Bitter Sweet..........

I shipped out my last order ever yesterday!! Holy Cow!! I can't believe that it is here already!! Time flies!! This weekend will be very busy! My granddaughter is coming into town with her Momma!! I can't wait to take pictures and show you all how much she has grown! I can't believe how big she is getting! It will be a great time. We are going to the mall and Shop....all of us girls like to do that! She is very much into Tinker Bell and that new movie came out and she gets to pick her own out and get a few more goodies at Disney Store!! I hope that we can get her out once she gets in!! LOL!! That is okay, I still love seeing her eyes light up when she walks in that store!

I hope that you all have a blessed week and take time to hug your family......

Lori :O)

Quiet Sunday..........

Kinda quiet today around here. I started my Christmas shopping! Can't wait for Christmas! I think this year is going to be a special one!! I am finally closing my business and moving on to a J.O.B. I am going to miss selling my goods and such. It is in my blood! BUT, things happen and you have to keep moving! I have done my last order.....EVER!! I just finished wrapping up strands of lights to ship out on Monday! I have had quite a few of you through my JUNK!! I'm in the PITCHING mode!! EVER get that way?? Man I am getting rid of stuff that I have had for YEARS!! I donated my fabric to my church for their quilt club. They make quilts for the needy in our area. I think that right there is a gift! Just all the work and stitching that goes into one is AMAZING!!

Getting ready to get my tree up!! TEE-HEE!! My granddaughter is coming this weekend with her Mom, I can't wait to see her and Kayleigh!! She is such a bright light in my life! LOL!! Can you tell!! Did I mention how cute she is.......YEP I did!! :O) It is amazing when she hits the door I just light up and get that little tear in my eye that is to awesome for words! Just watching her now and where she came from....and the hard start she had to her little life! She is a strong girl just like her "GAMMA"!! We even have our own little song that we sing!! :O)

Well.........I hope that this wonderful Sunday you are having a quiet day and are loved......

Lori 8-)

November Is Here........

The leaves are all off the trees in our back yard, blown into a pile and bagged up for the city to take them away for another year. All my Halloween decorations are getting ready to go back up into the attic for another year, and the Christmas music has started on the T.V. music channels. Aahhhh, it's that time of year again where we all get to enjoy the Holidays with family and friends. Loved ones have passed on and the Holidays aren't what they used to be and will never be again. I think that is the time when we think about them the most. I often think about my family members that have passed on from my Mother to Uncles and Grandpas and Grandmas and friends. I know that they are in a better place and all. I just feel alittle lost this time of year I really don't know why, I guess it is just that for some unknown reason you think about them this time of year. I guess maybe the only time that you did get to see some of them was at the Holiday's. I think about my kids and what they will turn out to be like and hope and pray that I have instilled in them good values and morals. I know that they would be okay without me, but I know how it feels to loose a parent and what loss you feel and the ache in your heart that NEVER goes away. I hope that you spend time with those that you love and hold dear to you. Take time to listen to your kids or grand kids and really truly listen with your heart. Hold these times near to your heart, take them in and enjoy them while you can because you never know when you won't be able to again.

May the Holidays remain true and dear to your hearts this season,

Lori

Heat Wave....

Gosh that song comes to my head when I think of the great weather that we are having here in the fort!! This has been the BEST week. We have had a lot of crappy weather lately!! It is really good to see the SUN, for more then one day a week it seems like! I need the SUN!!! It makes me HAPPY!! I think that a lot of us are that way!!

I am getting orders boxed up and ready to ship this week! I have to deliver a few which I don't mind to do, cause then I get to see some really COOL shops!! Just love the decorations that alot of my shop owners are going with this year!! VERY COOL!!!

Lets see, what else. We got our new windows in the house upstairs and down, new furnace and air conditioning unit. Got things in the yard picked up and disposed of for the winter! So, I think that things are coming along pretty well for us here at the Hull House!! :O)

Getting ready to think of Christmas shopping and what every one wants this year!! I just love shopping for the kids and my granddaughter!! It is getting really FUN shopping for toys and TVs!! LOL.....!! I actually got out my Fall decorations this year!! LOOK OUT!! LOL!! I was watching TV the other day and saw a Christmas commercial already!!! UGH!! So, I think what we have 2 months or so and it will be here and gone for another year!!

I hope that this finds you all well and healthy and blessed......

Lori :O)

Fall is in the air....

Well, Fall is in the air here at the Fort! And things are looking festive! The leaves have started to turn alittle bit here, just enough to where you can see the green leaving. The "Crispness" in the wind makes you alittle chilly and the smell of burning leaves glides on the breeze. We have had alot of rain and clouds that look like they could drop some snow, you know the thick grey clouds. We haven't turned on our furnace yet,I keep telling the kids to throw and extra blanket on them at night! With having an "upstairs" it stays pretty toastie!! I have our down comforter on our bed and my kids are hot blooded anyways!! So.....that makes it nice!!

We are getting in our new windows this week and I just can hardly contain myself! Things are busy with the kids with all there activities and friends! Running here and there! I can't wait till they can drive and go out on there own, but that will breed more worry for me! LOL!!

I am finally done taking orders with my business for good! I have some orders to fill till about the first of November and then I can enjoy the time with my family and friends! It seems like when you are a "crafter" you stay one sometimes 2 seasons ahead of every thing else!! I got my tree last year and put it up.....with NO DECORATIONS ON IT!! Yep, that is right! PATHETIC RIGHT!! I know! Angie told me sooo!! LOL!! So.....this year I am getting things out before Thanksgiving and getting ahead of the game!! Try to have some of my Christmas shopping done tooo!! I know LOOK OUT!!! I many be organized this year.................NAW!!! Probably NOT!! But,,,.....hey it sounded good didn't it!!???

I hope that you all have a great week and be blessed..........

Lori :O)

Have You Ever............

Went on a trip and had way too much FUN??? Well, Wendy from Rusty Gate Decor and Me went to Crossroads Candles and to Craft Wholesalers and Ragu! We started at 7:00 am and headed out for Ohio! We had a wonderful sunrise to look at on our way East, and thank goodness for no fog that morning! We cross the Ohio boarder and into along stretch of highway that is nothing but barren and flat! And no potty for miles! LOL! So, about 2 hours into our trip we stopped at Crossroads and get her order and then onto Craft Wholesalers. We get what we need from there and then back on the road and up alittle ways to Ragu and get another order! On our way out of town we stop and get lunch at about 1:30! Hey, shopping makes you hungry!! We laughed and chatted ALL the way home! Not too many quiet moment's in her van! And speaking of talking she was talking about things that I had to decipher in my head before I really knew WHAT she was talking about! I thought that she was speaking English.....HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF......roasting ears? That would be corn on the cobb!! How about having a peanut butter and tomatoe sandwich? ME NEITHER!!! She said that was farm talk! Okay....I get the lingo....but the sandwich?? HUMMM....YUK!! She said that it was really GOOD! And that I should try it sometime! Again....don't think so!! LOL!! I got educated on my trip home from Ohio! Who knew!! I guess you are NEVER too old to learn new lingo huh??

I got home and unloaded and all before 4:30!! Wheww....fast and fun trip!! Thanks Wendy, I had a BLAST!!

This weekend is going way tooooo fast! We are having Date Night on Sunday this weekend. Another couple and us are going out for dinner! We have been going to a local eatery. Homemade food just like WE love it! They have pulled pork, they smoke their own meat and MAN is it EVER GOOD!!! I'll let you know how that goes!!

I am still filling orders and it seems that word has gotten out and around about me and being done at the end of the year! Word travels FAST around here! I am looking forward to getting my tree out before Thanksgiving and actually have ornaments on it this year IF I am lucky!! I will miss my shop owners BUT, I will keep in touch with ALL of you! Just to say HI from time to time!

I hope that you all have a great weekend............

Lori :O)

Are You Ready For Some Football....???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULbJ03PHess&feature=player_embedded

I just had to share this with you gals!! I just love Paula Deen!! I would love to go to her Lady and Sons....restaurant!! Ya'll wanna go too?? Wouldn't that just be a HOOT!! Can you just see me there....HOLY CRAP!! I would do just that! CRAP!! IF she ever came to my table....wouldn't you??

Football season has begun.....and I am ready for some down home cookin' with some slammin' jammin' hot wings and poppers!! Now you know that you can't have football without the "snackies"!! I know that I can't!! Throw some BBQ on the grill and some veggies!! And rock it out!!

I'll be posting some of my favorites soon,...........!! Till then you all have a great day and I'll talk to YA soon........!!!

Lori