In the mood

Yesterday was Christmasy...it started with obligations at school and then moved on into a great adventure.  I have heard for a while about a Hughes Homemade Chocolate Shop in Oshkosh, WI for a few years. It's in a residential neighborhood in the basement of a house. My family and my friend Audra and her daughter Anneka went for a drive to Oshkosh it's really like stepping back in time, it was almost dark and very cold but we found the house.  They shuffled us to the side door to go down to the basement to this tiny cramped basement with a huge furnace and vents all over the place and a little counter with tons of boxes of chocolate.  We bought our chocolate not knowing what it tastes like but judging by the long line of people and the cars coming and going, it must be good.

We were not disappointed, I think my favorites are peanut clusters and toffee..yum.

We headed to a park in Oshkosh that hosts a drive thru light show. The drive was about a mile long and included live reindeer.  Oshkosh is a funny town, kind of hip  but the majority is a throwback to years gone by.  I want to go back and spend a little more time there.

To top off the day we went to North High School's Christmas program.  I was determined to go to this.  Last year Isabel's school was invited to sing with them at the Lawrence University Chapel (beautiful old building).  I cried through the whole thing, it was so amazing.

So this year I knew I had to go, and we dragged a very tired Audra and Anneka along.  It didn't disappoint, it was so spiritual without being overt.  Sometimes I find that God speaks to me most in situations that are covert in their attempt at spiritual (ie. public school, old movies, interactions with customers at The Fire ) but again I was in tears.  I wonder why I am more apt to be aware of  God's touch in a production like that; and then I judge a religious organizations flat out (most of the time) boring attempt of telling of a story.  I almost feel like I'm a part of something secret that everyone knows about but won't say.  It's a magical feeling.

Anyways, I know God knew what was going on and I'm sure He was pretty darn proud.  Not to mention the kids were talented and I'll leave the intentions of everyones heart in God's hands.  It was brilliant!

The rest of the season will be easy.

Small Business Owner

Wow! December can really be a challenge, the good thing is; new opportunities reveal themselves all the time.  I have three craft/home shows in the next few days, I started a business account, got a seller's permit, make things like a fiend and totally neglect my duties as a house cleaner and cook and nurturer.  It's only for a season so I don't take it to heart.

It is time to take another big step with my business I need a website, etsy and facebook are great for getting news out to my closest buddies, but it's time for the world to see what's goin' on in a basement in Appleton, WI. I want to get an iPhone and use this new gadget that I saw online this morning created by the guy who started Twitter, it is a credit card scanner you plug into your iPhone and it sends receipts to the customers email..I LOVE IT!  Only one problem no iPhone.  Oh well, who knows what lies ahead!

Dungeons and Dragons...cont'd

Saturday after Thanksgiving, tons of boxes in the living room.  I think I am actually doing all the decorating the rest of the time I'm trying to get the other 3 sloths in the house to at least look a bit interested.  Sam actually opened the boxes last night and pulled almost everything out and 'decorated'. I was tempted to leave it the way he did it..Nutcrackers everywhere in no certain order, stockings hung, and the musical snowmen that sing and play the piano with the batteries inserted playing loud.  It was perfect for him, those are the things he loves.  There was not a nativity in sight - I'm getting worried about my kids.

For those of you who were wondering.. Mike and I decided to let Sam play Dungeons and Dragons, he made his character on Friday and is very excited.  Today he rode his scooter over to his uncle's house to play his first day of the game.  I told him he couldn't tell the kids at school that he was playing for fear their parents wouldn't let Sam play with them anymore.  Oh brother, what a drama.  Uncle Erik promised it would be as brainy and non-nerd creating as possible. 

Tomorrow we will clean it out of him and make him go to church and stay a really long time.  If it were only that easy to insert your idea of God in your children or anyone for that matter, I know how much I love God and understand that way he works in my life.  So hard to show someone else, I think sometimes you just need to shut-up.

This is what Sam said to me a few months back..."Mom, you have really messed me up about God"  So, I've decided to take a different tactic...that of praying for him.

Ok God it's up to you...I give!

Christmas is gonna roll over us - WARNING Santa info

Last night the trees were standing outside Wal-Mart, hundreds of them.  The music has started and I'm not covering my eyes, I just realized that I only have a few more years with the kids.  This is the first year that the kids go into the holiday season as complete consumers without any thought to Santa, notes, sitting on his lap, lists for him and the elves.  Yep, last year was the last time.  I will forever cherish the note from Sam:

"Dear Santa, please give one of these cookies to Holly the Elf, (from his school) and the carrots are for the reindeer".  The year before Sam's note said: "Dear Santa, I just want a good day"

I will miss the innocence the excitement of the night before. This year we will make it more special for us as a family.  We will spend more time together, play games, think about getting gifts for each other. (yes, they are finally understanding the giving not getting part)

We don't have a church now, that has been a struggle to keep Jesus in our everyday life.  Mike and I say we are content without having a  church experience but the kids miss the whole experience of people who love and care for them.  We have visited churches and we always walk away without a feeling of "this could be our home". This story is for another blog.

Anyways, I've got a few Blue Moon Emporium shows, orders coming in all the time and this has really helped to take the stress off the family and now I'm enjoying my art and crafting more..now I want to do it, to make something more fun, beautiful, enjoyable for someone else.  It's a good feeling.

I'm walking into this Christmas season with an open heart and anticipating something different for our family, purposefully making it more spiritual, and  I'm going to sit back and enjoy.  I hope your family does too.

Success-Happiness-Contentment-Joy-Thankfulness

Swirling thoughts of the future surround me all the time...can I continue working towards the goal of successful business, parenting, relationships, financial security....it seems like a mirage sometimes you almost get to the flowy little airy water in the road and it disappears - it was only the heat of the moment.

I'm thankful for today, a little bit of laughter from my kids and husband, a few sales on etsy, a well received meal occasionally, a continueing knowledge that God is always with me, life is good.

next year

I know we should only live for today, but after working the whole summer (or watching someone work) on a treehouse I'm looking forward to enjoying next summer with no big projects...that is, unless we get a lot of money and I re-do the kitchen.

Mike and I have a plan to host a big party next summer and hang lights from the trees in jars...have gazebos, mexican hats on the tables with pots full of fresh vegetables and flowers. and make things like:

Smoked Lemon-Chipotle Chicken
Tomatillo Sauce
Lemon Chill with Raspberry Sauce
Margaritas

There will be swings in the trees..pretty tables..music...kids running everywhere.  Who wants to come?

My friend Jenny

I always think I'm being honest about my life here in blog land. I know that I'm influenced by friends, family, in-laws with what I say or don't say, but I wish I could write like my friend Jenny (click on the title of this post and it will take you there). I've known her since she was young, I feel a bit responsible for her marriage and then divorce. The way she writes rips at my heart, maybe because I've know her for so long and watched her struggle with diabetes, being a young pastors wife, and fighting the constant urge to want to be famous (just my impression).

Well, I'll try to be more honest but I truly cannot tell some of my stories. I'll save those for my book. I'm reminiscing a lot about my childhood now that my brother Rick is sick.

Ok, twist my arm..I'll tell you one. We were from a very Catholic family who got booted out of the Catholic church because my mother was divorced a few too many times. So we ended up at this nice Episcopalian church. It's a dressy Sunday, like Easter or Christmas...we are all dressed up and my brothers get a real sharp knife from the kitchen. They decide while we are waiting for Mom we should play 'chicken'. So, David (the leader of the pack), starts throwing the knife between his feet and then I do and then my little brother Rick throws it really hard - right through his shoe, foot, everything. We have to really yank to get the knife out.

We would have been in so much trouble if we told - so we went to church. After church got over Rick (or Ricky) just started crying and my Mom wanted to know why and he points to his foot which by this time is so swollen and filled with blood that we couldn't get his shoe off. Don't remember much more after that...it wasn't a nice morning.

Love you Jenny, keep telling it like it is.

This is going to date me...but remember when..

When I was a kid in school we got shots, it was like a cattle call, we all lined up and got it in the arm or sucked on a sugar cube. Last night I had to fill out the forms for Sam and Isabel to get the H1N1 vaccine, they are giving them at school. They have never had a shot without me in the room. They are a bit freaked out by this and how their reactions could taint their reputation forever in school.

I hope they are brave.

This last weekend was great, I'm glad it's over but it was fun. Blue Moon Emporium had a date with a holiday sale, it was at a private country club and you had to pay to shop (it was a fundraiser). The vendors had fabulous stuff, I had to really work hard not to buy things that I thought were just too cute. I have sold my stuff at our farmer's market and in the Fire but I'm kind of branching out now and it's getting exciting. There is a gallery/store that has a rack of my necklaces and another store in town wants some. I'm willing to take this business wherever it's supposed to go.

Today I'm going to mosaic a table for my front entry to look like a black hole...I'll show you when I'm done. My front entry has always kind of been an afterthought but when you think about it, that is the first thing someone sees and imprints in their brain about you. Better make it good!

Have a great week blog readers!

Fun things you see along the road

 

Owning a factory

ok..do you really want to see the factory? It is a 3 story facility with one employee.

My Mom

I've started many things in my life...I have quit many things in my life. I guess I have always wanted to be known as creative, my mother was an artist, a somewhat kookie artist (is there any other kind?.) I've fought my creativity because of my mother and not wanting to be like her in some aspects. This week I cut my hair short and I'm selling some of my creative pieces of glass and other goodies at a sale. It has brought back so many memories for me of my mom making jewelry and selling it on the Queen Mary. My brothers and sisters and I would help her make it. We would go visit her at the Queen Mary - it was an old cruise ship that was docked in Long Beach Harbor she eventually had to get a job there and quit making her jewelry because it didn't pay the bills. I can still remember the smells of that old boat.

I make jewelry and have short hair...but I'm not my mom.

Maple Marie Pendants

This is a sample of a new line of pendants I've been making, artwork is incredible..it's done by a friend of mine, we have big dreams...Macy's, Abercrombie...every gift shop in America and beyond...me and my little kiln...working like a slave.

It's so much fun to see them afterwards, so cute.

My brother is very sick so this keeps my mind on something else.

skull and crossbones by cathystratton on Etsy

First Born

Mike is a first-born, and so is Isabel (obviously). First-born children tend to think they know a lot and want to share it with the poor people (e.g., younger brothers) that have less experience on the earth.

Tonight we were driving -- it doesn't matter where, the scenario is always the same... Sam says something and Isabel corrects him. Tonight Sam said something or mimicked some dialog to a movie or show, it was quiet for a minute and then Isabel blurted out something to "help him out."

I said, "Isabel, MYOB" (Isabel's and my code for "mind your own business.")

Isabel said, "You know, before I said it, I thought about it and thought about it. I knew I shouldn't, but then I thought, "It'll feel good!"

Then, as soon as I said it, I thought, "I shouldn't have said that."

It must be such a burden to have the answer for your brother almost all the time and yet also know it won't be received well.

It's so funny to watch them grow up and really get to know your kids and not just raise them. I love getting to know them more and more. Isabel has now decided that she loves all things Ann Taylor, she goes to their website, asks me to take her to the mall all the time just to go to that store. I have to admit I would rather that she loved AT rather than cheap trendy clothes, but dang! it's expensive! I keep telling her, just get a good education and get a great job and you can wear Ann Taylor all you want.

And Sam, if anyone is looking for a person to replay every word of dialog to any show, movie, commercial or funny situation; I've got your boy! Word for word, with inflection.

Super Baby!

When my brothers and my sister and I were little we were a bit ferrel, my mother and dad would be at work and we would find some trouble to get in to. One day my brother David, sister Sherry and I wanted to show Rick that he could fly so we tied a sheet around his neck and took him to the top of the stair and said "Super Baby Fly" and Rick jumped (because the poor guy trusted us) and landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

We tortured him on a regular basis for most of his childhood. He was the one with all the good looks, charm, etc. He played football, got a football scholarship to University of Redlands in CA. When he was about 19 he got Hodgekin's Disease and we were told after his treatment he would never have children. Scott is a sophomore at a University in AZ, Julia is an accomplished singer, actress, dancer and Ben is brilliant and talented in his own right - I guess they were wrong.

He made it through his bout with cancer, snapping both of his Achilles tendons, deciding to (with his wife Cheryl) become the owners of an Willowbrook Apple Orchard and teach full time and part-time professor of Kinesiology at the University of Riverside.

 

Rick is great, he' always ready to laugh, make a joke, watch sports, talk about sports, ride his tractor and be with his family. He has had a cough for a long time, they thought it was pneumonia initially, this week he got the bad news that he has lung cancer. This is just the preliminary diagnosis, more to come after the PET scan.

This is the website to his orchard

http://willowbrookapple.tripod.com/

Love ya Rick.

Tuesday Mornings

I'm coming to love Tuesday mornings, 9:00am I have coffee ready and the doorbell starts ringing, in comes some of the most fabulous women I know. We talk, drink coffee, talk about God, look at the new addition to the group - Maple Marie Holiday Reetz. She is 3 weeks old and beautiful.
My friend Emily (Maple's mom) put is so well, that God has provided her with such a rich group of people around her she really gets her needs met for support and God's touch here in Appleton with friends and family.

We are all spiritual explorers, we have been through "church". I loved all of my church experience for the most part, some of it was messy but people are messy.

Tuesdays are good.

Blogs I love

There are a few blog links on mine that I love to read, if you have spare time just puttering around you should check them out. I've just added a new one "confessions of a gas station attendant", my friend Sarah writes. Funny.

Good Weekend, Good Night. Go Pack.

Labor Day in Door County

Labor Day weekend Sam, Isabel and I went to Door County to Penninsula State Park. We had a wonderful time like we always do with our friends the Leiva's. I forgot my camera, so this photo that I found will be a constant reminder/memory of all the kids in the dinghy...so great.

What a great family adventure

Tree house building is a kind of subculture, once you find other people who have started building tree houses and all the fancy stuff they have done it becomes addicting. I know Mike has the addiction. I was the reluctant "oh my, is it gonna hold all the kids?, is it safe?". We are now at the point that kids can play in it. The other night we have 18 kids over and they had a blast. In this photo the railing is temporary, the final railing is going to be installed soon and then the roof.

Now I get to help out, make signs like "Girls Only" and "Boys Only", paint and decorate it. Mike and I are open to any and all ideas. We will have a tire swing underneath and maybe hang a rattan chair inside.

New Pendants! New Logo! Oooh la la!

 

I made a logo for Blue Moon Emporium this week, made some t-shirts. Got some new pendants made...if you like them go to the Blue Moon Emporium on faceboook. I need a nap.

Guess what this is?

Pig Snout at the end of a tube.

Friday

3rd day of school, today was hmmm.., how should I put this - let's just say a bit traumatic, Isabel found out someone had popped the tires on her bike, Sam went all the way to school without his backpack and had to come home. I need to go back to bed and start this one again.

I am excited about this weekend though, I think that this weekend is going to be a turning point in the treehouse build. Almost all the walls are up, Mike is going to get the log to make the ladder and the tire for the swing, the railing should be finished, so all we will need is the roof. Actually who needs a roof anyways, it's a beautiful week.

Fires and School

Tomorrow the house will be empty for most of the day. I'm exhausted and I think it's not because of the kids, but because there has been a fire burning near my brother's apple orchard for the last 2 days and I have been constantly tracking it's progress and hoping they got "blossom" the pig to safety. What a stressful couple of days! As of right now, they got back to their house and it is ok. Thanks God.

Now, Isabel is starting 6th grade and Sam 4th. This year seems to be starting out really well. Good teachers, good friends in each child's class. I'm excited about the possibilities of a great time for them both.

But now I'm going to bed.

16 Mile Lake - Munising

Munising 2009

 
 

Another wonderful year in da UP. Good Food, Friends, Kayaking, Camp Fires, Pictured Rocks, Snapping Turtles!

I grew that beautiful purple flower

just thought everyone was wondering.

Very Excited

Steve Carter is coming to visit tomorrow, he was one of the first people to come up to Northern Wisconsin when we first moved here. He is such a good man that if he was less than 1000 miles from us he would stop to say hi. He is a joker, and he had a big part of this blog from the beginning. He came and stayed at Uncle Art's cabin and we were attacked by bats. Fun Times.

We are gearing up for school to start, we want to pace ourselves with shopping, school supplies, going to bed early, because even more so than CA, you really need to enjoy summer. I'm hoping the treehouse is close to being finished before the first snow. Last night Mike and Isabel went out and watched the meteor shower in the Treehouse it scared me because there is no railing yet, but they were fine.

Blue Moon Emporium is doing well, what you don't see is the sales I make at the Fire and they are up! I'm gearing up for Fall and Winter. Frankenstein Pendants, Turkeys, Christmas Fun. Keep checking out Blue Moon Emporium on Facebook for new things, I tend to put more stuff on there to see if people like them.

Hope you are all doing well, I love hearing from you and hearing stories from others how people are hanging in there in CA with hard times. They say these times create the best innovation and the people I know in WI/CA are the most creative.

More Culture

This weekend had so much to offer culturally in Northern Wisconsin. I wanted to go to 2 main events; Catfish Races in Greenville and State Tree Climbing Competitions in Appleton at Erb Park. The night of the Catfish races there was a great lightening and thunder storm so we didn't go, but Saturday was the Tree Climbing competition.

On a scale of 1-10 in excitement it was probably a 3, but I was very impressed with the skill and the determination of the people climbing those trees. The kids watched one guy climb a tree and they were through. Mike and I at least watched 3 guys climb trees before we said "ICE CREAM" and we were off to Van DeWalls.

Today we spent the afternoon at a beautiful Waterfall near Crivitz, and then a little drive around and found those cool old cars.

Speaking of trees, Mike got the final board into the treehouse floor, now we just need the walls, ladder, tree swing, trap door and railing. Actually the railing is going up next, I still get a little queasy going up there it is really high. I'm so proud of Mike for working so hard on this.


I've not blogged for a very long time, well, not here. I've posted notes on facebook. I think I'll rekindle the blog for a while.

I have been selling my pendants, owls and softy things at The Fire and also started on online store called etsy.com. I'm not too sure how this is going to turn out. Could be a time waster. I'm grateful for the sales that I have made.

Every once and while I need to emote

Well, to start with I empathize with all humans who have to start a new job, new life, move after they have been a grown up for a long time and re-established themselves. Starting over and making new friends, job contacts, etc. is especially difficult, because their is a whole life that is not spoken of again. It is a death, a funeral needs to happen, a memorial service, and much grieving.

Then you get born again, I think I've been born again hmm hmm about 4 times. The only one that really made a difference was my spiritual birth, but the other 3 are almost as earth moving.

I care a great deal for all my new friends in WI, who have tried to make me feel welcome and included our family in their lives. But, lifelong friends as you will attest when you live long enough are stronger when they have watched you transition through so many changes. I've only got 3 years under my belt here so I've got my children's accomplishments now to focus on, they have things to learn about friends. I need to teach them.

I watched this movie the other night called "Outsourced", it was once of those movies that God uses to speak to me. I'm sure if you watched it won't impact you as much as me, but it was a great movie. Main theme, blend.

July 14th

I tweet, fb, blog, but I can't seem to get all my life communicated correctly. I think I'm going to write a book for the next few years about my life. I'm middle aged, with young children, still unsure of myself, still trying to find my path. Maybe it's a mid-life crisis, maybe it's because we never have enough money so I'm constantly tryin to make things happen. I sometimes wonder if we were more financially stable if I would be a calmer person, not bouncing from one thing to another. I actually don't think I'll ever know.

I have a new idea, this is for a small business in Appleton. (I don't know why I don't think bigger either) So I want to start a variety store, something downtown, that has a little bit of everything, but the look and feel of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Kids would want to come there and it would be a place they remember when they grow up. I need financing, maybe I should go talk to someone.

More later....I'm taking the kids to go see Harry Potter.

Dance Recital

Today was Isabel's Spring Recital for her Dance lesson she takes every Tuesday, it usually includes a trip to the bread store for some special bread. Our neighbor Trish is the kind soul who carts these girls (Elena and Isabel). The recital was about 3 hours long TWICE, yes she had two performances.

As I sat and watched these wonderful girls, there was a group of younger girls with a girl who had blond hair, glasses and was a bit stout. She wasn't at all graceful, she was just trying to keep up. It just struck me, THAT IS ME, even to this day, just trying to follow the rest of the girls. As I watched her, I could feel her emotions.

I'm so glad I have an Isabel, she is unique, she never looks around to see what everyone else is doing, she just moves forward, at her own pace. I don't know what she is going to be someday but she won't be like me, she will be something great. If you have a girl in your life who doesn't look at others for the queues, be grateful. She will stumble and bumble through life but she won't spend as much time as I have on questioning my every decision.

You were great today Isabel.

Deena

Deena Stirling

My first memory of Deena was about 1981, she was walking around Dana Point Calvary Chapel organizing a Christmas play, she was always laughing.

A few years went by and I saw her in the parking lot of Capo Beach Calvary after we had moved into the new building, she was kind of shaken, she had just found out she was going to have a baby, the doctors told her it was a bit sketchy having a baby after she had had so many back problems. She was running the children's ministry with Dave Taylor. She really needed to be on bedrest near the end, so I eventually took over her job while she raised her small children.

Deena is wonderful, she and I were a pair, we would laugh at tragedies, cry during joyful times, we both had radar...radar to spot talent, giftedness, danger, etc. God blessed us with 20+ years dragging our old tired bodies to Indian Village to have the times of our lives. Years of week in and week out, working with wonderful volunteers, a great staff and congregation. One of our mutually favorite memories is going to Indian Village and having a little boy Tyler get something in his eyes, he is screaming at the top of his lungs that he is blind he can't see, so Deena and I get in the car to drive him to the hospital...when we get to the hospital parking lot I said "Tyler do you want to go in the hospital and cost your parents tons of money or do you want to go to McDonalds and get some ice cream?" and Tyler pulled his hands away from his eyes and said "ICE CREAM". We laughed and laughed about that.

I always admired Deena's parenting skills, I try to be like her when I deal with my own kids, she used to say, "I always have a treat for the kids after school", she was always the softie with her kids and I am with mine. Her heart is pure gold. She would walk over hot coals for you if she thought it would do you some good. She loved my children when they had no extended family to show them love, for that I will always be grateful. She has always been the best representative of Jesus Christ, the real Jesus, who loves, understands, accepts, reaches out to, I love you Deena.

If you ever get a chance to have a friend like Deena, congratulations, you are blessed.

See you soon

blahhh

I still can't write anything positive, so sad. Oh yeah I found a great facebook group called "I hate Wisconsin" it's hysterical. One of the posts written by a Lawrence University student, I could have written it. Here is a taste:

"too cold
everyone is fat
everyone is white, there is no variety
everyone is old
no hot guys at all
too much cheese
too much beer
too much packers and football stuff
too cold again
boring. nothing, zero to do
plain..too common
everyone is middle class
no variety in anything
ignorant people
racist....they automatically hate the south
they mispronounce "bag""rag", etc
too smiley
depressing place...
too cloudy
too windy
no air conditioner
no mountains
the waterparks should not be here...
no celebrities ever come here
no fun
no excitement
this state is the worst mistake i could have ever made
ohh, but i will take off! so soon!
i cant stand this place

Wisconsin sucks!"

No matter how much good happens in the spring, summer and fall...it's so hard to remember those things when it is winter. I've heard about seasonal disorders that cause depression and for those of you who know me..I can be morose but not depressed.

Right now the streets, sidewalks, parking lots are thick coats of ice..not snow...ice. The emergency rooms are full of people who can't stand up.

I need an escape plan....it can be long term but I need out of here, maybe just a short vacation.