Market Monday... Moving Day!

The MOVE to my larger space is thankfully complete!  The whole process made for a very long Friday.  Tired but very thankful for the vendors that agreed to be moved so I could have a larger space. 

The new space is sparse... in preparation for tons of old crusty antique new items to be loaded in for the Holiday Open House next Friday.

Be sure and come by and see my new space at the Open House... K?!

Packard's Antiques Holiday Open House

November 11th and 12th

My new location is on the 2nd aisle from far right... last booth on the left!

You can go to my Market Blog to see a few before and afters of the space.

And, I will be posting tons of photos next FRIDAY instead of Monday... since it will be the first day of the Open House!

Halloween Fun

Our week began with pumpkin guts shed all over our kitchen table.

 Let the carving marathon begin.  I call it a marathon because a quick Jack-O-Lantern face just does not cut it any more in this house.  So that equals frustration, whimpers, toothpicks to repair any miscuts... hours later, the arteeeeests deem them finished and I finally get to take a picture of them lit on the porch.

 Ty's Bat

 Christian's Vampire

 Savannah's Wolf

On Wednesday night, our Ward joined with Winchester Ward to throw a Trunk or Treat.  So the kids got to dress up for the first time in the week. 

On Friday, the Mayfield Clan had a Cousins Halloween Party.  The Mayfield moms used to do Halloween parties for the kids in the past, but THIS year was different.  The 'older' cousins got together months ago for a 'planning meeting'.  It had been decided that they would throw a Halloween Carnival for the younger cousins.  Brilliant!  The older cousins planned little activities like 'pin the leg on the spider' and 'fishing pond' and decorating sugar cookies, etc.  They also planned dinner for the whole family.  Whew!  Big undertaking and it was a big success.  I was totally touched by the older cousins being willing to plan this whole night for their younger cousins.  The older cousins all dressed up as Alice in Wonderland characters.  Savannah was Alice, Christian was Mad Hatter, there was a Tweedle Dee/Tweedle Dum, Cheshire Cat, and the Red Queen.

Ty (still in the younger cousin ranking) went as a Jawa from Star Wars.

 Here they are... ready for a night with family. 

I injured my back earlier in the day so I did not make it to the festivities, and did not get to photograph all the fun ;(.  My sweetheart stayed home with me and provided dinner and a movie. Having a daughter that can drive now is sure a perk, grin. 

Market Monday... the p.m. addition

Well, it is almost 10pm but still officially Monday, right?  I will be moving into my new larger booth THIS Friday, so excited... or at least I will be excited once all the work is done.
I posted some sneak peak pics over on my Market Blog if you want to go over and take a look.  Be sure and mark your calendar for
Packard's Holiday Open House on November 11th & 12th.

I'll post next week with pics of my new LARGER space and plan to give more sneak peaks leading up to the Open House.  Have a great week!!

Yesterday & Today

Yesterday... I woke up with the knowledge that everything on the 'to do' list involved family, and I sure liked that!  Selfish?  Maybe.  Needed?  Yes... time well spent and not a second regretted.

Yesterday... Shawn and I took Ty to an exotic animal drive-through zoo down the road.  It was a blast.  We had a stalker emu follow us through the entire park.  The zebra kept licking Shawn's car window.  The yak rubbed his nose all over Shawn's window.  I forgot the camera, classic.  I wanted to take home a little spotted deer.  Ty loved the 14' snake in the reptile house.  The llamas had us all thinking of 'The Emperor's New Groove". 

Yesterday...  Shawn found me a new... acutally NEW to me... car.  Yippee!

Yesterday... I worked on a few items for my Holiday Open House Booth.  I am way behind schedule.  Such is my life right now.  And the knowledge of 'way behindness' did not deter me from sitting down and having lunch with my sweetheart or helping my daughter pick an outfit for her dance, etc,... so the schedule is just going to have to wait.

Yesterday... Shawn moved 8 hydrangea bushes for me for my belated Mother's Day gift.  Snort.  To his defense, I asked for this huge task to be done as my MD gift and then we got so crazy busy  that it got too late to safely transplant... so he completed the task a few months late.  And when done, he busted into the house shouting 'Happy Mother's Day'... and for the 117th millionth time since I've known and loved him... I thought, He is so darn cute!

Yesterday... Savannah and Christian visited a friend that had surgery, went to lunch with each other, and went to a Youth Dance.  I like that they have always been such good friends. 

Last night... Shawn, Ty, and I went to Party City to find some face paint for his Halloween Costume.  We went out to eat at LongHorn Steak House.  We grabbed groceries for Sunday dinner and headed back home.

Last night... Shawn and Ty hung out together while I snuggled in bed.  But the truth is that I couldn't fall asleep, so I was awake when Savannah and Christian returned from the dance.  They both had a blast!  I love that my kids have fun at these Youth Activities.  I would be so sad if they found fault or drama instead of simple enjoyment.  I pray my kids will always see the efforts others make on their behalves and never need to be 'entertained'. 

Today... is Sunday.  We have our annual Primary Program during Sacrament Meeting.  Our Nursery children have been invited to sing a song for the Program.  I should be nervous.  Cause at the ages of 18months through 3years old... there is no way to know who, if any, will want to participate when the time comes.  But I can't keep thinking that at this age, whether 18 or 2 participate, all they have to do is just stand there and they are cute.  So whether it is just me and my assistants singing or whether a few or more kiddos actually sing along... all will be well, SNICKER!

Today... we are having 'Papa' beans.  While I grew up, we had a huge pot of pinto beans for dinner on a regular bases.  It was cheap and we all loved it!  My dad would often smash his beans and add a dab of butter.  I later found out, that he was in essence making refried beans.  Our kids love when I make beans and they smash them like dad always did and they call them 'Papa beans'.  And to go along with the beans we will have tacos (my sil Alisha's way) and chips with queso.  Yum. 

Today... I will follow my lead from yesterday.  Focus on today.  Do not think of the trillion gazillion things that are on the LIST for next week.  Nope.  Just Today.  Digging in my heels, flipping my stubborn switch, and living today!

Oh, to be a pumpkin farmer...

So... in addition to wanting to be an Innkeeper, and owning my own Antique Market Shop, and wanting to have weddings, receptions, fishing derbies, etc here on the farm....

did you know I want to be a pumpkin farmer too?  I have always wanted to grow pumpkins.

Now my dreams are not so grand that I want to compete with the fantastic Pumpkins Farms with their hayrides, corn bins, and mazes.  Nope.  Just a little pumpkin patch that people could come and find some little 'kins in all shapes and sizes.  A little Pumpkin Market, that I could then have fun building displays like these (images found on Pinterest)...

of course... I MUST have an old truck.  Hoping Shawn will gift me one some day, snicker.

But for now... I trek down to the Farmer's Market and gather my pumpkins and gourds.  They have really been providing a great selection the past few years and I tend to love the non-traditional colors, but I always add classic oranges too...

Not sure why, but I rarely decorate much inside for Fall.  I have tiny hints here and there.

But where I go a tad overboard is on the front porch.  I really should have someone supervise me, I cannot be trusted to know when to stop.

Here is how our front porch looks from early Spring til Fall...

And here it is now that I have dumped my loot from the Farmer's Market...

Love it!

Growing Pains

Some of the saddest days of my life have been the 3 different days that each of my children have decided on their own that they are now too big to call me 'mommy'.  Sigh.  Now I'm 'mom', and if I have made a very unpopular decision, very distinct syllables are added... 'moo.oo.oooom!'

But a wonderful phenomenon has happened with Ty.  While he has forgone 'mommy' for the most part... if he is hurt, panicked, extremely happy, or feeling extra cuddly... there IT is.  My heart about explodes.  Mommy.

This time in life finds Ty and I very entangled.  We homeschool every day together.  Savannah and Christian do the majority of their work/studies independently and need my help minimally.  Ty and I spend several hours every day sitting next to each other tackling fractions, pronouns, and the Milky Way Galaxy.  Somedays are wonderful, some... not.  He gets a whole heap load of 'mom time' and some days he has had his fill and vice versa.  He still needs me to take him places, has to ask my permission for 95% of what he wants to do, still fights me every night at the dinner table because his favorite food list is quite minimal, etc.

So I try to take 'inventory' periodically and when we have had a stretch of angst between us... it is time for the adult, that would be me even if I don't feel like it, to carve out some time to just bond.

Yesterday I needed to take Shawn and Christian clear across down and drop them off.  Savannah was at work.  It would be just Ty and I for several hours.  So finding ourselves on the opposite side of town, I made a list of things/stores that we don't get to do very often.  Ty likes JoAnns craft store because of a specific type of models that they carry.  So first stop... JoAnns.  I stood in the same aisle with him for almost an hour.  an HOUR, whew.  Boy has staying power!  He didn't even choose a model to purchase, but he left with a good wishlist for me for Christmas.  Then we went to Steak and Shake.  My boys loves skinny fries and this is his favorite eating joint.  We sat across from each other, did the mazes and puzzles on the kids menu, he got to order a chocolate milk AND a shake with his meal, and he assembled the paper car.  And probably overlooked by him but not by ME... we talked and talked and talked the whole time.  This is rare for Ty.  He is my stoic, quiet fella.  Then we went to the library.  This is a BIGGIE because this isn't our normal library location.  Meaning, going to a different library means a whole different range of movie selections to rent.  Huge, biggie, GIGANTIC brownie points on this pitstop.  He was able to find 5 movies to rent ALL for himself.  To say my boy was happy is an understatement.  Then it was time for me to take him to our church building for Cub Scout meetings.  I had to stay because I was the only one that could get him home just one hour later.  So I sat in the lobby, visited with friends, and waited for Ty.  He ran out of Scouts after making clouds... very exciting!  He stood next to me as I sat in a chair and finished a conversation with a friend, and he had his arm casually thrown around my shoulder.  Yep.  He was showing me public affection in public.  Score.  

And as soon as we got home, he raced to the TV room to watch a quick library movie before bedtime.  I was exhausted and crawled into bed, and fell asleep to the sound of my youngest boy laughing out loud (he rarely laughs out loud, he gets that from me) at his movie.  I slept so good.

And so this morning when I arose bright and early to start another day of school with Ty... THIS is what was taped to the archway immediately outside my bedroom door... a sure spot to post something that he would not want me to miss...

 Please, oh please... notice the 'mommy'.  And yes... I shed a tear.

And so we started our school day with a spelling review and quiz.

Embrace... one of Ty's spelling word for this week.  I asked him to orally tell me a sentence using each of this spelling words.  When he got to the 4th word on his list he said, "I love to embrace my mommy."  Please note that I got to be in a spelling sentence (never happens) and that he called me mommy.

 I love this guy.  I think overall he will be my toughest child to raise.  He is so very complex.  Heavenly Father blessed me with the calm first couple years with this guy because he was a super easy baby and toddler.  But now the real work begins. Thankfully days like today give me the strength to keep at it... and days like yesterday show me his is worth every ounce of time and effort.  I love him.

 And on a totally unrelated topic and because I just am having the best day... look at the view Ty and I had all day while doing school.  The sky is every shade of blue all at the same time and the clouds are magnificent.  I love my life!  I love our farm!