something. I pooped today." Luke then chimed in, "So did I! Right before supper! Can I have a banana now?" Please...join us for supper sometimes and some very, um, enlightening conversations!

We've also been dealing with our water going on and off. Tony is afraid the switch may be going. He did something to it, but it isn't quite fixed. How did people live before conveniences of indoor plumbing???

And then last Friday, I got a call from one of our local coffee shops. They buy Watkins extracts for their baking (which is why their goodies are so yummy!), and they are having a craft-type fair from Black Friday through December 23 and wanted to know if I'd like to have a booth there...Monday thru Saturday, during their open hours (no sense being there when they're closed!). I called a few of my team members, they all want to help out, so YAY! Ya gotta come check us out at Jack Pine Java on Main Avenue (for those of you who are local).

Next week we start our Thanksgiving crafts -- most of them are edible, so we can't do them yet. And then will start the Christmas cookie baking...ummm!!!!

It makes me laugh when people ask, "so, are you finding more time to do things now that the market is closed?"

But I am thankful that even with some mild illnesses, we haven't had anything pretty bad.

And I'm still hoping to get to MOA for Pioneer Woman's book signing this Saturday! Although Tony doesn't understand why I want to go.....ah, come on! LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!! (I love you, honey...)

And we're still hoping to get away one night this week for a stay at a local B&B (we won it at a silent auction...but the B&B is closing its doors at the end of this month....and we can't find a babysitter! Anyone available Thursday night????).

And my kids remind me continually that they don't belong to me....they belong to GOD Who is only loaning them to us. Sure hope we're doing an okay job!

Okay, gotta go get some more stuff done....