Weekend in the Big City

It's been a fun and busy weekend here!

Started out on Thursday going to the Lynden Craft and Antique show with Lynda and Lydia. Lynda had to leave right after this to do some "damage control" regarding something at school, but all is well, lest you worry!!!
Lydia and I proceeded to shop...mostly me!
Tami, do you see what I have here? Yes, it's something for you, but it's enjoying a little time on my table first!!
This lady has a business called Home Deconomics. She makes the cutest things. She has a etsy sight, but I don't know what it's called. Maybe just Home Deconomics. Yea, that would make sense!!!!
She makes cute towel, potholders, place mats, baked potato bags, and lots of things with oil cloth.
Adorable stuff!!


Friday morning Miss Betty (aka Lynda) picked me up at a horrid hour and we headed down to Seattle. She had a children's ministry conference and a hotel so we thought we'd play some too!!

Brian was already there because he had to stay the night before. So my plan (our plan, because we did talk about it) was to have B pick me up before his meeting, take me back to his hotel so I could sleep and shower and then head over to Bainbridge to see my BIL and SIL and watch some basketball. All was good until I got there and found out he checked out!!!!!!! What happened to the PLAN????

Ended up taking a nap in Lynda's car while waiting for him. Very cozy, but not quite what I was going for!


It was a beautiful day for a ferry ride! Doesn't Seattle look beautiful? What an amazing part of the country we live in!

This is Mount Rainier...STUNNING!!!! While on the ferry we could see both Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker! They are about 4 hours apart, but it was so clear you could see forever!

After lunch and basketball we did a little beach combing. Lots of beach glass and Meagan found two agates and some heart shaped rocks. She has quite an eye! I was so busy looking at the ground that I had to remind myself to take in the view!!

Every year we do the March Madness bracket competition within the family and we were able to get together with a lot of the participants and watch some ball. We all got together for the Gonzaga game, pizza, treats, and a lot of trash talkin!!!

The women are kicking butt!! Except for Nolan who is kicking Everyone's butt, the men are at the very bottom!!!! I used my same scientific method for picking my teams as usual. Things like school color, mascot, do they have a #4 or #12 (B and T's #'s), any family names on the rooster, turnover percentage and points scored. Sienna has a guy named Just In Love plus his last How can you not pick a team when you have someone like that????

Anyway, so far so good. I'm in third! But most people picked Kansas to win it all so I still have a chance!! Go Team!!

Headed back to Seattle after the game and met up with Lynda and Ashleigh. They were at Claim Jumper's having dinner. I couldn't resist taking a picture of their dessert display. That cake looked amazing!!

Went back to the hotel after dinner and gave Ashleigh an early birthday present. She'll be 21 next week and I found this crown at a garage sale.

She was REALLY excited!!!!

Isn't she cute?!!

We ended up hanging out all night, accidentally bought 2 movies on pay per view and had to keep calling the front desk!!

Ash met me the next morning again and we shopped Redmond and U-Village while Lynda was at her conference. We met up with her at Country Village where I got the most adorable fabric, that I didn't need, don't know what to do with, and forgot to take a picture of!!!

Did I mention it was 70 degrees??? Awesome day! Home in time to watch a little more basketball and see my boys!!!

A Great Day for Soccer!!.....NOT!!!

The last time Tyler played soccer was the beginning of 8th grade. He was 13!

He had the option this spring of getting a job, volunteering or playing a sport. He didn't put much effort into the first two, which left him with a sport.

He decided to do soccer again, after saying that he would play last year and possibly this year, but backing out on both until the ultimatum came!!

Today is the first game. It was beautiful this morning, and even until around 1:30. Now, however...

the trees are blowing...

the rain is pouring...

and it's just not a nice day for a soccer game!!!! To make it worse, he's been sick and doesn't have enough practices in to play in a game. Soooo...he gets to sit and do nothing, except freeze! This kind of weather is why I like basketball!!!! Everything indoors!! Mommy won't be going to this game!!

Now onto my little dilemma. We got these new couches when we did the remodel. Got them at Macy's, made to order, picked out the material, etc. The problem is that there is some kind of drug that is hidden in the cushions! (they said it was down!) Less than 5 minutes on these babies and our eyes start to drift shut. This has become quite a problem as we are napping frequently...as in every day!!! We have two of these, so we are both capable of succumbing to the drug laden cushions. We are addicted, literally. Hello. My name is Holly. I am a couch -a-holic.

Is there a program for this?? Help needed. FAST!

Oh, and the quilt doesn't help much. Very cozy on that couch with a quilt on top. And the fireplace. Adds to the problem too!

A Few Things to Look Forward To...

After some of the most amazing weather, we are back to the cold, drizzle and N.E. wind...Brrrr!!!

But spring is almost here and I'm looking ahead to what that brings!

So excited about the Farm Chicks show in June!! Can't wait!!!! Being with dear friends, meeting new ones and Vintage Shopping!!!! Yes sirree Bob!! So looking forward to this annual trip with my dear, sweet friends!

My favorite new tool required for all future antiquing events! This awesome bag on wheels that my friend Tami gave me last year! It folds up into a little package about the size of a Bible, but when it's unfolded...watch out, cuz I can fit many a thing into this baby and I'm not afraid to do it!! A must have!!

Guess I should work on my tan too, because I DO NOT look like this now! More like the white shelving in the picture!!
I'm hoping to hit the Two Women antique show in Spangle this year too. Just hasn't worked out, but I love their stuff and do manage to see them at other shows. I really want to go see them! Got a great old farm table from them last year...Love It!! You can see a corner of it in the picture. It's the green one on the right!

I love their poster and they have a necklace just like it that I may need to purchase!!
Love this! In a quilt shop in Waterville. Another favorite stop along the way to the Farm Chicks.

And I can't wait to get my garden in again this year!!! I've got some broccoli and cauliflower starts growing in my kitchen and hope to put them in the ground in a week or two. Notice this is a picture from last year and I am not including one of how it looks now!!!! The raspberries are cleaned out and tied up, but the rest, not so pretty!! I only want you to see my pretty things!

Had fun visiting with the girls last night after work. They were scapbooking, but I didn't have much time, so just admired theirs and ate their food!! Win Win!!

Tyler's been sick, to the doctor, missing school and soccer. Not fun. It's so hard for the high school kids to miss a day as they are instantly behind. So, they go to school when they are sick, get everyone else sick and can't keep up with things anyway!

I quit my kitchen shop job today, after 7 years. Hard, but not getting many hours and don't want to work so much in the summer. I so hate to let people down! I asked my hubby if he would quit for me, so I wouldn't have to see the disappointment in my boss's eyes! He laughed and said, "if you really want me too!" Isn't that sweet? Or maybe he only said this because he knew I'd never take him up on it!!!

Working on a Buggy Barn quilt and can't wait to get it all together. I haven't used my sewing machine in so long, but it sure feels good to be back at it! Too bad laundry, bills, errands, meals and cleaning all get in the way of my fun!!

Have a great weekend everyone! And don't forget to set your clocks on Sat. night!!

Heavy Metal Monday and Homestead Blessings

Before I get started with the heavy metal I wanted to share this picture that I took this morning of....SNOW!!!! It has only snowed once this winter and that was months ago!! But this morning we got a little taste of the white fluffy stuff and it was quite pretty! The sun was shining, the trees were blooming, the birds were singing and it was snowing!!!!! It's supposed to be cold here this week and we could see a little more, but it was fun seeing a bit today!!

Now, on to my "heavy metal"! I don't know how many Mondays I'll have of this, because sooner or later I will run out of metal, but at least I have a steady Monday post!!!
A few items in my hutch: cookie cutters,

flour sifters and old lids, and a few vintage utensils. I love the red and green of old!!!

I LOVE old cookie cutters! I remember as a girl, going by peoples homes in the evenings, when lights were just coming on and wondering what they were doing. Were they having dinner? Making or baking something? Just talking about the day? I still do this...I don't know why!!! But, I do imagine homes of old with mama rolling out the cookie dough and little hands cutting out the cookies with one of these old cutters. I loved making sugar cookies with my mom and my kids loved making them with me! Oh, for the good old days!!!

I canned 16 pints of chicken this morning and then headed over to my sweet friend Lynda's for lunch, stitchin' and a movie!!!

We watched a Homestead Blessings video on canning by the lovely West ladies!!! It was so joyous!!!!! They are a mom and daughters group that does these cute little videos and they do a great job. I think there are six total. You can get them on Amazon or at Vision Forum. I brought these two home with me to watch a little more!!! At the end of today's video they did a little strummin' and singin' down by the creek...barefoot, no less!!! It was so pleasant!!!! Lynda and I can't quite see our daughters participating in such an event, but one can dream!!!!

Lynda made this yummy soup out of the Farm Chicks cookbook. It was really good, but we'd add curry instead of the cumin...just our personal taste!! Very creamy and hearty and she made a great salad to go with. We had tea and rice krispie treats, courtesy of Roger dear, and worked on our little projects! What a joyous day!!!! Thanks Betty!! ( She prefers Betty, and who can blame her??? It was her sweet Grammy's name and very fitting for this girl!!)

I've got another 16 pints of chicken in the pressure canner and am considering working on my sewing room. Just considering, mind you! After all, the Gilmore Girls are on in a few minutes,and while I could watch them upstairs, it's much cozier down here!!!

Have a wonderful week!!

16 years? Feels like 16 minutes!!

Unless you have children you really have no concept of how quickly time passes! It amazes me that what seems like a few weeks ago, is really a few years ago. Am I aging as quickly as my children????

My "baby" boy turned "Sweet 16 " today. Are you supposed to use the word "sweet" when referring to a boy??? Well, he is sweet, most of the time!!!!!

When I was expecting him, I was sure that I was having another girl and even went so far as to buy matching outfits for this baby and the big sister! Was I in for a surprise!!! I must admit that I cried when I found out he was going to be a "he"!!! (He knows this and I think the emotional scarring is gone!)
But the absolute instant that the doctor put him in my arms I knew that this was how it was supposed to be!!! I was so in love with this little guy!!! (still am!!)

He was my snuggler and playmate. His sister had just started school and it was just he and I at home all day! We read, we went to the park, we played legos, we played cars and Thomas the Tank Engine! We dug holes, mowed the lawn, rode bikes and played HOURS of baseball!! Actually, every kind of ball, but a lot of baseball!!

His smile hasn't changed in all these years and I'm so proud to call him my son. He is a great kid ! Except for the fact that he wanted nothing done for his birthday...not even a cake... and even though I took the day off and he went snowboarding with his friends, came home for an hour and then went to the movies with friends, I still love him...a lot!!! And I know God has some amazing things in store for him!!

HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY TYLER!!!!!!

I love you!

Heavy Metal Monday

I have an affinity for vintage tin. I don't know why, but something about it speaks to me.
I keep saying that I will share my collections with whoever wants to see them, so here goes!!!

I love my dish drainers! I wish I did something a little more creative with them, but I can't really think of anything and I had an empty wall!!! I have a few of these old pie tins, but only needed one here. I like that it says "flaky crust" on it !! Have you ever noticed how small pies were back then?? Mine are half again this size and since I'm the only pie eater in my home I've had to quit making them...because I eat them...all of them...and that's not a good thing...!
Why doesn't tea come in these any more?? Bet they'd sell a lot more!

The tins are baking powder tins. Do you think that the "aluminum free" printed on the new containers came from this?

My very creative SIL,www.aserenescene.blogspot.com, made these cute little BLOOM rocks for me. Aren't they so sweet??!!

I think the graters were my first tin purchase. I love the patina on some of these and the wording is great too. Things like, "The Wonder", "All in One", and my favorite, "3 in 1 Lightning Shredder"!!

Then, I found a cute little coffee pot!! I envisioned a prairie home with a big old cook stove in it and the coffee perking away, ready for a visit from a dear friend, or perhaps a little quilting bee! And, I must admit, freshly perked coffee from one of these is quite tasty!!

So, here's a little peek into my collection! I'll be bringing more!!!

Blessings!!