Back Pain

I have been out of sorts as my Grandmother would say, what started out as a hip ache , went to my back aND NOW DOWN MY LEGS. After 3 Drs. visits I am signed up to see a doctor for pain management ughhhh,  I just want to be able to do my daily routine without the constant ache. I havent painted much as I can only lift 10 pounds and any lifting seems to put a strain on my back. Sitting to work on the dinosaur sweaters is also a pain and getting up from a chair is awful. But, what can you do, so I muddle through and hope to wake in the morning better, it came on overnight ...maybe it will leave that way.

Christmas in July

This souns like a fun idea, the whole town has specials in the shop and people serve Christmas cookies and have treats for the shoppers. Except if it is in the 80"s and you need to bake these cookies. Hot and humid and yes tommorrow starts Montellos Christmas in July.
I had put alot of thought into what I could do in the shop. Bring out the Christmas so those visiting only once this year had a chance to shop, make a few great sale items and the best.....Paint Santas
Painting Santa is a real project when the last thing you feel like is chilly and snow. The shops ari is on the fritz and santa is coming along slowly. Not, one Santa on an old ironing board but three. In the morning , refreshed and hopefully cooler I will add the finishing touches to them, break out the cookies and against my better judgement put on a Christmas cd. Personalized gingerbread families are ready and I dug out the pine scented candles for that Christmas feel. I will have to let you know if it works as well as we had planned.
I am finishing up a few more sweaters for the trip to Josephines Paper Box in Watertown, it will be nice to have another location to sell them out of. They have done fairly well on etsy so I hope they do in this shop as well.

This mornings events

I started out the day with a fest meeting, no major changes made, but good input. Then I met with my advisor from the UW who brought with him three student working on tourism in our area. We had a great talk and they will share their report and suggestions for our area when it is done. I have two Santas based and hopefully will get the details done as Christmas in July starts here on Saturday.

I am hoping to get some market bags sewn and a few small stoking stuffer type ideas all worked out and packaged. I will come back with photos if this all comes together,\\

I am here so long becuase my house has been over run with family and the only peace and quiet I get is at the shop early in the morning or in the evening. I paint to remain sane some days it seems. kids, grandkids, pets oh my.......

Christmas in July

I know when the thermometer reads 80 it is hard to think Christmas but.... that is exactly what I am up to here. I am painting Santas and getting the sweaters and caps all tagged and ready to go. Gingerbread families are drying and ready for finishing touches,
   I have a couple gift ideas and a neat way to decorate not just at Christmas but in your kitchen year round. GINGERBREAD.  simple yet adorable.
First if you have little ones, you can trace gingerbreadmen onto brown craft paper for ornaments and let them decorate with markers and a little white glitter for a sugary effect. Brown craft foam also works very well. Just trace a cookie cutter. make garlands cards, oh so many cute items for one pattern.
  Not feeling in the mood yet?  simmer a pot on the stove with a little ginger and nutmeg, maybe a dash of cinnamon and your house will smell like the holidays while you are busy working.
  My personalized gingerbread family has been a great gift idea now for a few years, the babysitter, grandma, friends and even yourself. Each little cookie wears the name of a family member.. Extra cookies are always available.  Gingerbread ornaments for your tree or use as gift tags that the recipient can use over and over again.

Make these ornaments and gifts with your kids, they will remember the naking years after the gift is gone.   

Life gives us lemons

For the most part I think I am a very nice person.  I help others, am active in my community, love my family and then out of the blue someone comes and sucks the fun right out of everything.

At our little group meeeting yesterday I was told I said something which was very untrue, from there came a few ugly emails and now I could spit nails.

As I sit back and go over events in my mind I see I should have gotten away from all this buzz months ago and did'nt ....silly me

I have eaten 2 candy bars, chocolate, they did'nt help, I am on the fourth cup of coffee and that has only made me have to take more breaks.

Why are people so two faced, by this time in my life I thought all that would be a thing of the past. not so! In business, sometimes people are not what they seem. It is a shame because how much nicer would it be and easier to just take everyone at face value.
What have I learned..
listen to your gut
get everything in writing
share nothing
no one does anything nice for no reason

Funny but I have taught the kids just the opposite.

This incident has really got me bummed and I wish I could find a way to just push it out of my mind instead of steaming over all the trash talk. I will go back and paint another window and try to push all this aside before I go home to those two adorable lieele guys who are now my permanent house guests!

Life takes a turn

Just when we think we have all of our ducks in a row,  life steps in.  That is just what happened this week when out of the blue I was hit with a bout of diverticulitis.  To top that off two little whirlwinds moved into my house.

This is JJ, at 2 1/2 and is Gramma's little helper, he helps pull weeds ( they were actually cosmos) sets the table and loves to vacumn.

This is FREDDIE  ( Carsen ) he just turned one and is not quite walking, but in the blink of an eye he can be on any piece of furniture in the living room.

So, with a few days off sick I came up with a new sweater to add to Etsy and take to Josephine's when it opens in August.

We are very fond of Dinosaur Train on PBS so this is just perfect for the little guys. Boys and girls can both wear this one, and in any color combination!

Here is just a hat.  Dinosaur hat with some sweats would make a good Halloween cosatume alternative!

So I have been busy, even while I am on the mend, with help from my two special guys.

Memory Lane Friday Post 4th of July

4th of July was a BIG deal at our house. A family with 5 kids a Gramma and two great parents.Yes, it was Independance Day but around our house it was Freddies Birthday also.  Freddie is my younger brother and for years he thought that big family BBQ and evening fireworks were for him. His birthday is July 11.. but we had cake and presented were handed out, so it was easy now to see how he might of thought he was the Man of the day. We had a big swimming pool in the backyard and spent the day between our house and next door. There our neighbor Rose would BBQ and we'd open the gate between our yards and we would share the food, fun and later in the day FIREWORKS. There right on our lawn , after a day of swimming and getting together with dad's Aunts and Uncles, our Aunts and Uncles, cousins in all sizes, and just family friends, we would spread the blanket , grab some lawn chairs and watch as Dad and Big Bill next door put on a beautiful display. The ooohs and ahhhs would last for what seemed like hours as kids. So now when I think of 4th of July I smile... a big happy family, watermelon, bbq, swimming and that snuggle at dusk while you watched the sky light up.  You know , nothing would make me happier than to be able to have all those people right on my front lawn. Some are gone, like Dad and his Aunts and Uncles, Gram too. Freddie and Mom are in Florida, Jeff is in Indiana with his family, Tammy is in Ohio with kids in Florida, texas and ohio and Markie is in Florida with kids in Chicago and  Tennessee.  So I guess I send this memorie out to all of them.... MISS YOU all BUNCHES and wish you were here! But, since you can't be I will try to ensure my Grandkids gfet some memories of their own to hold on to !  Happy 4th



View 7701 S Long Ave in a larger map

That circle in the grass, was my crabapple tree. There are new sidewalks and our yard looks so much smaller. But there it is our corner house where 5 kids grew up happy healthy and loved... maybe we didn't say it but like was GOOD

Fridays thoughts......

The weather is just beautiful here today. Sunny and not to warm. The campers can be seen pulling into town, in fact last night was very busy with folks checking in. The waterfall IS back on and hopefully all the problems are behind us.
I can in early to get the shop all spruced up before the visitors arrive. Signs needed to be hung and the baby room needed some rearranging. All done now and I can finish my sweater and check out some blogs on the Friday Follow.
I planned the weekend to count in out of town visitors and I hope with me away the grass is being mowed and the little chores done. With any luck I can come home bake and enjoy some time on the patio.
I ahve been writing out a few of my favorite patterns to sell on Etsy and now it is down to the photos and finishing touches. Last week I taught a class on the hooded baby sweater and it went very well. I hope people enjoy them as much as I do.

I contacted Emmy Fink from Madison's channel 57 BUZZED into Madison and she has agreed to come out and once again do a story about Father marquette days.  She is so nice and funny...my Grandson Mike just loves her.

10 things that are sure to put a smile on your face when you are not happy.

On a bloghop I came across Mama's Losin' It and this , and thought it would be fun for today!
Write a list of 10 things that are sure to put a smile on your face when you are not happy.


1. watching the grandbabies sleep... the expressions as they dream, the pure innocence
2.coffee made when I wake up...call me bad but without coffee I am in for a BAD day no matter what
3.The sound of GRAMMA coming from the kids, I just hope I am as good a Gramma as my Gram was for me!
4.a phone call from Becky, my 4yr old granddaughter.. she is off in Chicago and calls me to discuss cooking, I am almost certain she will be a baker when she grows up.
5.baking.. the smell off oatmeal cookies can make anyone smile
6.a brownie, big and fudgy.. sometimes it just takes chocolate and in large quantities
7 watching the birds in my yard..how peaceful, no thinking just enjoying
8.sitting by the lake and remembering Dad, remembering much simpler times when someone made everything just right
9 a hug.. doesnt matter who it is from a HUG is great
10  time to chat with friends....alone  no phone ringing, no kids calling

now you try it link up with Mama Kat

Trying to think Christmas

In Montello we hold a Christmas in July each year. This means that right about now, I need to start painting Santas and getting things ready for that weekend. I must say though, it is very hard to think Santa when it is 80 degrees outside and sunny. Not only for that weekend but we have some tourists, who are only here one week a year and they like to pick things up during their stay. So, for the next few days I need to limit my computer time and paint.
  In the evening I crochet to fill the shop and now am busy getting a supply ready to take to Josephine's Paper Box in Watertown. The owner, my Aunt, will be opening in a new location in August and I am so happy to be one of her consigners.
  I am also working on writing up a few of my patterns to sell on Etsy. I personally have bought so many cute patterns from there, it is amazing what you can find in those Etsy shops. I recently helped my MOM set up a shop, I havent checked back to see if she has listed anything yet, but what a nice and easy way to get your crafts out for people to see and buy.  Handmade is a growing section of the market, nothing says YOU CARE like a handmade gift.
Here are a couple of my latest additions.

Wordful Wednesdays

It's Wednesday again.....today I have spent hours trying to coordinate a bike ride for the area around Pattibears Place. In September , when all the leaves are changing we hold Harvest Fest. By that time I will have painted black cats and pumpkins, scarecrows and witches.This year to make the most of all our natural resources we are adding a bird watching tour and an Autumn Colors Bike Ride. This should be alot of un, with the proceeds going to The Care and Share Food Bank of Marquette County.
With several routes to choose from, people of all ages and biking abilities will be able to join in. From Packwaukee to Germania , and on to Lake Puckaway , the scenery is beautiful and in its prime colors.
               I am also working on getting vendors for Father Marquette days which is August 21 and 22nd. Food, parade, softball tournaments and much more. The Rotary Club is working hard to help rebuild Father Marquette days to what it once was. A wonderful idea, and weather you are a Rotary member or not, everyone should roll up their sleeves and pitch in to help. I contacted EMMY FINK, from channel 57 here in Madison. She is the TV personality for Buzzed into Madison. She will once again come out and do a story to help promote Father Marquette days.
Today two young guys from San Francisco were in town talking to everyone. Commenting on what a great old town and how this could be a really great place for cute art shops and unique businesses. They are right, we need to get back to basics and pull together to help get Montello back on the map. What can we offer a new business at this time, not very much. We need more input from each other and networking to share and spread the word that Montello is still here and has lots to offer.I have contacted the UW extention office about some regional marketing classes they hold and hopefully a few of us can attend and learn some new ways to get Montello out there.
All this can be done.....I have been told by people who have lived here forever, that in years past because this is a farming community if some disaster happened on your farm......before you could think to ask for help, neighbors were there with food, tools and a helping hand. That is what we need today. Togetherness, promote the area, not just individual businesses.
In the mean time I keep filling my shop and making some sweaters for my Aunts shop in Watertown, Wi.  Josephine's Paper Box. If you are ever in the area you need to stop in, what a great variety of items for any occasion. I am also hoping to get all the loose ends for the diner tied up so I can finally get the work done and be open. A friendly place for locals and visitors to get a meal anytime of day. Fresh baked rolls and my favorite CUPCAKES!  So, I will keep on it , not just so I can have a great new business and make some money, but it will be an anchor for the downtown area. A much needed addition. So I have many irons in the fire and I wear many hats some days, but I love it ....most days.

Playing Nice Together

Montello, where my shop is located is a friendly, quiet town. Everyone knows everyone and people help out each other whenever they can.  

WELL, almost.

Our little city is probably best known for its biggest tree, ( the plaque was removed after a large limb fell off ) the CourtHouse, it is on the historical list and the Granite waterfalls.

That was until a few weeks ago when the water was turned OFF. Yes, turned off, they are man made from the old granite quarry. Tonight there is a city council special meeting to see if that water will come back on or if the falls as we all know them are a thing of the past. I will have to catch you up on all the details after the meeting. I would'nt want to give out any bad info.
Other than that....

Our group, meets every Wednesday to try and get Montello back in the tourist mode and get the tourists back visiting on a regular basis. We have so many things for families to do. From fishing and boating, to swimming and bike riding, bird watching, maybe some quiet time alone. An Amish community, great shops, good food and all without the remote or batteries. We are close enough to the Dells that you could camp here ( much cheaper) and visit the Dells for the day and save so much money and enjoy the vacation!
All summer , in fact all year we have great events planned to help show us off. We have fishing, hunting, snow mobiling, ice fishing, bird watching and this has been declaired the Year of John Muir in Wisconsin. His exhibit is at our Historical Society right downtown.
July 3rd  Taste Of Montello at the City Park followed by Fireworks

July 24th Christmas in July in the downtown shops

August 21 & 22 Father Marquette Days ...food, crafters, parade, womens Club pie sale and so much more

August 28th
 September 25th Harvest Fest, bike ride for the Food bvank, Bird watching tours,  fall craft show and more

October 23   Oktoberfest

October 30th Withes night out

November 26,27,28  Holiday Happening Downtown Montello

So there is much in the planning, but although I do not belong to the Rotary Club or Lions Club , I do not mind pitching in to help find vendors for the events or help fill the parade and get them advertisied. Our end result is the same MONTELLO back on the map. Now, if I can just get that concept across to everyone else. We will have smooth sailing !  COOPERATION has been in short supply and that needs to come to a halt right now. It is far better to market a whole area than one shop or business at a time. My work is cut out for me , but I am emailing crafters , posting on calendars and inviting everyone to come and see Montello!

Can't Wait for them to grow up...

Today at the shop there were two ladies with an adorable, energetic little one in tow. The young Mom kept saying I can't wait til he walks alone and can talk etc. Having been the Mom and now Grandma and Great Grandma ( I think my favorite so far ) I toatally disagree. Leave them small as long as posible. Stop pushing to have them grow up and do BIG kid things.
Some examples
Talking, while it sometimes baffles us what they want in the early stages, it sure beats, talking back, yelling and the teenage girl whine. 
Walking, yes it is so much easier on your back but then there are mobile and into everything, we are  at the climbing on furniture stage.
Right now we have two little guys at our house one and two. Both adorable in their own ways. One is a Grandma's boy and the other prefers early mornings with Papa and the morning news.
I wish there was a way to bottle that innocence and save some for later. They are amazed by birds in the tree, flowers growing or a cookie out of the oven. Grandma can still fix anything, from a boo boo on their finger to the Elmo dvd.  I see WOW in their eyes when I read the book at bedtime and know which puzzle piece goes where. Soon enough though this will come to a screeching halt and they will go to school.

Last week we had birthday cake for the little one and the look on his face as we lit the candles and he licked frosting was priceless. My little baker JJ helped make the cake and as always taste tested the icing and was on had for a piece of cake. As I watched them I thought back to the others at that age, wide eyed and innocent and hanging on my every word, maybe that is what I am afraid of losing. Will Grandma always be the smartest?  I know I thought my Gram was. Can I live up to her?  I sure hope so, I try to fill these visits with hugs, love and some fresh baked cookies and I always seem to be feeding them and wiping little faces. I know they all can't wait to grow up, I have two 15 year olds at home who are racing towards being grown up. Summer drivers Ed, part time jobs and on the horizon dating!  Very scary for me and exciting for them.Please slow down, I am not ready...  Let me savor these years as they go so quickly.....slow down!  I can remember when babies were babies until they went to school, now two year olds can work a vcr and go to preschool and learn sign language. Call me old fashioned but I want to hold on tight as long as possible.I am not afraid of getting older, it is them getting older and maybe not needing Grandma as much, that could be, but for right now I am holding on for dear life and enjoying each day and the adventure we go on together.

Our furry family members...

Yesterday our family lost one of our furry family members. Timmy our 13 yr old collie who has been like the bad little boy in our house for years. He arrived on Valentines day when he was just 12 weeks old and won our hearts. He was a leaner, could'nt seem to get close enough to anyone. He thought kids hot dog buns and crusts of bread were treats and would drop to a sit at the raise of a hand, hoping you had bread. He never minded kids crawling over him, counting his toes and even dressing him up a time or two. His faithful friend Lassie passed on last year and it has been a long sad year for him, he seemed to age immediately and miss her terribly. I am probably the worst, I cry at Lassie movies, hallmark commercials etc, but a couple months back I met through emails an author who had written of his own journey through the passing of his two pets and I am hoping I can use that to help not just me but the kids get through this a little easier. Christine Bellport on Madisons Channel 15 was kind enough to get the word about him and his book out to our area , and I can't thank her enough. This morning , as tears rolled down my cheeks fed the bread crust to the squirrels, Timmy would have gotten it if he was still here.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/fetch/2010/06/20/how-two-dying-dogs-taught-life-lessons-to-denver-attorney/?source=rsshomeblog
How a Denver attorney learned life lessons from his dying dogs

Fetch — The Denver Post
Denver attorney Doug Koktavy discovered how to live in the moment with his canine best friends

Rock Painting at Pattibears Place

Friday was the first class in rock painting I have given so far this season. Three young men seven, ten and thirteen came. Normally my first class is a bunny so the student learns to make fur strokes and gets the basics of rock painting.  This was not the case, not only did these three not want to paint a bunny, they each wanted to paint a different animal.....and none had fur!

The littlest decided on a turtle ... and angry turtle. He did fairly well for a first time and added some great color to the turtle shell and in the end he did look angry turtle.

Student number two had a rock, not shaped like any animal, so we took another route and painted the animal on the rock.  Not the rock into an animal , like we normally do. He made a lizard, colorful with it drawn completely by him.

Number three had heard his mother say the day before in my shop that she wanted an owl and he found a rock that would work. Just let me say feathers are harder than fur to paint, and this student had never painted before either. But, he listened and tried his best and in the end MOM got an owl

This is how it usually goes!

Find a smooth rock, for a bunny a baked potato shape works great. As you get more experience you can work around odd shaped rocks. Basecoat your rock with black acrylic paint. This gives you a base to work from and helps get shadow and depth to your painting. Use a wide brush, ( good brushes are not necessary for this part )       Use chalk to outlind where the face is, the ears and where the back legs are. This is just a guide and will be covered up later. It helps to look at a picture, I recommend the kids books on HOW TO DRAW ANIMALS a great source to show features and proportions.

Next thin some white paint to use for your fur strokes. The most important thing to remember is to stroke in the same direction the fur grows!  Outline the ears, nose and eyes. you will fill these in later. Remember there is never too big of a mistake you can't correct....Just paint it black and start again! The back legs are painted like wheel spokes coming down , the face fur grows up from the nose and to the sides from the eyes. The cheeks are little white puffs with a triangle of white between for the chin.

As you practice your fur lines will become finer and you can get even more detail. Let your white fur lines dry completely.

The back of the bunny, no tail yet, that is a final detail

add brown for the eyes and flesh for the nose and ears

Delute brown paint to a tint and cover the white fur lines. Leave the cheeks and chin white

Add some white eyelashes around the eyes, paint in the pupils and add awhite reflection dot. Brush in a few black eyelashes and last but not least  Do not forget the tail....and you are done

Black & White Wednesdays

This is my first week following Lisa's Black & White Wednesdays and I can hardly wait to check out all the other blogs

Here is my photo....if titled it would be CHEESE ! This is my Great Grandson JJ and he is a ham. It is amazing to me as I watch him, exactly how much he is like his Dad. And just like dad he is a grammas boy.  Secretly I would'nt have it any other way. JJ is also my cupcake buddy, we bake and he always comes running when he hears the mixer.

A great giveaway

Bloggy Blog Designz is having a Giveaway!!! They are giving away blog designs and all kinds of goodies. Plus ALL entrants will receive 20%off their purchase through the end of the month! Be sure to check out their website for more information, or to enter yourself. Take a look at their portfolio and packages to see what's right for you.


The first 5 entrants will receive a $15 giftcard. The giveaway will close on June 19th, so be sure to have your posts done and comments left by midnight! Good Luck to everyone!

(Our Design List is open after July 1. Discounts from this giveaway do not apply to designz in progress)

It smells like summer

Even though it has rained for what seems like the last week, you can smell summer and family fun.  Campers have started to fill the two campgrounds near our house and the smell of bacon on the old coleman cookstove in the morning brings back fond memories of my DAD out there making us five kids breakfast early in the morning after he returned from those 5 am fishing trips.My Dad taught us all a very important lesson. You see he died when he was just 38. We took a family vacation every year, even if we really could'nt afford to. He gave us all memories that we can carry over to our own kids and grandkids. I took my first grandson Joey fishing and taught him to bait a hook. Now he is showing JJ how. Thanks Dad. I guess with Fathers Day fast approaching I think more of him, but every day I find one of those things that seemed to come so easy to him in my everyday life. He loved us , and all of us not one more than the other . Maybe just differently, but not more. I was adopted and he never once made me feel like I wasn't his. Thanks Dad. He set a good example for my brothers to follow, and they did. It is not how much you spend on your kids, it is how much time . Yesterday I colored with JJ, my great grandson and showed him a trick my Dad taught us when we would all color on the kitchen table on a rainy Saturday. Take a peice of paper towel and rub the area you colored and it looks soft .  Dad , thanks again.  I remember him coming to pick me up from a friends on Friday night in his work pants and tshirt with his boots not laced. "Please don't get out I thought" and he would send me in to pick up the pizza from Genoe's. My love for Wisconsin, came from him. We used to drive up to the Dells and then up to Phillips for summer vacations. Candy ( licorice) hidden in his glove compartment, rainbow cones on the way to pick  Mom up from work on Saturday afternoon. Being the one who got to sit in the third seat in the station wagon. Saturday morning trips to his Grandmas, she would call him and two Uncles in like they were still boys.   Being able to be the one who went with at 5am to fish, I never caught anything, but I would'nt trade that time we spent just talking for anything. I can remember just going with for the ride, didn't matter where he was going. How many times did I go with to pick up car parts or maybe to Walgreens for party supplies. It didnt matter as long as we were with him. He was what Dads are supposed to be and I just hope he knew just how I felt even through my teenage years when things were bumpy. Dad you were the greatest and I LOVE you !

Wow, how the memories flood back when evening sets in and you can smell the campfires and smores!

 Families enjoying time together and back to basics. It is great. I just hop, my kids and grandkids will have as much to think back on years from now.  If so, I did it right!

 In the shop I am busy painting signs for those very campers to hang at their sites or attach to those movable homes on wheels.  I love that each piece sort of tells me what it will turn out to be and no two bears or raccoons are ever alike. In fact I just sold one that looked a little grumpy, it must have been painted on one of those days  LOL. I was asked where did I learn to paint the other day and Dad popped up again. When we first started camping we had a tent and went to Savannah, Illinois to an Army Corp of Engineers campground and there , I met Jack and Jean, a couple who ran the small store. Jack would sit behind the cabin and paint on mirrors. I could have sat there all day, every day. To me it was like magic watching the scenes unfold. That is how I feel when a piece of old wood becomes a bear or sign for someone.  Again Thanks DAD.

Dairy Daze ......cupcakes, cows and kids oh my

Today is the beginning of Dairy Daze in Montell. But, for me it started early yesterday as I began the baking for the Cupcake sale.

These are the rootbeer floats cupcake, first recipe wasnt what I wanted so these came out great!  18 of these jumbo cupcakes. oh, did my kitchen smell delicious!  here is the link for the recipe http://www.gourmetmomonthego.com/2010/05/mini-root-beer-float-cupcakes.html

These are banana split cipcakes. The centers are filled with banan, pineapple and strawberry.  Here is the link for the recipe http://www.beantownbaker.com/2009/09/banana-split-cupcake.html

the cupcakes on the left are Funge Mint Sundaes topped with Andes mint pieces.

The cups have malted Milk caupcakes topped with a malted milk ball. Here is the recipe link http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/2010/01/malted-milk-cupcakes-plus-recipe.html

 Those are fudge mint cupcakes in the middle.

I also make strawberry sundae cupcakes. the centers are filled with stawberry and topped with whipped frosting and a cherry.

7:30 this morning I came to the shop to put out my decorated COW, open the doors and get ready for the other members of our group to drop off cupcakes.  Shirley from Rustic came and dropped off some cheesecake brownies. Then before 9 Jean from the Gardne Center came with some brownies and muffins. My shop smells wonderful.

The weather is funny today, cool but very humid so campers are out and about checking out the shops. No kids participated in the sidewalk art contest HUH, maybe the cloudy skies kept them away.

It has been a long day and the smell of these cupcakes has been driving me crazy, but it was good practice for when we open the diner. I can see it now CUPCAKE of the DAY!  How much fun is that.

Thankful Thursday at Pattibears

First off, I was thinking back to 1 year ago when we were waiting for little Carsen to be born. Not sure if he would have Down's Syndrome, what other problems he might have.  Well as I watched him try and walk this morning I feel very blessed that he was perfect . Happy, outgoing baby that at times never seems to sit still. A blessing.  He was pictured in an ETSY treasury today http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c11246378348eef6df8b842/whats-that-smell?show_panel=true

The adorable little sticker will be 1 tommorrow.  Last fall he sold many hats with that photo.

Thankful that school is out and the kids no longer need a ride back and forth each day and can help out at the shop.  My lawn can get mowed and no more 6th grade Math homework to help with. Mikey is going to Jr. High.  Now that makes me feel really old and a little scared, but this is thankful Thursday so I won't dwell on it.

Liz is off Sunday to St. Norberts for a summer college program, a great kid, smart and funny .  This time next year she will be gradyuated and off to college.  How time flies.

Matt and Chrissy are home and working hard at the resort nearby, I am thankful they have their jobs as jobs are hard to come by and this one is within walking distance.

Thankful that at home all seems well, for the time being. It takes so much energy to be stressed and I can really use the break. Having MG stress can knock me out and I have a full house, 3 teenagers, 1 eleven year old, 4 days a week a 1 yr old and a 2 yr old then 2 grown daughters ( here is where the stress comes in ) 3 dogs and a hubby ( can be major stress) LOL so thankful right now all is good!