FYI

Just a little "For Your Information"...

First of all, you know I gotta brag just a little bit. We're still playing ball..although we are just before finishing up the season. Last night we took home the title of Conference and District Champs!! Yea Us!

Can you find Big Dan? This is not the greatest picture. I was dealing with lots of fidgety, ready to get this over with, teenage boys....the darkness....and a glaring field light. But at least I have the picture. We advance to Regionals this weekend.

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And for the 2nd bit of information.

I've been getting several comments and emails regarding my mom's etsy shop and I just wanted to let you know what is going on with that. She had several items listed for about 6 months and she and I both felt really good about it. But would you believe she never got one single sale? I felt so bad for her. Anyway, when her listing times ran out, she didn't list anything else, and I took her link down.

Guys, I know you're just going on my word, but her stuff is good. Really good...and not just because I have a teensy weensy reason to be partial. It is. So, for those of you who have expressed interest, please feel free to email me again and I can send you pictures of her work. And if any of you who have blogger friends that get lots of hits who may be interested in doing some advertising or "talking her up"...well, that would be so appreciated too. I'd really like to see Etsy work for her.

If you are just tuning in to my blog, and don't know what I'm talking about...she sews, monograms and appliques. She makes classy children's outfits from birth - size 6 (or so). She incorporates monogram or applique designs and personalization into her outfits. She also does precious baby bags, burp pads, blankets and lots of other stuff.

Hey..we'll take any advice you have for getting the word out. My parent's are retired and mom is just trying to make a living doing what she loves.

Getting My Fix..

of Babies, that is.

Aren't babies just precious? Our church is small.....just a congregation of about 75 on Sunday morning, but that number is quickly changing. Something must be in the water around here. One mother just had her baby, Chickadee will be hatching very soon, and our Pastor's wife is due in April. I forgot just how much I missed holding a little one until I spent the afternoon taking in that sweet baby smell, rubbing those tiny, precious feet that have never touched the ground, and feeling that soft, silky hair touch my cheek. There is nothing like it.

Her baby came a little early and so her shower was after the fact. I called my mother and had her do up a little something special for today.

This a monogrammed fleece blanket. It is so soft and delicate. I just love it. I wanted to post it for you to see since mom has started her etsy shop. I don't know if she has these listed or not, but you can always email her or contact me if you might be interested.

I admit, I am fighting the "empty nest" syndrome. I guess I will have to continue getting my baby fix from everyone else's babies. I came home from the shower telling Pete how I wanted another one. He looked at me like I was insane-o and then reminded me.. they soon turn 18.

A day to NOT Labor

I know this may come as a surprise to you, but I often get accused of being a little ditzy. I have to admit, sometimes, I find myself much like my teenager...floating through life not really giving a second thought to the significance of things. Take the origin of holidays for instance. Do you ever think about how they became what they are? I guess common sense would tell me that "Labor Day" would be to honor the laborers. I just wanted to know more. I googled and found this information.

I found that Labor day not only creates a day off for the working citizen, but most often also signifies the start of football and the end of summer. It is also now, for us, a day of rememberance of my husband's grandmother's passing two years ago.

If it is the end of summer, that must mean it is the start of fall. I love the blogs I have read so far with the emphasis on the glories of fall. Can't wait to see pictures of the decorations, and I am going to be so excited to decorate a little myself this year since we have done some freshening up on the front porch.

I don't know if any of you have visited my mom's new etsy shop. If you haven't, I encourage you to. She is working, working. I would love to see this work out for her. These are a couple of her newest fall things.



Hope everyone had a fun day off.

My Multi-Talented Mother...and a Birthday Giveaway! (updated)

I've been planning this post for quite a while and now that the time has actually come, I'm not really sure what I want to say. Defining my mother is not the easiest thing. She is so many different things to me.

First of all, she is the person I can thank for making me who I am today. I give her all the credit for all the knowledge I have in child rearing (and other things, of course). I don't know what I would do without her to call and "double check" myself. My kids frequently hear..."my momma always used to say........" She is the youngest of 6 kids, and the only girl. Her mother passed away when she was 28. I can't imagine. I was only 8, so I don't have that many memories of my grandmother, however, she has used that same line on us so, so many times. My grandmother must've been one smart, patient, talented woman herself!

She and my dad made sure my brother and I were always in church and for that I am so very thankful. We were both saved at early ages and if it weren't for parents strong in their faith, who knows what we would have become. She is the one that "forced" me to practice the piano because she knew one day God would use my talent for His glory..and that He has. That is us in the picture to the right, this past Mother's day....myself, my wonderful mom, and my only sibling. She would do absolutely anything for either one of us, and although I know we have both stretched her so thin, even in our adult years, she remains strong.

My mom is the greatest cook in the entire world. She is so modest about it though. We have our family holiday gatherings at her house and bless her heart, she takes on the entire thing solo. She will call each of us, grand kids included to find out what we want as our special holiday dish and she will make sure it is done. If we ask her what we can do to help out, her reply is always the same..."just come and enjoy". Ok, if you say so... There have been so many times on a Saturday afternoon when I am tied up doing something and remember a church fellowship the next day. I have just called her and she has happily made a dessert for me to take. (I never take the credit, though). Some of my girls will say..."wish my mom would make me a pie". And she can do so much more. It doesn't matter what I ask her to do, I have faith that she can.

Like I said in this post, my mom has pretty much sewn my entire life. She made all of my clothes growing up. We laugh sometimes about the times she made my blue jeans and we would use a seam ripper to take the "Lee" tag off of my dad's jeans and put them on mine. (I was much too cool to wear home made clothes in high school). I never really appreciated her talent until I had a daughter. Right before Little Ann was born, she bought her first monogram machine and began experimenting with it. When Little Ann was a baby, she never wanted for anything. She had monogrammed diaper bags, burp clothes, changing pads, bibs, etc., and the most beautiful heirloom dresses. A different one for every Sunday. I've kept them all. Mom is quite the perfectionist, and she has made for herself a good reputation....you will not find one crooked stitch on her garments. A couple of years ago, she placed some of her garments in the County Fair, only to be disqualified by the judges. We laughed and laughed at their reasoning. What? They said her garments were store bought. She didn't know whether to be offended or flattered. (Unfortunately, the perfection, the cooking and the sewing skipped a generation.)

Mother has been working so hard on her new fall line and I just wanted to try to help her out via my blog. She has been wholesaling to retail children's stores and selling to individuals who visit her shop at her home, but I thought we might really be on to something here. Since I posted my giveaway announcement, chickadee has suggested an etsy store, which is something we might definitely look into. Here are some samples of her different styles:

1st Birthday outfits:

Summertime FUN!

Fall Pizazz!

(the update:) Mommy dearest read the blog and was so touched, however, she said I must post her two favorite outfits. So, I've added a couple more for you to see. This one above right is pretty much same style as the one on the left, but slightly different....and the one below which she says is her best seller right now!!

Holiday Favorites:

Isn't she super?















NOW FOR GIVEAWAY DETAILS: Sunday is my birthday and you get a gift! How cool is that?

This is what I am giving away. It is a full sized black monogrammed bath towel. The current initials are monogrammed on black fabric so you can see what it will look like with your initials on it. If you are impressed with my mom's garments, just leave me a comment! I will randomly choose from all comments left on this post between now and Sunday evening (my birthday) at 9:00 pm. If you like what you see here, I ask that you please send a link to this post to all your friends and family that might have small children (or blogging about it will work just fine too). Serious inquiries about purchasing any of these items can email me!

Please leave your email address or have one available on your blog so I may contact you in the event you are the winner!! Enjoy and happy commenting!

Oh, and dad, ....your moment of fame is coming.