{Productivity}

I was determined to be productive this week.  Five sinks of dishes and a dozen loads of laundry later, I decided that I was.

Many delicious new meals were created in my kitchen during the past 48 hours.  We definitely had some 5-star recipes this weekend...which means there will be exciting new things to share with you in upcoming weeks.   If you want something great to try though, check out Pioneer Woman's Frito Chili Pie.  You can thank me later.  (A couple tweaks: she served it in individual packages of Fritos, and we just served it on top of them in a bowl.  And I only used one pound of meat, not two.  But other than that, it was pretty much identical. )

We pulled out our holiday spirit and went to our city's annual Christmas tree lighting Friday night.  We both agreed that it felt like a very small-town thing to do...which was amusing considering this isn't really a small-town kind of place.  But the lights were aglow, cookies and milk were out for the taking, the choir sang "Silent Night", and the trumpets played "Do you Hear What I Hear."  (Which I found rather amusing, considering it was a brass band and you can't exactly miss it....we all heard what they heard.)

Our Christmas tree is up...all four feet of it.  Because we often let our rabbit run around the house, a full size tree is no longer an option, as he would chew it to pieces.  We now have a table-top version, which is quaint, but I think it suits us just fine.  {Mom bought us the two snowmen in front for our anniversary.  Aren't they just adorable?}

Haven't decided yet if I'm going to send out Christmas cards this year or not.  More specifically, I completely forgot about them until yesterday, so time might make the decision for me.   Do you send store bought cards, or design your own?

I have to go stick the last load of laundry in the dryer and I'm going to call it a day.  After I clean up the water that is mysteriously leaking from the bottom of our refrigerator, that is.  (And by leaking, I mean pouring.) My weekend of productivity just keeps on trucking.

Sincerely, Britches

 

I have finally done it.

After months of planning, I have launched my own Etsy site. It's small starting out, but I hope to grow steadily as I have time to perfect each step of the business.

Please stop by and check it out: www.sincerelybritches.etsy.com

Feel free to pop over and “like” my Facebook page, too!  

http://www.facebook.com/sincerelybritches

I will be transitioning my blog over to a new location, soon but I will keep you updated of those changes as they come.

Starting this business is a huge leap of faith for me, but I am excited to see where it goes and what doors God opens up for me. 

 

More updates soon!

{Birthday Tribute}

I miss my grandmother.  My Nan.  

 

She passed away eight years ago this fall, but today would have been her 97th birthday.

 

Time has not closed the hole in my heart, left from the place she held. 

 

 I catch myself making silent tributes as I go about daily life. 

 

My little sister wears an outfit of purple, and I think about how much Nan would have loved it.   She wore purple whenever she had the opportunity.

 

I shop for flowers at the greenhouse and find myself gravitating to all the ones she used to plant on her back patio.  My garden is now filled with all her favorites.  

 

Lunchtime outside on the picnic table and I smile when I realize how much I love watching the squirrels playing in the yard or running across the top of the fence.  Nan always told stories about the squirrels on her patio and how she tried to tame them, or she would sit in a chair by our back window while I was growing up, watching for them to scurry by.

 

My love for musicals and all things Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, and Gene Kelly are because of her.  My love for black & white TV shows, Barney Fife, great dance scenes, and music from the roaring 20's can all be blamed on her. 

 

She continues to infiltrate my life.  My childhood memories are all filled with her, family vacations, holidays, play time, birthdays, and I find myself wishing often that she was still here, continuing to create memories with me.  

 

There are physical characteristics that I also have of hers.... although I usually complain about them... big knees, short waistedness.... but deep down I'm glad there is a part of me that is like her, other than my love for french fries and cute shoes.

 

I was blessed to have her in my life for as long as I did, but I don't think I'll ever stop missing her.