Finally back from holiday hiatus!!!

Ok, Woo!!! I'm finally trying to get back into the swing of things after a long holiday hiatus!!! To to give you the short story of it... our family all live out of town, so we always go trompling all over creation during the holidays so we can see everyone... it all starts with a trip to Paducah, KY the week before Christmas, then back to Knoxville, TN for the real deal, then off to Middletown, DE for the week after Christmas.... well, then this is where things got a little chaotic... 2 days after we got back home from Delaware, I found out my dad had to have emergency open heart surgery, so I hopped back in my car (by the way, we DROVE to all of those previous destinations I mentioned) and drove up to Nashville to catch a direct flight to Phili since that was quicker and cheaper than getting a last minute flight out of Knoxville (where there are NO direct flights to ANYWHERE!! note:that may be just a slight exageration) so the family is very nervous about how this open heart surgery is going to go, but 4 bypasses later, my dad is good to go!! :) SO! I fly back to Nashville, then drive back to Knoxville, where we are getting a nice little wintery mix mess and about 20 cars are parked at the bottom of our subdivision because every time someone tries to go up our big hill at the entrance, they are playing ping pong with the parked cars on the side of the road as they slide back down. Well, by golly, my neighbors warned me, but I had 4 wheel drive and I had a big suitcase of stuff that needed washing so that I could repack to leave again the next morning.... yes, I said the NEXT MORNING!!!! We had a planned trip to Disney... a bunch of family, including hubby, were running the Disney Marathon.. (most of them 1st time runners of a full marathon)... they all did GREAT... then we stayed for the week for a very rare family vacation at Disney with a bunch of my uncles, aunts and cousins... great, great time!!!! Started off VERY cold, but warmed up by the end of the week... and had a blast! Even got to stop in Macon, GA on the way home to see one of Alex's oldest and best buddies from Preschool, Peyton and her family... great visit there too (although ended with Alex yacking all over their couch... ummm, that part, not so good!)

And so, believe it or not, thats the short of it.... we are back now... trying to get our heads back into reality again... catching up on things we missed or fell behind on while gone for so long (like taking down the Christmas decorations... eek!! we are thinking about just leaving them up 'til next year... its only 10 more months until they have to go back up!!! ha! just kidding neighbors!!! :) Not to mention I am chomping at the bit to get started on these Spring skirts... its been a killer to have my fabrics for 3 weeks now and not be able to do anything with them... so this week is the week... yippeeeeeee!!!!!

Meanwhile, my heart continues to circle back around to a couple things... The Restaino's.. a family of a guy, Mike, I used to work with at Goody's Corp... they just lost a son to cancer... Diane, the mom has been journaling her daily thoughts at www.caringbridge.org/visit/joerestaino Im not sure why this one hits my heart so hard.. I wasnt very close to Mike... and people die of cancer all the time... but this is a good family... a really good family... and Diane's words are so touching and graceful in her journal... you just cant help but extend your heart out... I just cant imagine. And then there's the Haiti earthquake... and our close friends have direct ties to an orphanage over there... some of them were in the middle of adopting some of the girls... one of the girls died in the quake... I think they are trying to get the rest of them over here to Knoxville until things calm down and improve over there... I pray that all goes well.... and my heart goes out to the family who lost the little girl... again, I just cant imagine. And then there's a little 6 year old boy from our Sunday School group at church... John Henry... another sweet, sweet family... they found a 5lb cancerous tumor in his abdomen that they just had to surgically remove... last I heard, tests were being done to make sure it had not spread... again, I just can't imagine. Maybe it's because these are our children... and being a mom of an 8 year old daughter... well, again, I just cant imagine.

Now, I did not intend to leave this 1st post of the year depressing everyone... but I needed to share whats been weighing heavy on my mind... but it sure does make me give extra thanks for my family and the blessings we have been given... I seem to have that little whisper that stays in the back of my head... "my time will come... of something tragic... that will test my faith... test my strength.... please God, help me when that time comes" I think my biggest fear (as it is for most mothers I think) is for my child to pass before my time.... so today, I suggest we all give our children an extra tight squeaze at the end of the day... tell them how much we love them... and celebrate their life... what better time to do this, than today? Hugs to you'all.... have a wonderful week!

Holiday Madness!!!!!

Im so sorry I have not had more time to update my blog the past month or 2... This is what I feel like doing at times... see the photo? Run away!!!! Run as fast as you can!!!! Naaaaaaaa... I wouldnt run now if my life depended on it!!! :) Things have been great... but sooooo crazy!!!! The skirts and rosettes are flying off the shelf... almost faster than I can keep up... its been great! But Im starting to feel like the holidays are getting ready to wiz right by me... so Ive made an executive decision (ha!ha!)... Im taking a "skirt vacation" after my last show coming up this Saturday at Market Square (come see me if you're in town!)... Im stepping away from the sewing machine until after the New Year.... I think my sanity might depend on it!! :)~

The past couple days I realized just how busy Ive been with my skirt business, and I've been missing some quality time with the family... especially my daughter. So last night, we spent some overdue quality time together putting up all of the Christmas decorations around the house... we had put up the Christmas tree last weekend, but nothing else... it was looking just a bit un-festive around here... so we fixed that right up! And had such a wonderful time doing it!! Alex has really gotten into this whole decorating thing... and I have to say... she's not bad for 8! :) Her new favorite show is the decorating show "Boys vs Girls"... she watches it every morning while she eats her breakfast before school... I love it!!! Although... I might not love it so much when she tells me she wants to turn her bedroom into a skating rink, or some other off the wall idea... eh! You're only a kid once, right?! And it's just one room... (I must be losing my mind!)

Well, as I slow down for just 5 minutes this morning (before I run upstairs and start another sewing marathon!)... I try to remind myself what this season is all about... its not about, sew, sew, sew... sell, sell, sell... its a celebration... a celebration of Jesus' birth... a celebration for the love he has for all of us... a reminder to make a special effort to show that same love to others around us this holiday season... even when we might not want to... or might not typically stop long enough to bother... that's when the Good Lord is truelly present in our lives... when we do those unusually good deeds... even the tiny ones... I truelly think it makes our souls glow when we do those "little things"... sure, when we do good things for others, it certainly blesses others... but I think when we do good things for others, it feeds our souls in such a wonderful way... a little blurp from one of the sermons a couple weeks ago continues to stick in my head... "when you truelly give everything that you have to give... and not just the "leftovers", that is where we find God.... " That has been one of my favorite sermons this holiday season... something that really hit home for me... its easy to give the "leftovers"... whether its going out of your way to fix a special meal for your family on just a regular quick-meal kinda night(instead of pizza or leftovers).. or whether its giving $25 (instead of the usual $5) to church or a charity... whether its passing a friend you havent seen in a while and stopping for 10 minutes to give them a big hug and ask them how they've been and make a reconnect even when you dont have the time (instead of just smiling and saying "hey!")... whether its making eye contact with an elderly woman at the grocery store and offering them a sincere smile or help reaching the top shelf(instead of looking the other way and quickly rolling by because you're short on time)... so many things we let pass us by... let us(me) not get so caught up with the busy-ness of the season, that I let it pass me by... this is my prayer today. Have a WONDERFUL Tuesday all!!!! :) and I know we are still 2 1/2 weeks away.... but MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!!

Very proud parents of our Long Jumper!

Ok, so what's the difference to being just plum proud of your child for achieving something and wanting to shout it out to the world... and bragging? I try to teach our daughter NEVER to brag... to always be proud of yourself for your accomplishments, but not to do it in a manner that makes others feel inadequate... so what is that fine line? I know I tend to be too sensitive about this subject at times... but there's nothing more annoying than someone boasting about themselves all the time... such an unattractive quality! But there has to be a way to be proud of an accomplishment and wanting to share that accomplishment with the ones you love... so I suppose its in the approach... the sincerity behind it... how do you teach that? I guess the best way is by example... but Im not even sure I know! Ive always been overly conscious about all that that I probably dont talk about myself ENOUGH sometimes... so where's that happy medium?... at bible study, we are taught to always bring our WHOLE selves to church, or to a relationship or to a conversation... that THATS where we find God's grace... well, Im trying... and right now, I just want to shout out to the world how proud I am of our baby... she won Longest Long Jump of all the girls in 3rd grade that tried out at Brickey... who knew?!!! Our baby can JUMP! :) She'll be going to the county competition.... she will be representing 3rd grade girls from Brickey in the Long Jump competition... way to go sweetie!!! Mommy & Daddy are so proud of you giving it your all!!!!

KCHST Etsy Holiday Show & Sale - Nov.7th - Knoxville - West Town Mall

Ok all you Christmas shoppers.... on your mark, get set, GOOOOO!!!!!!!! It's that time again... time to start thinking about that long Christmas list... and what better gifts to give than something wonderfully unique, handmade, and from a local Knoxville artisan!!!

Support your local artists this Holiday season!!!!!

There will be tons of local Knoxville talent out at the KCHST Holiday Show & Sale over at West Town Mall, this Saturday, Nov.7th from open to close. Come on out and check it out... everything from children's clothing and accessories (that's me!), to jewelry, to hand-knit items, to pottery, to hand blown glass items, to soy candles, to soaps, and so much more!!! There will be over 40 artisans set up. We will be set up in the mall, in front of JCPenneys, where Santa will be set up starting this Sunday.... can you believe? Santa is here already?!!! I don't know about you, but this holiday season really snuck up on me!!! The older I get, the quicker time seems to go... Well, I'm just excited that my mom is coming in from Delaware to keep me company during the show this weekend... as the holidays start to roll in, I always tend to miss my family (especially my mom) more during this time... I wish we lived closer, to do all the fun Christmas festivities together... bake cookies, shop, decorate, share nostalgic stories as we come across old ornaments... its just tough to cram that in to a 4 day visit during Christmas... anyhow, I love ya' Mom!!! Thanks for making the 10 hour drive in for me this weekend!!! You're the best mom ever!!!!

New Snigglefritz Hair Accessories!!!!

Ok, been trying to play catch-up after nursing the family back to good health this past week... recovering from flu and pheumonia... fun! fun! fun! Im very thankful they are all on the upside of it now!!!

So I finally uploaded all of the new hair accessories.... flower hair clips and flower headbands!!! Check them out and let me know what you think!! www.snigglefritz.etsy.com

Oh! and I uploaded some new holiday doggie collar covers too... I couldnt leave the pups out for the holiday festivities!! :)

Send me some feedback... any feedback... good or bad!!!

Virginia Creeper... aaaaaahh... the fresh air!

Ok, so we experienced the Virginia Creeper for the 1st time... and wow!!! What an amazing day!!! A perfect sunny Fall day to bike ride down the mountains! We biked the top 1/2 which is all down hill or flat... 17 miles... long, but not bad... we only wished we had given ourselves more time... we had a 3 family group... including ages 3 all the way up to 40... our wee ones were tired by the end, but they all hung well and did great!!! Lots of quaint little towns that we didnt have time to see much of, but that just gives us extra motivation to get back up there and do it again.... I highly recommend!!! A great break from the business of life!!! A perfect family outing in my opinion! If you go, try to get up there by 10ish... takes about 2 hours to get there from Knoxville... leave yourself plenty of time for stops... I wanted to stop about every mile to take pics, but since we were with a big group, I tried to keep that urge under control!! :) But I could definately spend a very full day up there taking beautiful pics and enjoying the quiet peaceful sounds of nature... and the wonderful feeling of the warm sun shining down on my face through the trees on a chilly Fall day... just wonderful!!!! I wish everyone some "peaceful" Fall moments this week... take an opportunity when you can to take advantage of the amazing beauty around us right now... and take a long, deep breathe... I'm pretty sure I need to practice this waaaaaaay more often than I have been!!! PeAcE to you all!

One of those weeks!!!

Ok, this has been one of those "not-according-to-plan" weeks... Ive had to just throw the To-Do List out the window... but Im trying my best to take it in stride and just go with the flow! My husband has been sick for the past week with a major cold/sinus thing, so I have been doing my best to take care of him and everything else while he tries to sneak in some extra rest inbetween working... so he is finally starting to get over his thing and feeling better, and now my daughter is sick... her throat has been hurting the past couple days, some swollen glands going on... trying to give her mucinex and advil hoping it was some sort of sinus thing, and now we found a big white little ball in the back of her throat... all I can think is Strep... EEK!!! So Ive kept her home and the earliest I can get into the doc is 10:45 this morning.

Meanwhile, Im trying to keep up with getting orders out inbetween everything else... but frustrated that I have 3 skirts cut and waiting to be sewn, then a new style that is waiting to be cut and sewn too before my Wednesday show next week and my big West Town Mall show the week after!!! EEk!!! Then I have a PTO Spiritwear Sale & Fun Week getting ready to start at my daughter's school next week (my responsibility) and I still dont have my tshirt samples back to take pics of and make the order form... I am suppose to make 1000 copies and have them distributed to all the teachers TOMORROW!!! ugh!!! Feeling a bit stressed... trying not to let it pour over onto the family!!!! I think I need to wear my tshirt that says "I have issues" today.

On a brighter note, we had bible study last night... talk about a breath of fresh air in the week of chaos!!! We rambled on about deep pocket sheets and eggs for about 15 minutes before we ever got started... it was so random but so great!!! Freshens my spirit every time we go!!! I think I could have used a 3 hour session instead of just a 1 hour session to get through this particular week though!!! :) Deep breaths... in with the good, out with the bad... deep breaths... deep breaths... have a great weekend everyone!!! ;)