Some News

So, I should be in bed, but I'm not because my mind won't slow down.  Do you ever have those days?  I am exhausted, but lying in bed isn't going to help at this point.

We just got back from Arizona - nice and balmy this time of year.  Around 110 degrees every day.  (That sound is me melting.)

Why go to Arizona this time of year, you ask?  Other than to see my parents and the fabulous Johnstone family, the answer is, "For Scott to interview for a job."

Yep.  He did.  And we are.  MOVING.  Not just across town, but across the country.  Hard to wrap my mind around all of it, but it is reality.  We will be moving to Payson, Arizona; a smallish (15 thousand or so) mountain town about an hour north of Phoenix.  It's a beautiful area; reminds us of the Black Hills, for you Midwesterners.  Pine forest, mountain views, snow about five times a winter (they call it "designer snow" because it's really pretty and then it goes away); and an hour north of year-round warmth.

This is not a new notion for us. Scott actually looked at doing his residency in Scottsdale; and he interviewed in Arizona after residency for a few jobs.  It was a very serious possibility for us until we found out that I was expecting Maggie, and thought it might be prudent to live closer to family, so the crazy lady would have some help with two babies.  A dream deferred so the dream of family could happen, I guess you could say.

So, I am in full-on "get the house ready to sell" mode.  Painting, sorting, tossing, weeding, crying (a little).  New washer and dryer, new kitchen, new bathroom, new walk-in closet and master bedroom...hope it all pays off.  And someone will enjoy it all, right?  Scott felt bad that I finally got to redo my kitchen and now we are selling.  Oh well; eventually I will get a new canvas to work on.  :)

So many things to decide - sell everything?  Moving a household of four, thousands of miles away is a spendy adventure.  As I look through the house, I am not super attached to a whole lot of things, believe it or not.  And we are planning at this point to just rent for awhile until we get the lay of the land down there.  Soooo, a GIANT yard sale may be in my future.  We'll see.

We go through bouts of excitement followed by heart-squeezing sentimentality.  We've been here ten years.  Mags was born here.  Jake and Maggie both learned to walk in this house.  We will miss our church, our school, our friends...(don't even get me started on that).  The thought of finding a new doctor, hair stylist, accountant, insurance agent...the list goes on and on and on; is daunting.

I am not new to moving.  In fact, ten years is the longest I've every lived anywhere and despite how some of my cousins see me :), I am really not all that old.  So, I know the drill.  But I don't particularly like it.  I don't like seeing my kids fearful about the future...because that's exactly how I feel, too.

Nothing is permanent, I realize.  If we hate it, we can always come back.  I know that we have that option.  But more importantly, I know that I have a big God who loves me and my family.  So, I am at peace (most of the time) and will keep following Him where he leads us.  And if he would lead any of you to come visit sometime, that might help a little, too. :)

(Disclaimer: wrote this post last weekend, just couldn't post it until Scott officially resigned.)

Flannelgraphs

I shared in my last post that I remember skipping Sunday School...well, once in awhile, Grandpa made me go and we would do flannelgraphs.  Is that the right word?  Lauri and I usually doubled the class size, which thrilled the teacher.

Scott gave me a pair of flannel pj's once; I tried to wear them while we had flannel sheets on the bed and it brought memories of Sunday School flannelgraphs flooding back. :)

Memories

...sitting on Great Grandma Schoon's radiator, skipping Sunday School and drinking "tea" (mostly milk and sugar) with the grown-ups.

Every once in awhile, a random memory pops into my head and makes my day, like this one did while I was making myself a cup of tea tonight.  I still like drinking tea (no more milk, but just as much sugar).  And I like to think Grandma invented "heated" seats. :)

Crumpets & Scones....

Maggie had her "proper English tea" on Friday. She wore one of Grandma Huisman's hats...LOVE!!  She looked smashing in it.

The girls went to Miss Carol's after school and baked scones, made finger sandwiches, chocolate dipped strawberries and oreo truffles.  They also made fresh-squeezed lemonade, mint tea and green tea.  And then they set it all up for their guests.

Maggie set up her boutique.

Wreaths, garlands, mini-pedestals, candles...

Sorry about the fuzzy pictures.  Still can't figure out what button I pushed on my camera, but I can't get it to take good pictures, so these were done with my iPhone.

This was the group of girls...

I think eating was the highlight for them!  (I know it was for Maggie!)

We had a great time!

And Maggie made $72.00 at her boutique.  I asked her what we should do with the money - said, "It should be our hot chocolate fund..." and she said, "No, Mom.  I think we should give it to the orphanage in Haiti."  Well.  I guess we're raising her right! :)

A Maggie Doodle Boutique

So, it was going to be $60 to get Max groomed.  So not worth it. And they said if he was "naughty," it would be more.  ?!?  He's a cat!  I did not ask what they meant by "naughty."  Anyway, a friend of mine stopped by today, saw him and started laughing - "He looks quilted!" was her comment.  I will take a picture - I've been trying to get a good one, but he really never sits still.

Anywhooo, we have been working hard around here, crafting up a storm.  Here's the scoop:  Maggie is attending "An English Tea" on Friday - her piano teacher (we affectionately call her "Miss Carol") hosts these events for kids in the community sometimes.  She will be hosting 6 girls and teaching them how to serve a proper tea. (How cute is that?!?)  They get to wear hats - I have four that were Grandma Huisman's and some of them will wear those, and they each get to invite a guest for the final 1/2 hour to serve tea to.  I am Maggie's guest. 

Miss Carol thought it would be fun if Maggie could set up a boutique to sell her wares, so we needed some wares to sell.  We made music sheet wreaths; mini cake pedestals; glittered decorative pinwheels; rag and ribbon wreath kits; music sheet heart garland and music sheet wrapped candles.  I will post photos from the tea.

We set up a mock boutique today to figure out how to display everything, and when my friend stopped by, she bought a couple of things - Maggie was so excited!! She made ten bucks.

Maggie is very excited for her tea and boutique opportunity.  Miss Carol has always had a soft spot for Maggie.  She used to pick her up from preschool so they could spend a day together every now and then.  Mags would get to pick where they ate (usually "Applebeast") and then Carol would take her home and they would bake.  One time, Carol asked her to smell the vanilla that they were pouring into the cookie batter, and Maggie said, "That smells like wined.  I don't drink wined."  She was four at the time.  Nice. Did I mention that Carol is a pastor's wife? :)