Used Book Sale Blues

It's "Used Book Sale" time again.  Last year I thought I had a lot of books when I brought 15 boxes to the sale but I think I can top that this year.  I've created a massive mess of books and boxes ALL OVER our house.  Such as:

My desk chair

The kitchen island

Another kitchen countertop

The dining room table

The library

The bonus room

And, the back entry.

Trust me when I tell you that the photos do not do the mess justice.  It's only gotten worse since they were taken.  I may have to go out to the shop and rummage up a few more boxes.  The real question is, who is going to help me load all these boxes in the truck and then unload them at the sale?!  I think a little bribery may be in order here...

The sad thing is, even with all these books leaving the house it is hardly noticeable on my shelves.  I've been collecting books for the past 25 or so years and I've amassed quite a library.  I hope I sell my books and come home with empty boxes.  It's time to part with some of the collection!

Birkie Weekend at the Cabin!

Six in the truck makes for a cozy ride up north. 

Good thing it's just over two hours and no longer!

Plus there's the dogs...  Lacey, and

Theodore.  Note that she is sitting on a pillow while Theo's

got the floor.  He wonders what is wrong with this photo!

Here we are on race day, watching at Main Street!

As you can see, we're not alone!

The whole town and then some turns out to cheer on the skiers.

Here comes Tad Elliott, skate winner of 2012 American Birkebeiner!

He managed to cover 50K in 2:04:48.  Not a bad day's work.

More skier's coming in, both classic style and skate alike.

After the race, the skiers have to collect their belongings from

this sea of bags.  There are a lot of volunteers and they've got a system down.

Between the Birkie and the Kortelopet there are almost 10,000 skiers,

that's a lot of clothing and bags to distribute!

We enjoyed our meal at the Lost Land Lake Lodge,

home of the world's best fish fry!

Emily and Jessie before they head out on the

snowmobile on the lake.

The cabin at night from the lake.

We went for a long walk with the pups.

Even though it was a lovely night, it felt good to come back

in and warm ourselves by the fire!

Bruce and Perky joined us for the weekend,

making it even more fun.



It's become a tradition to head north to watch the American Birkebeiner, the largest cross country ski race in North America.  We are the fortunate recipients of being a stone's throw away from the race course.  The Birkie, as it is affectionately called, attracts skiers from all over the world and is quite an event.

Last year the temperatures were brutally cold so this year's milder weather was quite appreciated by skier and spectator alike.

The girls and I promised to give the Kortelopet a go this year but the lack of snow and ability to get out and practice killed our dream.  There's always next year, right?

Shopping is MAGIC in Vegas!

My sister and I just returned from a trip to Las Vegas.  No, I'm not a gambler.  At least, not in the way that comes to mind when you think of Las Vegas.  We didn't put a single nickel in a slot machine while we were there.

So, why does one go to Vegas, if not to gamble?  We were there to attend four different buyer's markets that are held in about a week's span in February.  My sister has a store that sells tack (equestrian items) and apparel.  Lately she's been branching out on the apparel side a little more and she wanted to go and do a little shopping and a lot of looking.  However, her hubby didn't want her to go to Las Vegas on her own and that's where I came in.  Escape the cold winter in Wisconsin for few days in February to shop for cute, fashionable clothing with my sister?  Twist my arm!

We had four full days to shop and we made the most of it.  The first couple days were spent bargain hunting at the Off Price show.  Don't let the name throw you.  Vendors were selling really beautiful fashions there, but yes, there were plenty of bargains to be found as well.  We methodically went up and down each aisle, scouring countless racks, looking for items that were a good fit for her store.  Our third day found us wrapping up a few orders at Off Price and then checking out the Accessories the Show hall right next door.  We found the most amazing purses there and I cannot wait until that shipment arrives.  They are one of a kind, handcrafted beauties and I will be saving my pennies to buy one... 

Our final full day was reserved for MAGIC, the granddaddy of shopping excursions.  MAGIC is huge.  It cannot be contained in one convention center and must be split into two separate locations.  Somehow we ended up at the wrong vendor hall but there is a shuttle between the two, so it wasn't that big of a deal.  Can I sum up MAGIC in ten words?  I'm not sure, but I'll try:  Fashionable, Loud, Busy, Eye-popping, Trendy, Overwhelming, Freebies, Fun, Huge & Exhausting! 

We tried to methodically canvas the show but after a while we just kind of gave up and wandered.  There was so much to see and we only covered a fraction of it all.  When we approached the Miss Me area, a guard at the roped off entrance asked if we had an appointment.  No, we did not.  Access denied!  We turned to leave but my sister's account rep from Chicago happened to see us and called us in.  Magically an appointment opened up and just like that, we were picking out summer fashions.  What fun! 

All in all, it was an extremely busy, action packed trip.  Shopping for a store is nothing like shopping for pleasure.  It was work.  Hard work.  Our days were long but productive.  While any purchase made for a store is a gamble, I'm confident that we selected well and I can't wait for all our beautiful fashion picks to come in and hit the racks!  

A Frosty Winter's Morning

We were blessed with a gorgeous view yesterday morning!  When I awoke and looked out my window, this is what I saw:

God's amazing handiwork.  It is though He dipped a paintbrush

in frost and painted every twig and blade of grass.

Oak leaves up close.

Lacey looking bright-eyed on our morning excursion.

Even soybean fields are a thing of beauty on a frosty morn.

My two walking buddies: Theodore and Lacey.

Every view is more beautiful than the last!

I love how something as humble as a blade of grass can be so breathtakingly beautiful.

A closeup of prairie grass.

More contrasts with the gold in the grasses and the frost covered trees.

While I'd appreciate more snow on the ground,

I have to admit the landscape is lovely!

Even scrubby cedars look good with a coating of frost.

Yet another picturesque view of one of our little wetlands.

Call me weird, but I enjoy winter!  I love the fact that I live in an area with four distinct seasons.  I'm missing the snow but days like this help make up for its absence...   May you find God's beauty in your surroundings, wherever you may be.

I Miss You, Brett Weller

Yesterday, Leah and I were cleaning out her closet and I was going through a box of her mementos when I found the button in the photo above.  As most of you know, I'm an ovarian cancer survivor (12 years now, woo hoo!) and so for years we were active with the Relay For Life (American Cancer Society fundraiser).

When I found the button I started to cry.  You see, the buttons were made in my honor by my friend, Brett Weller, who is no longer with us.  Brett was taken from us in a tragic plane accident almost three years ago and for those who knew him, we feel his loss keenly.  He was an amazing friend, son, husband, brother, uncle and neighbor.  Someone who lit up a room when he entered and genuinely cared about those around him.  He always had a ready smile, joke or hug and an encouraging word for me when I saw him.

Today would have been his birthday and while I grieve his untimely passing, I know that I am a better person for knowing him.  Thanks Brett.

Daniel's Big Changes

After being homeschooled his for his first six and a half years of school, we enrolled Daniel at
a private parochial school in town and he started after Christmas break.  He is my first child to enter
the school system, unless you count Emily attending college.

One of the draws was being able to join the basketball team.  He's played a few games now, his first experience
with playing basketball.  We're still waiting for his first basket!

We just celebrated his twelfth birthday about two weeks ago. 
It's hard to believe my "baby" is twelve years old!



After eating some ice cream cake and opening gifts, we played a fun game:
"Would You Rather".  What a hoot!  I think Daniel is feeling the effects of the cake
here and showing an abundance of energy!

 My darling son is growing up and is going through a lot of changes this month:  He turned twelve years old, started at a school in town after being homeschooled for his entire schooling career and he joined his first basketball team.  Whew! 

It's the first time I've had a child get on the big yellow bus and I have to admit, it's a little strange.  I'm a big believer in homeschooling but education is not one-size-fits-all.  What worked for my girls was not working for Daniel.  We made a committment for the remainder of the year and will decide if we want to enroll him in 7th grade at the end of the school year. 

It's a wonderful school with small class sizes.  The entire school only has 116 students, PreK through 8th grade.  So far, Daniel seems to be fitting right in.  He is making new friends and learning how to organize himself.  If he leaves his math paper in his locker, he cannot leave the classroom to retrieve it and his grade suffers.  That happened to him last week.  After homeschooling it's definitely an adjustment but that's not necessarily a bad thing!

So now it's just Leah and I at home.  She's a sophomore this year and I can't believe after our chaotic schooling schedule of three students last year that within less than a year it's just her and I!  I'm enjoying this time together and I know she is, too. 

So, this is my ode to change.  It took me a while to embrace it, but I'm feeling good about it now.

Catching Up...

It has been a busy fall and so, inadvertantly, I took a break from blogging.  It wasn't deliberate.  Each week I'd think, "This week I'll sit down and do a blog post."  And you know how it goes...  The week would come and go and it didn't happen.  In my absence, Blogger did an update and wouldn't you know, I have NO IDEA what I'm doing!  (Shocking, I know.)

I went to Chicago for a long weekend with three wonderful friends:  Sandy, Kim and Teri.  We pampered ourselves and had a fabulous time shopping, eating, visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, laughing at the comedy club, shopping, laughing and eating some more.  I want to return with my family ASAP! 

Mike and I took a whirlwind trip to the coast in North Carolina.  We stayed at a beautiful beach house on Topsail Island and had fun relaxing, walking on the beach, touring a beautiful old southern mansion in nearby Wilmington and spending time together.  It was great.

The rest of my photos did not appear in the proper order and I'm having a heck of a time moving them around so I finally just waved the white flag in surrender. 

Leah snapped a few photos of Lacey and I on a fall walk.  It was a lovely evening and I think Lacey looks adorable!

                                                                                                     

Our family rang the bells for the Salvation Army with the Carters.  We always enjoy doing that every year.  It wasn't even that cold this time!  Some years are brutal!

 

 

As the holidays approach, my girls and I host a fun holiday extravaganza cookie exchange.  Much fun was had and food was consumed by all.  Best of all, at the end of the night we each had a sampling of many varieties of delicious cookies and treats to share with our families.

 

My friend Heidi is setting hers out on a table crowded with sweet, sugary goodness.  It makes my mouth water just remembering...

Even before we had the cookie exchange, there was the Christmas tree party with Tony and Brenda.  Mike's sister and husband graciously host a party for family and friends every year in the great north woods of Wisconsin where we gather 'round the fire, eat delicious food, drink hot drinks and wander into the forest to pick and cut our Christmas tree.  Tony and Brett (who is no longer with us and we miss terribly) planted these trees many years ago and we are blessed to have our pick!  That's Leah between Amy (a cousin) and Aunt Brenda above.

Here's Emily on Christmas day, above with Lacey and below showing off some of her gifts.  Happy pup, happy girl!

Our Christmas tree with all the trimmings.  We purposely picked a narrow tree that would fit nicely in the corner windows in the library.  It glowed at night with the lights on.  Mmmmm, I love Christmas trees!

Emily and Leah posing in their Christmas outfits before we headed down to Grandmas to spend the day with family.



Gathering around the table.  Being together through the years on Christmas is one of the best gifts of all.



Mike was up at the cabin on New Year's Eve and the girls had plans with their friend, Jessie, so it was just Daniel and I at dinner.  We first went to the Tintin movie and then returned home to a special meal of Spicy Orange Chicken and Rice with Izzie.  Daniel put the candles out on the table, a nice touch.



The girls before they went out to dinner.  They were all dressed up and looked lovely!  Don't worry, they were home in plenty of time to ring in the new year with Daniel and I. 



Here are two of my favorite women:  my Mom and Emily on Christmas day.  We gave mom a framed photo of Emily for Christmas and they posed together for me.  I love them both so much.

That's my fall and holiday season wrapped up in one goofy post.  Thanks for putting up with the quirks of Blogger and my lack of experience in putting it all in order. 

2011 was an amazing year.  We had highs and lows, sadness and joy but we came through it all together as a family and that is what counts.  May your 2012 be filled with love, joy and excitement too!