homebody.

homebody - Noun., A person who enjoys the warmth 

and simple pleasures of being at home.

Yep. That's me. A homebody. I enjoy being at home. Especially when it's quiet. 

Sometimes it can be a challenge to make myself get out and do things. Because sometimes I'd just rather be home...being quiet...writing...puttering in the kitchen...soaking in solitude. 

I really don't think that I get lonely. I don't mind being alone. 

Some people don't like to be alone. I get that. But I'm not one of them.

There's a difference between being alone and being lonely. And I like alone time. I need it, really. I don't know if this is a good or a bad thing. It's just the way it is, just the way I am. 

I think I'm OK with being alone at times because most of the time I'm not. I'm at work all day with coworkers and students. Then I'm home in the evenings and on weekends with my family...(although that is getting to be less and less as the boys grow and mature and spread their wings. But honestly, I'm OK with that, too. It's what they're supposed to do.) 

I also make time to be with friends...going to lunch or meeting for coffee or running errands together. My days and hours are full much of the time. 

So when I have a chance for quiet and solitude...I soak it up. 

And I am grateful for it. 

happy accidents.

So the peach jam I made the other day was a bust. It never set. But I didn't want to waste it so I had the idea to give it a second chance by boiling it down and adding apple peels (natural pectin) to see if it wouldn't thicken up to a nice consistency for jam.

Well. It didn't. It was just as runny as when I started.

Determined to not let the gift of delicious peaches go to waste I gave the mixture a crack at a new life...as ice cream topping. Yes I did. I scooped two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream into a bowl and topped it with some of the peach jam that refused to gel. And oh my goodness, was it ever go-oo-ood. Imagine peaches and cream on steroids.

I'm thinking this was definitely a happy accident.

slow morning.

*this was written yesterday...forgot to press Publish.*

A slow morning. I've been waiting for this for weeks...months...

...Bon Iver playing in the background, doors and windows open, ceiling fan whirring, one kid still sleeping and the other on the road for a big adventure with a friend and his family.

There is nothing I have to do today...my only "plan" for the day is to move slow, to breathe deep, to drink water...to write...and take pictures. I might prepare a meal. We'll see...

I'm sure I'll meander out to the garden...and visit the chickens.

Slowing down...switching gears...from running, running every day from start to finish...to this...

Quiet. Stillness.
Refreshing and decompressing.

now...

An afternoon by the bay with my youngest...we needed to
 get out of town for a while...this was the perfect destination.

Now

is

the

new

later.

I saw this quote the other day on (wait for it) Pinterest.

It got me thinking...

about now, about later, about getting things done, 

about not procrastinating, about doing instead of saying, 

or just thinking about, or (dare I say) Pinning.

It got me thinking...about being productive.

And I have been. I've taken care of things that needed taking care of...

paperwork, phone calls, tidying up this space or that.

I have made lists, I set goals, I got things done. 

There is more to do, of course...there always will be. This is life, after all.

But I have to say, I feel good about the little bits that I am accomplishing.

I'm chipping away at things that have been keeping me awake at night.

I'm checking things off my beloved lists and feeling 

a little lighter with each task accomplished. 

Bit by bit...I'm getting there.
Working on doing things now, rather than later.

focusing on the good.

Go here to see who did what.

I am finding that focusing on the good is helpful to me. It reminds me of the blessings in my life...it reminds me of how fortunate I am...and how good life can be when I choose to see good things.

Focusing on the good reminds me that there is beauty in the world...there are good people...and good experiences. It's a challenge some days....this world is going to hell, literally. And everywhere I turn I see despair...and pain...and ugliness. I can really dwell on that if I let myself.

But instead of dwelling...I'm focusing on the good.

• Sun tea. Yes, again. I can't help myself.
• A car load of hilarious and animated teenagers on their way to student council camp...and being in charge of the stereo, "Mom! Bump it!" (I was pretty sure that meant, "Turn it up!" So I did. :)
• Cooler temps in August...it's been beautiful.
• Corn on the cob. With butter. And pepper.
• My mom and dad. They are awesome. And I appreciate them.
• Talking to a friend on the phone. xo
• Meeting new people and learning new things in the process.
• Gray nail polish on my toes.
• Being understood.
• A teensy bit of light shining in the darkness. It's a start. 
• A drive in the country with my husband.
• New music.
• Clean sheets.
• Encouragement.

How about you? What's good in your corner of the world?

small beginnings.

Meyer lemon blossoms...looks like hope to me.

Over the past week I have been reminded, on several occasions, that you have to start somewhere. I have been reminded to start small...take that first step...and just start.

I have always had this habit of seeing something I want to do...and then thinking I need to do it all at once.

I can't just start a little garden, trying my hand at a couple tomato and zucchini plants to get my feet wet...I need to build a 50-acre homestead where I grow ALL our own food ALL the time.

I can't just learn to bake bread and commit to a fresh loaf once a week...I have to bake all our own bread, every single day using yeast I make myself (or grow? I don't even know how that's done!) and flour I've grown and harvested and milled myself and then bake it over an open flame in a brick oven I built myself out of bricks I fashioned out of clay and...whatever else you use to fashion bricks.

I can't just...well, I think you get the idea. Don't you? I have this "go big or go home" attitude...but going "big" is overwhelming! Especially when you don't know what you're DO-ING. And...I don't. Not yet, anyway.

Our hope is to one day have a larger home situated on usable acreage. It's been a dream for us for years. So we've been waiting and waiting for the time to be right for this dream to become a reality. Waiting is the key word here.

One day I was driving Ian to school and I saw a garden flag in someones front yard that had the familiar saying on it..."Bloom where you're planted." I'd seen it a million times before but this time I knew that God was letting me know that we needed to stop waiting...we needed to do some things right here, on our own little city lot to get started. We needed to take some time to experiment...and learn. How on earth did I expect to care for acreage when I couldn't even take care of a small, suburban lot?

Good point...why didn't I think of that?

So, bloom we did.

We expanded the garden from a couple of small planting boxes to a full-fledged fenced off garden area. I taught myself to can peaches and beans and how to make jam. Two years ago we got The Girls and they've been supplying us with fresh, delicious, beautiful eggs ever since. We plan on getting rain barrels and collecting rain water...and planting some fruit trees and grape vines. We are using our time here on our small city lot, our small beginning, to learn and gather knowledge and experience so that when that dream does come true, we'll know where to start and what to do.

This series of small beginnings will eventually add up to big changes in our lives. No more waiting...it's time to rejoice and "to see the work begin"! And I know it will be worth the wait...anything done in God's timing and in God's direction always is.

Zechariah 4:10

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...

Every once in a while...

Every once in a while....you need to stop what you're doing...forget about the chores...forget about the have-to's...forget about the stress and the worries and the bills.

 Every once in a while....you need a change of scenery...and you need to remember what's important.

Every once in a while...you need to take some good, deep breaths...throw caution to the wind...enjoy your life...and your family...and have fun.

 Every once in a while....you need to seize the moment...take note that there is NOTHING on the calendar...and load your family into the car and hit the road.



That's exactly what we did a couple of weekends ago. And it was good. Really good. It was a Saturday. We just got home from an early baseball game when we realized that we had the whole rest of the day OPEN. We made the spontaneous decision to hop in the car and head to the coast. It's a beautiful drive. It was a drizzly, beautiful day. We listened to loud music...and dreamt of what we were going to eat when we got to our favorite coastal deli. On the way we stopped at an amazing outcropping of climbing rocks. The boys were like billy goats...thank goodness I remembered my camera.

We ate our dinner...and it was as good as we knew it would be. Fish and chips for two...a burger for one...and chowder in a sourdough bowl with a BIG side of fries for the other. Soda in a bottle...at a table by the window. It was good. Conversation was good. Enlightening.

It was getting dark...time to head home. It began to rain...just in time. On the way home we drove through Starbuck's for a dessert of frappucinos. The boys played DJ with the iPods...playing music we all like. I danced and sang...they reminded me that I was driving. Oh...yeah...

It was a good day.

well...now what?

quite matronly...paper clay heads...

And from a blob of paper clay came three silly little ladies with quirky personalities. What fun it was to watch them emerge. I had no idea what to expect...and really no end result in mind. So the outcome was as much a surprise to me as it is to you!

So...I made them. Now what? I got so wrapped up in making the heads that I didn't really think ahead to what I would actually DO with them once they were done. I had a few ideas...but nothing set in stone.

I think I'll ponder it a while...

I went for a drive on Sunday afternoon...

 It was cold and rainy on Sunday...but I was really wanting to take my camera out and snap some photos. It'd been too long...my camera bag was dusty...I couldn't find my cable to upload photos...all signs that it had been far too long since I'd taken pictures just for the heck of it.

I loaded up my camera bag...grabbed my Starbuck's gift card...and hit the road. That's me over there to the right...at the Starbuck's drive-thru. Can you see me? Waiting ever so patiently for that non-fat latte? Oh yeah...and extra hot. It was delicious...the perfect accompaniment to my rainy day drive in the country. An Artist's Date if you will...

Coffee in hand, wipers going and radio on, I headed down the road. I drove out to a popular hiking spot just outside of town...but the inspiration just wasn't there. I wandered around and took a few shots...but ended up back in the car in search of something...else.

I decided to drive to one of my favorite country roads in my area. It's only a couple miles outside of town but it seems much further away. It's a bit steep...and quite narrow in several spots. And maybe a teensy bit dangerous to drive alone...on a rainy and slippery day. (Or any day, really) But...I have 4WD...and I called Chris to let him know where he could find me should I not be home in a reasonable amount of time. Just in case...

The views are incredible. Sitting here in my tiny little corner of the world I forget sometimes that there's a great big beautiful world around me. 

I'm a sucker for tree tunnels.

I was gone for a little over an hour. And took almost a hundred photos. Gotta love digital, eh?  I kept a few...and deleted quite a few more. And decided I needed to work on my exposure.

I also decided that an Artist's Date is in order a little more often...

Art is a collaboration between God and the artist,

and the less the artist does the better. ~André Gide

resolve.

In just a few short days we will leave 2010 and enter into 2011. Some of us are breathing huge sighs of relief at the thought. A new year...a new start...time for new resolutions and new opportunities. A clean slate. New, new, new.

But if you think about it...January 1 is just another day, really. On December 31 it will just be tomorrow...right? January 2...it will just be yesterday. But still...the New Year always brings with it hope.

I admit, I don't make resolutions. I stopped a while back. They always made me eat more...smoke more...or completely avoid whatever I resolved to DO. So I stopped.

But just recently I started to set small goals for myself. Like this winter for instance...I told myself I wanted to learn to bake bread and make a patchwork quilt over the winter. Two small goals that I have wanted to achieve for quite some time. So...I decided that this winter is the time. (And now that the holidays are over, I better get down to business, eh?)

I realized a while back that setting small goals for myself is what works best for me. This realization started with The Girls. I did a ton of research on chicken keeping...I stalked web sites, I borrowed books from the library...I read and read and read. And then one day, I realized I was ready to take on some backyard chickens.

The summer before that one I decided to teach myself how to can. I made jam and dilly beans and peaches and pickles. And it worked! And it all tasted great...except for the pickles. I've yet to find the recipe. But I will...I know it.

The summer before that one I decided that I was going to plant a garden. So I did. I planted cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchini. And it all grew beautifully. It was a success. And because of that I've had the courage to plant a garden each summer since.

What's the big deal, you ask? Well...it all boils down to perfection. For me anyway. I have a tendency to avoid things because I can't do them perfectly. There are so many things I want to do...but I have often talked myself out of one thing or another (quilting...) because I'm afraid it won't turn out right. Or more accurately, perfect. So...if I can't do it perfectly, I won't do it at all. If I can't plan and plant the perfect Victory Garden or Cottage Garden worthy of a photo shoot...then I won't plant anything at all. If I can't make a perfectly pieced and color coordinated quilt...then I won't make one at all. And so on and so forth...you name it, I'll give you the reason why I wasn't able to give it a shot.

Until recently....

Looking over the past couple of years and the things that I've learned to do I've realized that even if it can't be done perfectly, it is still worth doing. And maybe the process is just as important, if not more, than the finished product. I have stopped trying to achieve perfection...in my self, in my home, in my endeavors. I strive for a job well done...yes. I do my best... But I don't expect it, whatever it is, to be perfect. I expect bumps along the way...I expect challenges...and in the end, I expect to have learned something in the process.

So if my pickles aren't perfectly spiced...or my quilt pieces aren't perfectly lined up at the corners...or if my bread falls flat and comes out of the oven looking more like a cracker...I will try again. I will learn from mistakes and what would appear to be a failure...and I will try again. I won't give up. I won't quit.

Not anymore, anyway.

Hmmm...sounds like maybe I just might have made a resolution...

this morning.

Today is Thursday. My Friday at the book store. The weeks are flying by so fast, aren't they? I can't keep up. It's like the first of the month gets here...and I start thinking about the bills to pay and such...and next thing I know it's the 6th! How does that happen? Is it just me?

I had a coffee date set for 9am but the friend I was to meet (our new pastor's wife) had to go to Sacramento to be with her daughter in law who is in labor! Woohoo! Keep Shannon in your prayers today...this is her first baby and you know how those first labors can be. Loooong. My first was 32 hours from start to finish...yikes. And I did it again! What's with us crazy moms? That's a God given gift...the ability to forget what we just went through so we'll do it again...and again and again in some cases!

Since I'm finding myself with a bit of extra time this morning. I think I'll use it to do homework. I have to watch a documentary and write a minimum 2-page paper about it. That's a weekly thing with online courses...a paper. I don't have any trouble coming up with two pages of words (obviously, as you can see, I tend to be a bit chatty...ahem) but I do have trouble formatting my dang citation page! And I even bought a special program to help me DO it. I have got to figure that out...it's costing me points on my papers. So far I'm still maintaining an A...thank goodness. But I'm right on the border...so I need to step up my game!

I can't even believe that I'm in Week 6 of my 9 Week class. See what I mean about time flying? Seriously. That means I'm almost done with my second class!! Woohoo! I really need to take two classes per term...but I am worried that I won't be able to keep up. School is a lot of work! My mom says if I didn't blog I'd have plenty of time...which is true in some aspects. If I didn't READ so many blogs I'd have the time...and this is something I need to consider. Too bad I don't get class credit for blogging...hmmm, I may have to look into this. Not a bad idea...

Anyway...I'll figure it out. Time management...it's never been my strong suit.

Even still, today is off to a good start. It's cool and breezy. It's sunny and bright. It's calm and quiet...the only sounds I hear are the wind blowing through the leaves of the maple in my front yard and the soft purr of sweet Rosie. Definitely off to a good start...

lunch.

First of all...thank you to all of you who helped me choose photos to sell at the art fair. It was SO very helpful...I appreciate your input. (And hey Linda...the link to my flickr account is on the right sidebar of my blog...or you can click here!)

As you know, last Saturday mom and I went to the coolest yarn shop ever in Petaluma. Well, we also decided to have some lunch. At the recommendation of the shop owner, we went to the Wild Goat...a tiny little restaurant BIG on character. It was darling. And cozy. And comfortable. Not to mention, the food was WONDERFUL.

See that Cobb Salad up there on the menu? De-li-cious. SO good. If you ever go...please order it. You won't regret it. We also ordered the Seasonal pizza on a thin crust that was very unique and quite delicious...sauteed pears, Gorgonzola, arugula, and some sort of yummy ham. It was different. And it was good.

While we were there I was inspired by the Wild Goat to start collecting mismatched silverware. I don't have a set of silver. When we got married I didn't sign up for china or silver or anything like that. I signed up for every day stuff...mainly because we have such a small house that I don't entertain so I figured I didn't have a reason to have nicer stuff.

Well...a few years ago I realized that I would like to have some silver for when I DO entertain. I won't live in this tiny house forever...and I really do love to have people over. It's just really hard in this little space to do so comfortably. So I don't. Well, several years back I had found an old silverware design that I fell in love with (I can't recall the name of it...I have it written down somewhere...!) but piecing a set of it together is proving to be more difficult than I thought it would be.

So...inspired by the Wild Goat...I decided that I'm going to piece together mismatched silver and call it a set. None of the silver at the Wild Goat matched...and it looked really cute. So...I figure if it will work for them, it will work for me!

And mom...if you're reading...thank you for a GREAT day! xo

Good finds on a good weekend.

Ian and I stopped at a yard sale on Saturday. I couldn't resist. I ended up finding this box of ribbon...satin and grosgrain..."How much for the ribbon?" "Oh...you can have the whole box for a dollar."

As you can see...it came home with me.

I also dug through boxes and boxes of self-help books and diet books and cookbooks. This little "Pennsylvania Dutch Cookbook" caught my eye...I liked the graphics. And it was only a quarter.

And the biscuit cutters (that I've been wanting for a long time) were 50 cents. I got another book on nutrition for a quarter, too. A handful of treasures for two bucks! Not bad, eh?

l.o.v.e.

When the boys were little we would say "I love you" in sign language. You know which one I mean? The one sort of like a Hang Loose sign but with your pointer finger up, too? We did this at school drop offs...babysitting drop offs...just because.

When Ian was three I went back to work part-time. It was really, really hard...but it was also necessary. We were incredibly blessed to find out that an old friend of mine had opened a daycare and had one spot available. Ian fit right in. Even though it was a great fit and he had a great time while I was at work it was still hard for us to say goodbye to each other in the morning. So to make it easier (on both of us) right after I'd drop him off, he'd go to the front window and wave to me all the way down the driveway. Sometimes I'd do silly waves...or really BIG waves...or sometimes I'd skip...the neighbors must have thought I was crazy. But that was OK...it made the separation much easier. And it was worth it to his toothy grin instead of a sad face.

When I finally got to the car I'd get in...fasten my seat belt...then look to the window where we would both flash each other the sign language "I love you" sign. Once that was done he'd go off with the other kids...ready to start his day. And I'd drive off to work...content knowing that he was in good hands and was going to have lots of fun until I got back.

a good mail day!

Last week I sold the last of my Mimi dolls on Etsy so I had a bit of money in my Paypal account...just sitting there. Which is fine, except, at the same time, one of my favorite artists, Cathy Cullis, began doing "daily drawings" and selling them in her Etsy shop.

Well, one day I ventured over to her shop and saw a print that I just fell in love with. And do you know...it was in my price range?! I was SO excited. And I bought it...right then and there.

Every day I checked the mailbox...knowing full well that it would take a while since she'd be shipping from the UK. But still...I couldn't help myself!

Well, today was the day. I opened my mailbox to find the long awaited package...with Cathy Cullis as the return addressee. Woohoo!!

I carefully opened the package..with a steak knife. (I don't have a letter opener...!)

Inside were moo cards...copies of some of her other drawings...a photo of one of her little dolls that she makes...and of course, the piece de resistance...

...this. My print. Girl with tiny scissors in her hair. Oh my...don't you just love her? Oh...I do.

Can you see her tiny scissors?

Aren't they adorable?

I am so glad that I purchased her. There's something about buying art from the artist. Knowing that she made it...by hand. That it was made in London...in her home...maybe while dinner was cooking, you know? It wasn't made in a factory...along with a thousand others just like it. And I love that. It's like slow food...only with art.

Girl with tiny scissors in her hair. A little piece of original artwork...for me.

Thank you, Cathy...I love her! (Not that Ms. Cullis visits here...but just in case!)

Wednesday in the Word: 1 Corinthians 13:3

1 Corinthians 13:3

3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

I met a young man last week at the grocery store. He was standing out front, leaning against the wall. His name is Tim. He's 21. And he's homeless.

Tim talked with me for a few minutes. I asked if I could give him a package of things and he said, "No. I don't like carrying stuff." I asked him questions, and he answered. He lives under the bridge along with many other homeless people in my city. He wouldn't take the bag of items I wanted to give him (more about the bags of stuff later...) so I asked him if I could pray with him. He wasn't real thrilled with the idea...but I told him I'd keep it real quick...so he agreed.

So we held hands and we prayed. And then I left.

As I was walking out to my car I heard that still, small voice..."buy him some dinner". So I loaded my groceries into my car and turned right around and went back into the store.

I bought Tim some fried chicken, a milk, a roll and some string cheese. I had to wait for the chicken to be ready...so I went to the magazine rack and read for a few minutes. All the while I'm just praying that Tim will still be out there.

I went through the check-out line...and as I left the store, there he was, standing in the same spot. I was so relieved. I handed him the bag and said, "Here you go, bud, here's some dinner for you." He replied, "Thank you. God Bless."

I came home and told Chris about Tim...

"Hey honey...you know that young kid we've been seeing all around town? You know...the one on drugs?"

"Yeah."

"I just met him. And prayed with him. And bought him a little dinner. His name is Tim."

"Don't tell me. Did we just adopt Tim?"

Cracking up..."Yep."

Let me explain this "adoption" thing. A while back, at a women's function at church, we filled up these Ziploc bags with useful items for the homeless. The idea is to just keep them in your car and whenever you feel the pull, give a bag to a homeless person, face to face and talk with them a bit, pray with them, etc.

Well, there was a group of the church ladies talking about these bags...and how "doable" they were, etc. And one gal, who was not participating in the bag project, told us of a homeless lady in town that she and her husband had "adopted". She is the one they give to...the one they pray for...the one they buy food and coats for...when they see her they stop and say hi and chat with her a while. They know her story and her name. They don't have to wonder if they should give to this person or that. They KNOW who they're going to give to...her.

And now...I know who I am going to give to...Tim. He's adopted into our family...and doesn't even know it. It's a heart thing...

Since this encounter I have prayed for Tim at least once a day. You see, I had been seeing Tim around town for months. And he would always catch my eye...partly because he's so obviously on drugs. And partly because he's so young. Whenever I'd see him, I'd pray for him. But not like I do now. Now, I can pray for him by name. I can pray about his living situation specifically. I can pray that he find shelter...and warmth. I can pray that he find some dinner. When I am driving around town...I watch for him. And I pray that he is safe. And warm. And full. I pray that someday...he will be free of addiction.

As far as these bags...these plastic bags for the homeless...I've tried to give two of them away. And both times, they were refused. I'm not sure why...it's something to ponder. Maybe they don't want a bag of toiletries. I don't know. Maybe they want someone to talk to them a minute. Ask their name. Smile. Get close. Not judge. Maybe they want us to give a little of ourselves...and not just a plastic bag full of items we think are useful to them.

I don't know...I'm not homeless...by the grace of God. I'm not addicted to drugs...by the grace of God. I'm not tortured by mental issues...by the grace of God. But...I know that when I'm feeling down...and out...that a kind word..a kind gesture...that is what pulls me out. Maybe it's the same for someone on the street. Maybe it's as simple as listening to that still, small voice...and putting love into action.

I don't write about this to toot my own horn. I write about this in hopes of encouraging you to get out of your comfort zone. I write this in hopes of encouraging you to listen to that little voice that prompts you to do something good for someone else. So many times we hear that voice, the voice of God, and we reason it away. I pray that you won't reason it away. I pray that you will listen to it...that you will obey it. And in doing so that you will be a blessing to someone...a homeless person? Maybe not. Maybe for you it's a grumpy co-worker, that mean teller at the bank, that young punk of a kid who never says thank you at the gas station. I don't know who it is in your life. I only know who it is in my life. It's Tim. And, of course, whoever else God tells me to bless as I go about my day. A blessing doesn't have to be dinner. It can be a smile. A wave. A generous tip. You'll know what it is...just listen. God will let you know.

it's the little things...

A couple of years ago I got these sweet little wreaths on sale from Ballard Designs...one of my favorite home catalogs.

This is the first time they've been out of their shipping box. I felt like they needed the "perfect spot" to hang...and I didn't have that "perfect spot" until this year. (Thanks to my honey building my hutch for me summer before last...)

I have to say...this hutch makes me happy. I waited a long time for it. And...it was worth the wait. It holds all of my junk...er...I mean collectibles.

What is a hutch without a collection of cookbooks?

I love cookbooks. Love them. I have more on another shelf in my dining area...but these are the ones I turn to most often. Most of them, anyway. Many of them have been gifts and some I've purchased myself. My favorite cookbook purchase is of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking....first edition. I got it at a garage sale...for a DOLLAR. It no longer has the jacket...but that's OK.

It also holds fun stuff...

...a vintage recipe box from the thrift store...$1. Cast iron pig...with wings. Love it. A sweet little green ceramic bowl...gifted to me by a friend at church after I commented on how much I liked it while eating dinner at her house. Wasn't that nice? Inside it is an old tea infuser...garage sale...a quarter.

It holds important things, too. Gifts made by little hands that are now big...tissue paper flowers, egg carton bouquets, paper plate chickens and "stained glass" jars made as Christmas gifts in the first grade. And you can hardly see it...but Noni's glass juicer is nestled in the yellow casserole. I'm glad to have it...I miss her. Every day.

I know it may not seem like much...but my hutch makes me happy. It makes me happy that my husband built it for me. It makes me happy to have a place to store all of my collectibles. It makes me happy to have extra storage that is deep enough to hold large sheet pans...a food processor...a food dehydrator...a roasting pan, or two...a stand mixer. It holds baking supplies...and dried goods...cookie cutters and sprinkles. My hutch is one of the few things I'll miss when we finally move out of this house.

Hmm....I wonder if I can take it with me? Honey? Can I?

ps...I just had to let you know that every time I typed "honey"...I actually typed HINEY!

Happy Saturday everyone...I'll be back later. It feels like a chatty kind of day! xox