Road Trip!

This week I found out how much I am addicted to blogs! My iphone was my only source of internet as I was on a road trip with my sister. It was a tremendous help as we were searching the Celestial Seasonings Tea Co. or hunting down Hammond's Candy Co. But to pull up blogs on such a small screen... well, it is just not the same! I missed reading daily accounts of what's going on in my friends' lives (those I know personally and those I have only recently become acquainted with online).

My sister Jodi has a son that lives in Westminster, CO. She was heading out there to take a load of personal belongings to him. So I hopped on board to tag along. And boy, did we have fun! As we were heading out Sunday morning, we were laughing our heads off before we even got off my road!! We were laughing so much, that she had to stop on the side of the road and wipe the tears from her eyes before she could continue on. That pretty much set the tone for the rest of the trip. Ah, I just love sisterhood!

Jodi and I are huge fans of the Food Network and our favorite show is "Unwrapped". We just know that we are the only people that plan our trips around food stops and how different foods are made!

Our first stop on Monday was Johnstown, CO for a "World Famous Cinnamon Roll".

Their roast beef was delicious. As was the breakfasts and other foods that were ordered. When you think of truck stop food, the word delicious is usually not associated. Our tummy's were full but we came for the cinnamon roll... so we had to conquer! Well, it took me a few days to conquer mine. He he! We took them home with us because they were huge!

We enjoyed our first stop immensely and knew we were in for a fun trip! I'm not sure what was so funny, but in this picture I'm trying not to bust out laughing.

On our way...

to our next stop in Boulder, CO.

Celestial Seasonings Tea Co. factory tour, tea sampling room, gift shop and cafe.  We spent the afternoon here.  Jodi was excited about her Lemon Zinger tea sample that was our ticket for the tour.

We enjoyed the sampling room!  =]

The time we spent at Sleepytime Drive and Zinger Street made fond memories for us.

... that will not be soon forgotten.

Tuesday we went to Denver, CO to Hammond's Candy Factory for what seemed like a step back in time.

On this day they were making canes, lolli's (lollipops, not suckers!), and cinnamon & butterscotch pillows... all natural of course.  You can see the excitement and joy in my sister's expressions.  Which is why she is the perfect companion for this kind of trip.

My nephew Jason (on the left) and his buddies enjoying the free candy samples.  They had a good time at the candy factory too!

How awesome that we were able to take pictures in the actual working factory!  In the following picture, they are putting the flavoring inside the cane.  It's actually a separate piece of candy block that gets wrapped up in the color of the cane.

 

Then the candy is put through a machine where it comes out looking like a long rope.  In this next picture, the candy is being cut and hand twirled into a lollipop.

We also got a view of the packaging/shipping area.

Then the real fun began... Shopping for candy!

Yum!  That was a fun time!

We dropped off the boys and headed to the mountains.  In my lifetime, I've only seen the Smoky Mountains in TN.  They are beautiful, but nothing prepared me for what I was about to encounter!

On the drive up the mountain, I was being teased with beauty all around.  I was in awe at every turn.  I kept wanting to stop and take it all in.  Jodi pressed on as she kept telling me to hold on, be patient.

We drove about 4.5 miles up the mountain to Lost Gulch Overlook which is on Flagstaff Road from Boulder, CO.  The view was utterly breathtaking.  All we could do was sit in silence.  I was in AWE!

I wonder how they get to their house... if you can even see it in the picture.

Quietly I just sat and praised God, thanking Him for just a glimpse of the beauty we will one day see in Heaven.  These mountains, this incredible view is His work.  Wow!  I am just amazed at His glorious creation!!

We had to call, text and update facebook status at the top of the mountain.  Just because we could.

The people on top of the rock on the far right-- that's where we spent most of our time.

Coming down the mountain was just as beautiful.

Boulder doesn't look as big now.

Just a few more pictures coming down the mountain.  I know, I know, I get carried away.  It's so hard to choose a few good ones out of the 200+ pictures I took just in the mountains!

Crown Rock

Boulder at dusk from Panorama Point

Colorado is a beautiful state.  I'm so glad I was able to go on this trip!  Even though it was only a four day trip, we packed so much into it.  Besides the tours and drive up the mountains-- we hit some malls, lots of shopping, tried out new restuarants and even had some of Jodi's home cooking!  It was so nice to see where Jason lives, works and goes to school plus meet his friends.  He was a wonderful host.  I'm so proud of him and all he has accomplished thus far!

I'm grateful for a sister that I'm close to.  It was so nice to just visit with her and talk about everything going on in our lives.  I don't even recall a lull in our conversations, even on the long drive.  We always have catching up to do.  I'm thankful for her friendship and the time we spend together.

Baking

It's extremely hard to have a favorite Gooseberry Patch cookbook... being that I have 27 of them now.  I love them each and every one!  The one that is open in my kitchen and getting ready to be used shortly is "Gifts for Giving".  I found a recipe for Brown Sugar-Oatmeal Muffin Mix.  I've not tried it yet, but it sounds scrumptious!  The recipe makes enough for three batches.  I am actually going to revise it a little and make mini bread loaves.  From my Pampered Chef party last month, I received the mini stone loaf pan for FREE with my hostess gifts!!  I have been oh so anxious to try it out!  Instead of loading my friends and family up on cookies and candies this year for Christmas, they will receive a mini loaf of bread with a jar of home-made cinnamon apple jelly.  Well, I just can't imagine a Holiday season with no cookie baking or candy making... so maybe I'll have to add a little of that to their Christmas plates.  =]

I am grateful for my love of baking.  I wish I could say it was instilled in me from my mom, but that wouldn't be true.  I do have fond memories of when my grandma would babysit me during the summer.  Every afternoon when we put the little ones down for a nap, we spent that time in the kitchen.  My grandma had cute little pans for me and my cousin to bake our little pies, cookies, brownies or fudge in.  I looked forward to our afternoon baking sessions.  Those are truly precious memories that will never leave me.

I'm really excited to get started on it all!  Working on my shopping list right now for the rest of the ingredients.  Thank you Gooseberry Patch girls for putting together such wonderful cookbooks!

Timber!

Yes, a very scary sight indeed!

"Do you think we can bring it down without it falling on the house?"

T-i-m-b-e-r!!!

'Tis a bittersweet moment for me.  I've been holding out for two years.  Even though the tree was dead, I just couldn't bear to see it come down.  I absolutely love my huge trees!  But it was time to let go ...

Enough sadness... now on to fun things!

God is blessing us with tremendous beautiful weather!  You just have to love a day of playing in the leaves!

Now it's mom's turn... gotta build it high so I don't break any bones!

I am grateful for these gorgeous days to spend with my family, making wonderful memories!  What could be more precious?

Now that the tree is gone, we see where our next project lies.  A new roof, a new paint job, a flagpole where the tree once stood.  All projects that will have to wait till spring.  For now it is time to go inside; and start preparing breads, jellies, cookies and candies for our dear friends and family.

At the close of a delightful day, I already know how blessed I am.  My kids are happy and healthy.  My husband is willing and able to work around the home.  My home is something I've always dreamed of but never thought I would have.  My God continues to pour out His great love and blessings to me and my family.  What more could I ever need?

I love to decorate for Fall

I love the colors of Fall.  Burnt orange, mustard, barn red, mahogany, brown, olive.

I use the top of my husband's grandmother's hutch to make a full display of pumpkins, leaves, and the colors I love so much.  These are a few of my favorite Fall treasures.  I'm rather fond of my crow, I think it's cute.

I just love berries.  Any kind, any color.  Not sure, but it could have something to do with my last name?

Don't you just love the candy corn? Since I couldn't make it to the Ozark, MO craft festival, my dear friend Jeanna brought a little of it to me. Thanks girl! It's too cute!

The orange truck on the box is reminiscent of the old orange farm truck we had. I can remember sitting on the floorboard of it when Dad would drop me off at school. I was SO embarrassed! My how times have changed... I love that old farm truck so much that it's sitting at my house now!

I love my garden window.  I always wanted one at my old house but for various reasons, I never had one.  When we were looking to buy this house, the garden window was the first selling point for me.  My husband said my eyes lit up and I had a huge smile when I saw that window.  Yeah, I pretty much LOVE it!

Homespun... it's just so cozy! The small brown jars came from my Grandma Smith's house in Princeville, IL. I loved going to visit her. How precious it is for me to see these jars every single day as I look out my window and think back on the wonderful memories I have of Grandma.

"Blessings"... abundant in my life!  The sweet soul that we bought our house from, left me a handmade bowl that she made.  She was amazing with pottery.  I feel like she has entrusted me to take care of her home that her husband built from the ground up.  Special folks, Gerald and Jan Rider are. 

Ah, Ryan's baby plate and cup.  On one of the first shopping trips that Ryan, my mom and I journeyed on back in the Fall of 95, I knew I had to have this set to pass on to him one of these days.  It's such a sweet set and I wish I had one for each child.  My most simple, but favorite way to decorate... tie a ribbon or homespun around a treasure and add a pick.

My newest acquisition from my latest antiquing excursion with my dear friend, Jeanna-- the beautiful turquoise jar.

I am grateful for the many wonderful memories that my treasures provide.  Oh, how I delight in these small pleasures!

Craft Room Remodel

Yikes!  No wonder I couldn't find anything or get anything accomplished!  Yes, it was this bad!  Actually worse than this... I had already cleaned off the shelf, walls and everything out from underneath the table before I took this picture.  It was a grotesque mess!

I have the best help in the world!  Not only does he do a great job for a 4 year old, but he's cheap... only requiring goldfish for pay.  You can't beat that!  I let Robbie help on the first coat.  It kept him busy and after the second coat had dried, you couldn't even tell he had been there.  He was SO excited about being a big help to me.  I love making my kids feel like they are accomplishing great things. 

YAH!  It is finished!  Well... this wall anyway.  I have a similar cabinet to go beside this one.  I can't wait to fill them with all my goodies in an organized and labeled fashion! =]

Another wall.  When was the last time you pulled your washer and dryer out from the wall?  Has it been more than three years?  If so, I encourage you to take a look at what you have back there.  Boy, oh, boy!  EEEKKK!!  It was quite interesting and I'll just leave it at that.

Ahhh... this is more like it!  Clean.  I love clean!

It's almost hard to tell in the pictures, but the new color is quite a bit darker than the original.  I'm loving it already!  It's been fun watching it transform into a peaceful, cozy little place that will be my haven.  I am grateful for a little place in my home that I can call my own.  I already love my little craft corner... even though I have to share with the laundry...

Woo Hoo!!!

I am so excited... and I just can't hide it.. I'm about to lose control... and I think I like it...

Ok, so I'm really not 'Pointer Sisters' excited, but I am really excited!  We just paid off loan #3 on Friday!!  Yee Haw!!  Now we are down to two loans left to tackle.  Between the three loans, we were looking at $9,000 at the beginning of spring.  Since that time, we have dropped what we owe to $6,637.07!  That's still a lot left to pay, but we have come so far!  I sure don't miss the days of Rich's "sugar momma" at the AA Credit Union.  He would walk in, visit with her and come out with $$ all the time.  Bless Carolyn's little heart.  It would be nothing for us to have 10+ loans at a time!  All I have to say about that is... Thank You Lord for Dave Ramsey!!  It feels so good to realize that being DEBT-FREE is obtainable for us!

I am grateful for the financial highs and lows that Rich and I have experienced the past 13.5 years.  Through these experiences, we have learned so much.