Hullo! (warning ~ word-heavy post!)

So, I've been chained to my sewing machines for the past month or so as my little business has definitely taken a turn.  For the better, I'm sure...i think.....Orders come in daily and even though I tell myself I have plenty of work and don't want to take on anything larger, I go and accept an order from a boutique (or two)...what gives, idiot????  Am I a glutton for punishment or do I really need to fill my days with endless sewing.  Sometimes I think the latter wins.  Although I do force myself to stop in the evenings and give my hubby a little kiss and hug but then it's back to the salt mines.  No, really, I don't work into the wee hours of the night, but I do have to be careful!

This morning, we ventured 'uptown' to run an errand at my husband's latest construction project. Remember this post back in 2010 where we moved a house?

Well, he's added a bathroom and is ready to put on the vinyl siding and start cleaning up the inside. We have a buyer so that is extra nice right now!

Anywhoooo...it's Saturday and I'm trying my best to 'work' only on the weekdays and do all my domestic chores and fun stuff on the weekend.  Like today.  Today I'm being domestic.   I've been craving some fresh, homemade shortbread and today was the day to make some.   Soooo simple - just 3 ingredients:  flour, sugar, butter (real stuff, not margarine)....yet sooooooo tasty!  Especially when it's fresh from the oven.

While I was in 'bread' mode, I decided to make some gingerbread cookies, although these were made from a mix that I bought last Christmas but never got around to making.  The expiration date was for next month so we're OK...

...although those little gingerbread men don't look so 'OK'....

so, that didn't work too well....enough little brown men, how about some little brown ducks? 

In addition to finding more time to rediscover my domestic side, I've actually found more time to read, which I haven't done much of since I began my entrepreneurship.  Right now I'm reading Cashelmara by Susan Howatch.  It's a novel set in Ireland in the 1800s and it's actually pretty good.

The lives of my family members are changing somewhat, too.  Two weeks ago, my dad went in for minor surgery on his knee, and while on the operating table, his heart stopped......3 times!!!!  They had to 'bring him back' with medications and later that afternoon he immediately had a pacemaker put in.  He's only 66 and in excellent shape.  I think it was more of a wake up call for me than for him. 

Our oldest daughter finally has a direction to go in her life - she's headed to Southeast Asia in January to teach English to folks over there.  We really aren't allowed to say exactly where she's going as it's a Muslim country, so we jokingly refer to it as "Topeka".  She's a member of Wycliffe Bible Translators and has to raise all her funding prior to her departure in January.  We are SO proud of her and backing her up in every way we can!  If you want to know more about her mission, you can read about it here.  God is good!.....all the time!  :)

So, I guess now that I've updated you just a tiny bit as to what's been going on in our household for the past month and a half, it's time for me to get back to being domestic....the laundry calls!