Tuesday night I had BUNCO and had a great time at Elizabeth A's house. Tuesday morning was MOPS in the park and we actually made it ;) I was up early that day but we were still 20 minutes late because once the kids got up and became uncooperative, it got all hectic, and I had some errands that I really needed to run, so I went ahead and did a few before the park.
Wednesday we didn't do anything, but Wednesday night was our MOPS Swim party. We had reserved the public pool after hours, and it was a great time. Evan went with and after the swimming discovered that he had kept my van keys in his pocket the whole time (in the pool) and amazingly they still work. The van has the type where the key head is also the electronic controls for the sliding doors, locks, hatch, etc. We took the kids for ice cream and then headed home to put them to bed.
Thursday started out well, and I got a ton of stuff done in the morning. We were scheduled for cleaning people that afternoon, but everything started falling to pieces when Marek started getting feverish and wanted to be held, and then the furnace continued (and increased) this terrible squealing that had started early that morning. I ended up stopping my "picking up" progress and cuddling Marek, and calling our furnace guy. That afternoon we dropped off Milk and Chex mix to Courtney and I got to hold Sheperd for the first time. He was so sweet ;) Then I took Ardyn out to mom's for an overnight, and Marek and I stayed till about 12:30am while I worked on her computer and we ate supper together.
Friday morning I was awake and Marek and I got ready to go. I had to go out and get Ardyn, and drop some vaseline in a tube to Courtney and then we had to be home before 1pm because Monica was going to babysit for the kids while I went to Princeton and did some painting at Annie's Little Pots. I also ran errands, including dropping off library books that I had forgotten to take back on Wednesday (oops) and dropping cardboard at the recycling center. Then I went through Hattie's Antiques for a while, which was the first time I was able to even be IN the store since having kids. It was nice. I grabbed a $1 coke and headed towards Sterling to meet the girls from the Walnut Scrapbooking group for a Girl's Night Out at the new Buffalo Wildwings they built up by Sauk Valley Cinemas. I decided to drive myself because I was an hour ahead of schedule and also so I could run some errands while I was "kid-free." I got brake pads and rotors to do the back brakes (I just got the front ones done a month or so ago) and then ran through the Dollar Tree and got lots of stuff that you just can't live without. LOL. Actually I got all the solid colored tablecloths, plates, napkins, and fork/spoons for Ardyn's 3rd Birthday party. (and THAT is a whole different post! someone remind me!!!!!) Then we met at BWW and it was so packed it was INSANE. The line was wrapped around the side of the building outside. It was really good, and we got right in because we had called in advance and Amber and Kendra were already there at our table. It was so nice to talk to the girls! Of course it was funny because so much of our conversation turns to our kids ;) It's ironic that when you get away from them all you do is talk about them! Afterwards we snuck through Bergner's briefly because they had yellow dot sales. I was going to look for jeans for Ardyn but then realized that I can do that anytime, but since I was kid free it would be WISER to try on clothes for myself. I got a new pair of jeans that were 25% off and then I had another 15% off coupon that Michelle gave me, and I got two shirts that were half price- one Columbia t-shirt and one Ruff Hewn "dressier" shirt. I headed home through Manlius and got this SUPER cool picture of the moon from the High School Parking Lot:
Saturday morning I was up BRIGHT and early. For some reason. I think it was because I was excited about the day. I got up and got the kids ready and took Marek out to moms for the day. Then by 10am we were on the road! Ardyn and I were headed to Antiquity Oaks. It's a homestead about 1.5 hours from us, which raises goats, chickens, turkeys, geese, llamas, pigs, and cattle. They make their own cheese and Goat's Milk Soap, and Deborah's daughter also spins the wool from their sheep. I believe they also do llama wool? They were having their first field day and I wanted to take Ardyn. Not only because I wanted to visit, but because I knew Ardyn would love to see the animals. And of course she did. Deborah and her husband did a homemade cheese demonstration, and I loved watching them make Mozzarella. I also got to stir the milk while it separated into curds and whey and it was really cool to see. I was really surprised how simple it was to make Mozzarella! I asked lots of questions! Ardyn loved the goats most of all, and Eleanore was a bottle fed goat that was running loose around the yard and Ardyn took to her right away, of course.
It was SO hot (96 degrees without the heat index) and we didn't stay but 2.5 hours... but it was so nice.
Deborah and her husband are such great teachers! On the way to their house we went down through Henry and Sparland, then to Lacon and on through Wenona.Just south of Henry we stopped to see a HUGE Field of sunflowers. Ardyn said "mommy, why are those flowers sad?" referring to their nodded heads.... it was soooo cute.
We stopped in Lacon for a potty break and a photo op in front of the tank at the courthouse.
Then just outside Wenona there was a crop duster spraying the corn, so we stopped and watched him for a while.
When we left the farm, we didn't even hit the hard road and Ardyn said "Mommy, can we go get Marek now?" LOL. Toooo cute. But we had to head north through Streator, and then through Ottawa to LaSalle, and I wanted to stop at Joann Fabrics because I am out of black thread. AND I have been looking for some organza or eyelet fabric to use for Ardyn's birthday dress. We ended up being in there for like TWO HOURS and I felt terrible because Marek was at moms. But wow. Clearance stuff was great. They had TONS of Fabulous Findings for 50 cents a pack (they are regularly $2.29 or more)
I also got this corduroy (owls and polka dots) and some other little calico prints that I plan to use for Dortje trousers for Ardyn. The calico was tooooo expensive in my opinion, so I only got a yard of one, and a half yard of another. I hate expensive fabric... because I love it so much! LOL.
This fabric is for my next skirt for myself. The two base fabrics were clearance rack fabrics that were only $2.50 a yard. The top 5 are from a Fat Quarter Bundle.
The Halloween Fabric was in the 99 cent fat quarter bin, and I will make something for Ardyn. Likely a tiered skirt I believe.
And here is the assortment of Ardyn's fabric for her Birthday Dress.
I found this GIANT red button on 50% off in the clearance aisle. It is just adorable and it makes me smile. There were giant scissors too but I didn't want to spend that much. They might get cheaper... who knows. I got the button because it makes me smile and matches my front porch... and now it hangs right above my sewing table.
We found this embroidered organza sheer fabric and this silky soft Strawberry shortcake fabric on the clearance racks too. The strawberry shortcake fabric was $2.50 a yard, and that's phenomenal for licensed fabric. I am not sure if it will be Pajamas or a dress with the Organza as an overlay... but I am sure to think of SOMETHING!
On the other hand, my house is a WRECK. I mean, because I have been away from it for days, the kids have absolutely trashed it. There are things EVERYWHERE. We can't find two matching shoes that belong to anyone. Everything is scattered and it's pretty scary. I wanted to just stay HOME today and do nothing followed by some picking up, but Evan thinks it would be fun to go out to eat and run to Menard's as a family to pick up the new back door that we ordered and exchange the ceiling fan that was cracked. That is a good idea, and that's what we should do, and will do, but I just wish there were more days to do nothing ;) Really what I need is to have my kids go visit someone for two days straight (WHOLE days) and have my husband gone and myself home alone in this quiet house to focus. I need to get picked up and reorganize. I have my antique makeup table that has been collecting crap in the corner of our room for MONTHS that was supposed to go to the attic. I desperately need to switch the kids' toys out with those that are in the attic. I need to clean off my bookshelf and my nightstand next to the bed, and the top of my dresser. I have a laundry basket of clothes that has been in our room for MONTHS that needs sorted through. The bottom of it is things to pack up for "winter" and the other is stuff needs to get put away.Someday.....
1 comment:
Love the photos you took of the farm! Tell Ardyn that Eleanor misses her.
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