Getting to the nitty gritty...

Paula~We received a very special package the other day and are MOST grateful for your generosity toward us! You have such a kind and giving spirit! Corynn ADORED her sweatshirt-she took one look and then said "Wow! WOW! WOOOOWWWW!" Then, she insisted upon wearing it. I told her it was TOO hot but she ran to the fan and said "But my ARMS are COLD, Mama!" I told her she could try it on, but 'trying it on' lasted for HOURS. She didn't take it off. I could hardly stand to LOOK at her, she made ME hot!!!

Isn't that the most beautiful sight ever?

Well......maybe SECOND. :-)


All the pictures I have been taking lately are fluzzy and blurred. I am not sure if it is ME or the camera. I wouldn't have posted them, except that the CONTENT of the pictures are sweet, despite the haze!

Today is going to be a very busy day for me. In fact, the last FEW days have been busy. It all started on Monday when I noticed that EACH AND EVERY room of the house was cluttered and messy. Not ONE area of my home was a 'sanctuary' but rather, a reminder at my slacking off. It was sickening.

At that point, I rolled up my sleeves and MADE myself get motivated. I was almost so overwhelmed I didn't start, because, after all, where DO you start when you have so much to do? But then I just took one room at a time. First the rooms closest to the front door-so if someone stopped by they wouldn't be appauled. Then I was REALLY ambitious and I tackled the basement (which is nearly the same size as the 'living level'.

Now that THAT is done-I feel like I am not drowning and I can get on with it already! PLus-I have the added motivation to get the house clean because I get to meet IN PERSON one of my blogging buddies! Jen is coming over tomorrow and I will finally get to meet her and her four (and a half!) children-who I know all about but have never met! Exciting!!!

Besides cleaning and organizing (which should take most of the day); laundry and dishes, I have to stock my NEW CHEST FREEZER (the men delivered it to me yesterday and to thank them for their efforts, I made them cookies to go)! I LOVE MY FREEZER and can't wait to start STOCKING!

I am going to start the process of making zucchini relish and I am going to try my hand at making Kim's Volcano Pickles. They sound right up Matt's alley!

AND-I am FINALLY going to package out those prizes from my contest! I am SORRY it has taken me this long to get them sent out...I will procrastinate NO LONGER!

The end of August we are going to host a church party at our house. Nearly 100 people will be here and so I am starting NOW on the preparations for that. This will be the first time most of the congregants will have been to our house-so I want it to be spectacular. Elegant, fun, and on the cheap. I am researching and planning now. Yesterday I spent a LOT of time on Martha Stewart.com We hope to have a hayride to the farm to show people what this farm is like (quite unlike some farms...). And I can only PRAY that the weather will be nice. Our house is big but NOT big enough to hold THAT many people! I hope to get a bunch of tables lined up together in one big looooooonnnnngggg table and for centerpieces I will alternate between mason jars filled with flowers and mason jars with birdseed and a tea light inside. I got a chocolate fondue fountain for my birthday from my parents so that will be initiated for the party, as well. If anyone has any ideas for a fun last hurr-ah of the summer, let me know!

We always used to host OCTOBERFEST parties for the church-but someone has already taken that. Octoberfest fun-I know. I am in a whole different ballgame now!

Well, lots to do that won't get done unless I get moving!

Have a wonderful day!!!