Nine Years of Lovin'

I saw my Love across a crowded room...

and I knew I was going to marry him.

I had a mutual friend of ours

"run" into him and introduce us.

I was just his friend

for a good 

TWO MONTHS

before he caught on that some girl liked him.

And when he finally did

get up the nerve to make a move...

I laughed at him

and changed the subject.

(hehehe)

That night we made decisions.

We held hands

(Aaagh! And it was glorious!!).

We were in love.

We took a week 

and didn't talk to each other;

we talked to the Writer of our days,

and sought His wisdom and guidance;

then we saw each other again

and we both knew that our short stories alone

 were meant to conjoin and become
one of the greatest tales of love ever told
(okay, maybe it was just ME thinking this...
I'm a bit of a Romantic.)

And then he told me he loved me.

Five months later,

he asked me to marry him;

and I laughed again,

but I didn't change the subject

and obviously,

I eventually got a "YES" out.

Four months later,

we made a covenant

to love one another.

We've loved each other through lost jobs;

through college;

through more lost jobs;

we've loved each other through lives ending;

we've loved each other through lives beginning.
We've loved each other as though there was no one better on earth;

We've loved each other when we've hated each other.

We've loved each other through both physical and mental pain;

we've loved each other when there

wasn't anything else we could do

except just that.

He is my biggest source of laughter;

he is my best friend.

He makes me better.

And I love him.

"What greater thing is there for two human souls
than to feel that they are joined for life-
to strengthen each other in all labor,
to rest on each other in all sorrow,
to minister to each other in all pain,
to be one with each other in silent,
unspeakable memories."
George Eliot

And we're still going...

First, pardon my design frenzy.

I think I may have a winner with this set-up...

but we'll see.

December has been 

SO FULL

of energy around here.

Before the month even hit,

this little lady arrived:

She's wonderful in every way possible.

And she's getting used to life on the outside.

Her and I have already had some great conversations;

and I can only hope that she continues

to come and talk to Aunt Nicole whenever possible!

And these two got hitched:

So, I now have a new sister out of the deal!

And the day itself was so lovely and perfect.

Of course, I love LOVE and weddings

so spending a day celebrating LOVE through a wedding

is obviously a perfect day for me.

There's also been a birthday;

four Christmas festivities celebrated, one to go;

and a lovey-dovey anniversary is happening this week.

All this, plus getting to see 

out-of-town family and friends

has made this month fly by.

It is truly the most wonderful time

of the year for us.

I love every minute of it.

What are your plans for the New Year??

I'm getting routines and schedules worked out;

menus made;

goals set...

I'm getting there, at least.

Have a beautiful day!

Wishing you...

many blessings throughout this hope-filled season

and many more to come in the new year.

Joy To The World... indeed!

So, what do you think happens 

when two people

who both like to blog,

who both LOVE diy crafting,

and who both laugh a lot

get together?

Well, quite honestly... 

nothing really THAT productive.

Okay, okay, that's not completely true.

Let me first give some background here:

Over the Summer,

Lori, from head above water, and I

met each other...

in a dark movie theater.

We weren't there to meet each other.

We were there to hang out 

with our mutual friends.

However, as the evening went on,

we found ourselves 

laughing, no,

BUSTING a gut

at all the same parts;

weeping over all the same scenes;

and then afterwards figuring out

that neither one of us are too keen on 

getting/giving physical affection

to anyone and everyone!

As you can read for yourself,

we were meant to be.

Here's the sad part...

we don't live in the same town.

So, we knew going into this that

our meetings would be few and far between.

But, we went for it!

Fortunately, 

her parents live in my town

so she visits every so often.

At the beginning of December,

we decided to have our first 

craft day.

My husband and her sister both

questioned what exactly was going on.

Please... just don't try to understand.

Lori's mom watched her boys for her;
I put each of my little Loves down for a rest;
and we began!

Each of us had a project.
I had pinned something that I was very eager to do.
However, I REALLY should have done
some prep work.
All I wanted to do was stencil the words,
"Joy to the world"
on a map.
Rather than buying stencils,
I decided to do it myself and make a stencil...
because that's what I do.
Um... in the THREE hours that we spent together,
I managed to get TWO letters cut out.
Of course, there were a lot of factors:
kids getting up;
looking through fonts;
kids getting up;
more fonts;
other kids getting up;
oh yes, and laughing... a lot.
So, two weeks later,
here's what I FINALLY accomplished:

And I love it.

Lori was working on a great project and 

actually accomplished something while 

being in my home.

She had come across some of her grandfather's ties, 

bought some cute buttons,

no-sew glue,

and made bracelets for her and each of her sisters.

Isn't that SUCH a great idea??

I love it.

So, now each of them have a little something

to remind them of their grandpa.

Prepare yourselves.
Who knows what Lori and I will do next?!?!

And I'm back in the fight!

I've been down.

Man! I've been down.

For the last few weeks,

the enemy has been winning...

but no more.

Today...

today I started new.

Today,

I let the control slip through my fingers

and gave it back to

The One

who fights for me

and with me.

I let go of the need to be right.

I let go of the need to prove wrongs.

I'm back with a zeal 

that begs to be challenged,

so take note all you joy-stealing bandits.

I am coming for you.

You will be overwhelmed with

grace;

you will be consumed with

kindness;

your world is about to be permeated* with

LOVE.

Just thought I'd give you a fair warning.

*Thanks to my high school English teacher who gave me 

"Permeate" as a vocabulary word.  

I have never forgotten it

and strive to use it every opportunity I get.

I realize you may not read this blog,

but I know your daughter does.

Handmade and a Little Bit of Charm.

Man, December 1st first hit and we were off!

Our month has already been so full of wonderfulness,

and it's only the fifth day!

One of the blog's I follow

decided to host a handmade gift swap this year.

I, of course, was in on this pretty much

as soon as I was finished reading the post.

We were sent an email with five others

names and addresses

from around the US

(and actually I think it may have 

been open internationally if you didn't mind

paying the shipping!)

and instructed that it just had to be handmade.

So... here are some of the gifts I made:

And I've already received two gifts so far

that are awesome!

In fact, one of the crafty ladies has an

awesome site that you should check out:

{mrs-alanas-miscellany.com}

only after you've finished reading what I've written,

of course.

Let's see...

oh, yes, photos.

That last weekend of photo sessions was a

great opportunity for quick thinking and 

using my charm.

Both days were COLD and WINDY.

Great for snuggling up under a cozy blanket

watching movies and drinking hot cocoa...

not ideal for asking people to sit and pose

until I get the best shot.

Thankfully, an eclectic little local shop

and a newly renovated hotel here in town

obliged my requests of them

and allowed us in.

This week brings a birthday for 

the-one-I-love-most-in-the-whole-entire-universe,

my Love, my husband.

Nothing too crazy planned,

just mushy little things letting him know 

how thankful I am

for his life...

which, of course, he'll love.

And next week brings

A WEDDING!!!

Oh... I love weddings.

Enjoy these magical days! 

30 degrees and a very cold Kansas wind... WORTH IT!

Absolutely worth it.

Malaysia is a Senior this year 

and braved the very cold Kansas wind,

and did everything I asked of her

(which I'll just throw out there right now...

if I'm doing your pictures,

you need a good stretch routine for before and after!)

and just LOOK at this loveliness!

It was seriously hard to pick favorites 

out of this session because

they all turned out so beautiful.

And this weekend is the last weekend of my 2011 sessions;

three sessions in two days!

December brings birthdays, weddings, Christmas, and an anniversary!!

Give thanks

Sometimes there are moments

when I forget that this is not my home.

And sometimes I forget that

my Maker 

had even THOSE moments written for me...

with purpose.

So, today,

I'm thankful for hope;

for overwhelming joy;

for opportunities to actively exercise 

LOVE;

for undeserved grace;

for humility...

ah, yes, even humility.

I'm thankful for the new little 

purposed life that made her entrance 

into this incredible world

with a full head of jet black

Betty Boop hair;

for brothers who make me laugh;

for sisters who literally stop what 

they are doing and come rescue me;

for parents who taught me how to 

encourage others

by encouraging me...

always;

for getting the opportunity to 

not only know my grandparents,

but to actually live life with them;

for friends to love and be loved by:

and for big blue eyes

that make me melt.

Give thanks, friends.

A lovely day...

This was indeed a lovely day! 

The Kansas wind had a very brisk chill in the air,

which provided lots of opportunities to

snuggle and cozy up to one another.

We were also in an area which provided

the little guy A LOT of space to run around in and explore...

which also provided Dad with a great workout for the day.

Two birds with one stone...

I'm looking forward to this next week.

REALLY looking forward to it, actually.

Coming soon... as in TUESDAY!!

My SIXTH niece is making her debut 

(maybe... possibly... before then????).

I cannot wait.

CANNOT WAIT!!!

Oh yeah...

and there are some projects brewing around here;

our living area and small hallway WERE painted;

and I DID get that Spangles Pepsi

from one of the most awesome sisters 

ON THE PLANET!!!

Give thanks this week!!!

Loving this...

I have been waiting for the day that I step out my door and gaze upon this.

The jeweled colors of Autumn have arrived here.

And it kind of gives me a little extra skip in my step.

I actually have a lot on my mind right now...

which is NEVER good for me to combine with blogging.

So, I'm keeping this short...

but delicious!

This last weekend provided the opportunity for a great photo session; 

the images are still in editing,

but should be up soon.

I also had the opportunity to throw an 

open house of sorts 

for one of my brother-in-law's and his fiance

who will soon be united in wedded bliss 

forever and ever.

I can't wait.

And it was a great time to see some family friends

who we just don't see as often these days.

So, here's the delicious part of this post:

The recipes for the spread of food were provided 

from none other than,

yep, Pinterest.

(By the way, my Pinterest is whacked right now!

Anyone else experiencing this??

And now of course since I just typed this,

I checked it out and it's working fine.

Ah! Pinterest!!!)

This crumb cake is so good. SO GOOD.

As I was checking this recipe out,

I stumbled upon the Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodles.

Needless to say, 

I'm now following a new blog...

because I want to eat everything I saw.

However, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars were...

um, OUT OF THIS WORLD AMAZING.

And so easy to make...

seriously, melt some stuff and set it aside.

All in all our bellies were full of some 

pretty tasty treats.

Also, I just feel like mentioning that

I am SO incredibly grateful for the mate

my little punk bro-in-law has found himself.

All my brothers have provided me with 

incredible sisters...

and I'm not just writing that because 

I know they all read this.

I mean it should definitely earn me some points,

but I DO genuinely mean it when I say

that I have been extremely blessed by each of them.

(In fact, I somehow managed to wrangle one 

of them into helping me 

paint my living room this week!

I've only had the paint since February!!

hehehe AND I might even get a Spangles Pepsi

out of it because she's now hooked as well!

Pictures to come!)

Anyway, to learn more about the newest sis

go look at her blog...

unless you don't like things that are awesome,

because it's basically awesome at it's greatest.

So much for keeping it short!

Roasted Carrot and Caramelized Onion Soup

Last week sometime, I had noticed that one of the blog's I follow had a recipe for some kind of carrot soup. 

I never had the chance to actually look at the recipe and didn't really mind that I hadn't... 

until last night when, 

out of the blue, 

I wanted to make carrot soup for dinner.

So, I thought to myself,

"Carrot soup can't be that hard to make,

give it a go, Nicole!"

(and the other voices in my head were chanting,

"Do it, do it, do it!".

Too much info about my psychotic tendencies??)

What I came up with wasn't too bad.

In fact, my taste-tester aka the-one-I-love-most-all,

gave it an "Alright" and a 4 or 5 on a scale of 10.

That's actually MUCH better than what I expected from him.

(When he walked into the kitchen and saw what was being prepared,

he asked what was being made, 

we had some "flirtatious" banter, 

and he then said,

"Oh, that's just not what I would have picked off the menu.")

If you LIKE carrots, you might enjoy this.

If you have an insane love of root vegetables pureed into soup,

then you're going to love this.

Roasted Carrot and Caramelized Onion Soup

Two Cups of Carrots (I just used a bag of baby carrots)

Half of an Onion

Two Cups of Chicken Stock/Broth

One Tablespoon of Honey

1/2 Teaspoon of Ginger

I first tossed the carrots around with some olive oil, honey, and ginger and roasted them for about an hour at 350 degrees. I also sliced the onion and began caramelizing it in a skillet. Once the carrots were soft, and the onions were beautifully browned, I added them plus the other ingredients to the blender, excluding the stock. I pureed the mixture, adding the stock as needed, until it reached the consistency I preferred (I did end up using the entire two cups and even added a little bit of water as well). I moved the soup to a pot and let it simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes. 

I served this with a little dollop of sour cream and some freshly baked bread drizzled with honey and I actually really liked this soup. 

It may not become a menu staple, 

but it will definitely be "pinned" in my mind 

(oh, yeah, I think in Pinterest terms now). 

I also think some Thyme would be a really good fit somehow 

(because one time, my sweet friend, Sarah, made some Carrots with Thyme for book club and they were so marvelous!). 

So, give it a go sometime and see what you think!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

A few weeks ago,

the discussion of laundry detergent came up

with the book clubbers

(yes, we DO talk about other things...

hehe actually if you sat in on any of our conversations, 

you'd have no idea we were a book club!).

A few of us began making our own 

and were swapping recipes

(recipes sounds weird, but I don't really know 

what else to call it).

I use a liquid/gel recipe that I 

found on the internet and tweeked to my liking.

I was due to make some soon after that, 

so here you are...

You'll need:

1 cup of Borax

1 cup of Washing Soda

1 bar of Fels Naptha

Water

Five Gallon Bucket

Shred the Fels Naptha into a stock pot

with three quarts of water and let simmer until soap is melted.

Add in one cup of Washing Soda and

one cup of Borax and stir until dissolved.

 It should look a little something like this.

Pour two quarts of water into the five gallon bucket

and then add your soap mixture and stir.

Then add two gallons and three quarts of water and

stir very well.

Once mixed very well, 

place the lid on it and 

let it sit for about 24 hours.

It should gel within in this time

and then it's ready to use.

This recipe usually lasts (for us) around six months,

and gets our clothes cleaner and fresher

than any detergent I've ever used before.

And the savings is nice, too:

Fels Naptha $1.12

Washing Soda 55 oz. $2.99/ 8 oz. $.43ish

Borax 76 oz. $3.99/ 8 oz. $.42ish

Less than $2.00,

yep, it's worth the 24-hour gel period for me.

There are lots of recipes out there on the old world wide web,

so check them out and find one that works for you.

Mercy!

Red hair and freckles,

a little boy named Bear,

and a third-born little rascal who steals the show...

yeah... this was kind of a fun session.

Throw in two amazing parents who 

love these little munchkins so wonderfully, 

and a beautiful Kansas evening,

and you may end up with something a little like this:

And this little one...

oh my goodness!

She gets her own "MERCY!!".

Whew doggy!

This is Robert and Charlie... 

oh yeah, and their owners.

Robert and Charlie have their own ideas,

and their own way of doing things.

I obliged...

because LOOK at those faces!!

Well, and the fact that Robert is actually the size of a small pony...

I have never had the pleasure 

of photographing dogs before

(except my own The Most Disobedient, Tig),

and Robert and Charlie have set the bar high.

Such great dogs and SO sweet.

My pal, Kristy, actually fosters dogs and Robert

just happened to be one that they ended up keeping.

For more info on fostering, check out the organization,

Big Dogs Huge Paws.

And if you need something to smile about later on,

just come on back over here

and check out little Charlie

(who preferred to have his backside photographed

more than his front... hey, if you got it, flaunt it.)

So... here's the lowdown.

I can't believe that I went an entire week without blogging...

okay, let me re-word that:

I can't believe I went an entire week without posting...

in my mind, everything is a blog post.

I have so many posts and photos lined up for you guys.

But... remember when I said I was going MAD???

Yep, that's still in full gear. hehehe

And the opportunities to photograph some really great people... and dogs

(they'll be getting their own post sometime this week!), 

just keep coming.

And just a side note... actually you know what?

That's going to get it's own post as well. 

HAHA

Sorry! You'll just have to stay tuned.

Oh, yeah... and I'm married with three kids.

So, there's a few things going on outside

my little blogosphere...

but I'm hoping to get some things out this week.

I also want to say THANKS to 

Sherry from Sweet and Sassy for the invite to www.bloggers.com

(And, OH MY GOODNESS, go look at the recipe for Peanut Butter Fudge Krispies that she posted!

Um... delicious and yes, you may send some this way!)

and HELLO and WELCOME to my new followers from there!

And I'll leave you with some lovelies from the Flea Market to gaze upon:

The madness will only continue!!

I do rock.

Instead of sneaking out of my house tonight

and heading to the nearest Outback for some cheese fries,

I went running.

Why, thank you.

Have a beautiful weekend!

I've gone MAD!!!

I imagine that in the next few weeks felt flowers and bows 

will not only be adorning our heads around here,

but everything in sight!

I am addicted.

To say I have an addictive personality is an understatement...

 a HUGE understatement.

Thanks to you that have given me your feedback on this little venture.

I really, really do appreciate it.

I told my husband that I was thinking about selling my little lovelies...

actually, let me just recap the conversation for you:

Me: "I think I might start selling these."

My Love: "How are you?"

Me: "What do you mean?"

My Love: "I mean how are you going to sell them?"

Me: "Well, I could probably just sell them on my own, 

and also there are a few boutiques around here that I think would."

My Love: "Would they actually sell them?"

Me: "Oh, yeah.  There are two that I know for sure would."

He then proceeds to pick up some that are laying out in front of him.

Puts two in a pile off to the side and the other four in a different pile.

My Love: Pointing to the pile of four

"I would buy these."

Me: Pointing to the pile of two

"Okay. Why wouldn't you buy these?"

My Love: "I don't know, I just wouldn't."

Me: "Okay, but WHAT about them makes you not want to buy them?"

I can't remember exactly how the rest of the conversation went,

something about them not looking good 

and one had a string hanging off of it (which I was fixing!),

however he did tell me that he has an eye for this kind of thing.

Me: "You have an EYE for girl's hair accessories?"

My Love: "Yeah, things in general."

So, that's what I'm working with over here.

He actually does have a really great eye for things...

I mean, that's pretty obvious from who he married (it was too easy...).

But really he does,

so it's nice to have his gorgeous blue eyes around here.

Here are a few I recently added to our collection:

That little bow is the perfect accent for little ladies getting into mischief... so sweet.

Also, over the weekend I had a fun session with some superheroes.

My cousin and her family were needing some updated pics, so I came to the rescue.

Her sons are around the same age as my girls,

so I had a good idea of what to look forward to.

Pretty much every shot I took eventually ended up in a superhero stance...

which, of course, made me laugh... every time.

Here are my faves:

And because I couldn't get enough...

Oh mercy, those little faces KILL me!

I'm off to the madness!

October 15th

On September 28, 2006, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution #222 which stated that October 15th will officially be
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. If you have some time, look it over. The emotions by several Representatives were extremely moving.

As someone who has felt the emotional and physical pain from a pregnancy that ends in miscarriage, I urge you to be aware.

Be aware that this happens a lot and people aren't often too quick to speak about it.

Because it's painful to bear your wounded soul to others.

Because some feel very alone and isolated.

Because sometimes there just aren't even words to describe it.

Having had mine several years ago, and the pain and grief are no longer a fresh wound, 

I feel I can now better provide a little insight in this.

I've had many loved ones called home to eternity before I was ready to part from them.

We buried my husband's mother and youngest brother when we were only twenty-four.

And that was heart-wrenching.

But we had memories, we still have memories.

We have pictures.

We have things that they touched; things that they wrote.

There are little glimpses of them throughout our home.

When you lose a baby, 

you have none of these things to bring peace to your soul.

You have dreams that will never be.

You have hopes that are no longer.

There is an overwhelming ache throughout your being, 

because a piece of it is missing.

So, on this day I ask that you just be aware.

Be aware that people experience loss in many different ways.

Some want a kind acknowledgement... and some don't.

Some want to talk about it... and others don't.

Just make yourself aware of that person going through it.

And try your best to be available 

to supply whatever their need may be...

whether it be a listening ear, 

a warm embrace,

tears,

or a note just letting them know you're thinking of them.

"For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works,

my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance,

in your book were written,

EVERY ONE OF THEM,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them."

Psalm 139:13-16 (emphasis added)

I need your feedback!

So, this week's project has kind of taken off.

I figured out that I REALLY like making hair accessories... a lot.

So much so that I may even... sell them?

What do you think??

Would you spend money on something like this?

And if you would, what would you expect to pay for it?

Here's a little something about me...

I would MUCH rather give things away to people.

I like to do it. It makes me feel good.

And it always comes back to bless me even more than I can imagine.

However, making a few bucks here and there isn't so bad either.

I'm just not that good at figuring out the value in my work 

and then charging that price for it.

So, I need your feedback!

Seriously, give me some honest feedback. I can take it.

And I'm back!

So, remember when I mentioned about the 

Whirlwind of Perfection weekend 

being a bit too much??

Yep, it was.

That, plus having to visit the germ-ridden office of our Family Physician,
not just once, but TWICE in one week...

for the SAME THING
(which wasn't even a sickness!!)...

hit my immunity system like a tornadic terror

(just thought I'd stick with the storm terminology here).

I was so sick.

I mean... SO SICK.

As in, my husband had to stay home two days from
work just so there was a functioning adult
maintaining the chaos that dwells here.

It was a terrible virus...

I'll spare the details.

After a couple days, the medicine finally kicked in enough
to allow me to function, but still feel sick.

So, I had to take things into my own hands.

Say hello to my little friend.

Our blender died a few months back, 

and I wasn't too quick to get a new one... 

until this last weekend when I wanted this.

This little smoothie is PACKED with immunity boosting nutrition.

The little ladies and I drank one almost everyday last winter,

(1) because it's good,

(2) because it is seriously SO GOOD for your immune system.

I pour a little bit of orange juice and milk in my blender;

throw in several handfuls of spinach;

 add a pear;

throw in a few red grapes;

and I blend away.

And here are the benefits:

Not From Concentrate Orange Juice - Vitamin C;

Milk - Calcium and Vitamin D 

(plus I'm not a big milk drinker, so I sneak it in whenever possible);

Spinach - SUPER FOOD!! Spinach has so many health benefits,

however, I use it in this for the iodine, which helps strengthen the immune system;

Pears - another SUPER FOOD! Pears are also so beneficial to your health, 

again though, I use them in this for the immunity booster;

Red Grapes - help fight viruses and some bacteria.

And you can't even taste the spinach.

I've had one two days in a row now and I feel like a new person... 

or at least my old self

(which is why I'm up blogging, instead of nestled in my bed!).

So, back to life.

I finally finished editing last weekend's photo sessions.

Here are some of my faves:

Goodness, that face!

Such a funny family... seriously.

Working with kids always makes me move a little more quickly,

however, sometimes no matter how quickly I move,

they're just not havin' it!

And that lends for great shots like this:

Ha! I love it.

And just for kicks, here's a little peek at this week's project:

A few sweets for my Sweets!

These will soon be adorning the heads of my little munchkin ladies.

They asked for some new headbands and bows...

so I cannot disappoint,

nor can I pass up the opportunity to CREATE!

Holla!

(I don't even know where that came from, so this seems like a good time to just stop.)

Whirlwind of Perfection

This last weekend was possibly a little much... 

but I loved every moment of it.

Friday night began this weekend whirlwind with a maternity photo session 

with my youngest brother and my sister-in-law.

Perfection almost doesn't even come close to describing the evening.

We went to a local wildlife preserve right as the sun was setting;

little brother and sis looked like they had walked straight out of a Gap window,

and we had one of Grandma's patchwork quilts...
yeah... I know... perfection.

Every single photo I took that night is a favorite,

but I did manage to choose some that captured the best of the evening.

Went home that evening and got in a little time with the husband,
who had all the kids in bed... asleep.
Oh, yes! Perfection, indeed.

The next morning, I woke up bright and early giddy with anticipation of THE BARN SALE.
As I had mentioned, I did not know what to expect.
When we (a friend of mine and one of the sisters... oh yeah, and my little guy!) finally arrived
(it was about a thirty minute drive...
okay, okay an hour for us because we were talking so much we missed the exit!),
it looked amazing.
The first booth we saw was filled with quilts;
the next was Antique Wonderfulness overload;
jewelry, handmade crafts, soaps, woodwork,
and food baked by the members of the local Mennonite Church...
uh, yeah, you know where I'm going with this...
PERFECTION!!

And the barn... oh, the beautiful old barn!

Here are a few pics of it since a few of you were interested.
Also, they'll be doing this again in the Spring, so if you're local look them up on the ol' FB and 'like' them for updates.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hesston-KS-Barn-Sale/143612805676778

Uh, yeah, and see that awesome cart looking thing that those baskets and lamps are on??
My friend snagged it for the steal of the century.

Afterwards, we headed to another little town for lunch where I had the most amazing
MACARONI AND CHEESE
I've ever had in my life!
And once I settled down from that,
we headed to a little Antique shop that blew my mind.
It was filled with so many wonderful treasures I had to stop a few times to catch my breath.

Here are a few of the treasures I ended up with from the day's hunt:

An old vintage suitcase (which was a steal!), an old crate, a cast iron set of utensils, and my friend ended up getting me the "S" (which I loved, but just couldn't make the decision to shell out the $3!).

Came home to my Loves and enjoyed fellowship that evening with our church family...

perfection.

The next day brought more photo sessions and my faves from those will be making their way here later in the week! Stay tuned.