I seem to be missing all the fun!

Apparently all the little ones don't stop growing while you are away.  This little guy is now walking .. and pretty much starting to run everywhere in their new, pretty much empty house!! (ok what better place to learn to walk and run... the least amount of furniture the better....)

now here is where he shows his true self... poor mom is trying to pack the bedroom, and kitchen and closets and.... well Look who has to be right in the middle of it all.. and BOY does he know it!!!  He gives his mom his little snorting laugh face....

I mean come on, who can say no to THAT fun face!!!

These houses better hurry up and sell or we'll miss out on all the fun!

For Japan- Day of Silence

I think it's safe to say we've all been a little saddened by the devastation and destruction that has spread across Japan this week. Hearts are heavy, too many lives have been lost and the destruction so immense it will take months and potentially years to rebuild what was once a thriving and colourful country.

The blogging world has united together. 

For Japan, With Love has been created out of the hearts of Lucia from Utterly Engaged and Lydia from Ever Ours and you too can do your part to help. And if you are a blogger, please join the blogging community by participating in tomorrow's bloggers day of silence.

Regardless of your financial situation, if each of us can do our itty bitty part it's amazing how much of a difference we can truly make.

AMERICAN RED CROSS: Emergency Operation Centers are opened in the affected areas and staffed by the chapters. This disaster is on a scale larger than the Japanese Red Cross can typically manage. Donations to the American Red Cross can be allocated for the International Disaster Relief Fund, which then deploys to the region to help. Donate here.

Bloggville-food storage made easy and thoughts on Japan

I had something else planned for today but with all the destruction that happened in Japan last Friday, showing anything frivolous does not make sense.

JAPAN- 
My father was stationed in Japan during the Korean war.  He loved the people and the country.  My father worked for a company that imported from Japan, he was never happier than when he was dealing with the Japanese. 
I lived in Japan in 1983.  Misawa AFB, it is about 150 miles north of the destruction in Sendai.  The Japanese people are the most gracious people.  Never a day went by when I did not feel welcome in their country and treated like a honored visitor. 
Everyday I pray for the people of Japan.

I recently found a wonderful site for Food Storage and Emergency preparation!!
Food Storage Made Easy

SO many ways to learn from these two; Jody and Julie
They have great categories:  10 baby steps, Recipes, Checklists, Emergency Preparation, Self Reliance

You can sign up for emails, where they will send you a 'checklist'.   OR you can download all the checklists at once, ALSO there is a monthly newsletter.

I know one of the questions I have is about recipes... and how in the world would I cook without a stove/oven/microwave... and amazingly enough they have the answers...
Powerless cooking!
emergency cooling&heating
emergency sanitation..

There is a wealth of information here!
It may take a little bit of studying up on, but oh so helpful.  Here on the West Coast there is always the possibility of something like an earthquake happening....ok, Living ANYWHERE, there is a 'possibility' of something along the vein of a natural disaster happening.
I need to learn more.  period.  end of story... or is it the start???

Wednesday Wisdom

Neither give cherries to pigs nor advice to a fool.
  --Irish Proverb

House Tour- Want to Buy Me?

Welcome to our house... look even Elliott welcomes you (sort of)

to the right you will see our cute little dinning room.

and here is our Living room, with door leading to the back yard.

and right to the right our kitchen table

Kitchen, let's see what's on the menu for dinner???

Upstairs we have our 'bonus' room (the room built above the garage).  Warmest room in the house.

and our guest room, you are welcome anytime 

and the craftroom/office... which BTW is the cleanest you will ever see it.

It doesn't take long to show, but sure took long to de-clutter and clean.  I, hopefully, can live a clean and de-cluttered life now.  This is the way Mr. Produce prefers it, but... well I like stuff (and garage sales and crafts and yes I have too many likes that clutter up the house, oh well-take me as I am) 
Thanks for coming along our journey! I just love my blog friends.

breathe breathe breathe- at long last

Hello Blog friends... I know it's been too long since I last posted... but life is ... you know ... life. 
I am happy to report that my whirlwind cleaning-organizing-tidy-ing-packing-de-cluttering-painting-furniture moving time has finally realized two things:  Our house is for sale and my mothers house is for sale. 
I am breathing a little bit today- I don't say breathing easier because the adventure we are on is not easy, but it is an adventure.  First and foremost the adventure of: The State of Real Estate in 2011.

breathe breathe breathe

trying to breathe breathe breathe

Our adventure pales in comparison to one that MANY of you are going through (Japan, those who have lost a child,  life long disabilities)  My heart goes out to you.

We've certainly learned a lot and hopefully by keeping a 'glass half full' attitude we will be happier for this adventure!

Yes, my friends the signs are up and (trumpets sound...) let the house tours begin.  I am going to take pictures and take YOU on one tomorrow.  

These weeks have been busy and I missed you all, my blog friends, and as I try to explain to Mr. Produce, THEY ARE REAL FRIENDS, not figments of my imagination, right?  right?  yes, I know you are.  Thank you for hanging in there.

In these last couple of weeks I have realized  that I enjoy blogging, and while I really WANT it to be a craft blog, it is more of a family/mom/grandma/personal blog.  but hopefully I can share the fun creative things I have found along the way.  A sharing blog, and no I don't aspire to be one of the 7,000 follower blogs.  That is TOO much pressure.  Although... I will be looking for a part time job at the end of this adventure??? so ya never know!

THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH ME!   and tomorrow YOUR Open House

Consider It All Joy--especially the toilet

Hello friends- I am still alive, barely

After working every day   (I go to work to relax)

Each night brings another challenge…

Tonight is toilet night 

I am replacing the toilet seats AND cleaning all that brown hard water out of the bowl.

It is freezing water.  It snowed BIG TIME last week (just in time for the carpets to be put in so they had to measure them in the garage!! Good thing Mr. Produce had just cleaned that out…) and it is still so cold out!

What can I say, every day is a joy and a big project!!

And I just had to share the toilet project with ya

Cuz I’m nice like that! ( and I should mention that Mr. Produce is OUTSIDE Pressure Washing in 36 degree weather... what a trouper!!!)

HOPEFULLY  I’ll be back to my bloggity self next week!  After out ginormous garage sale

And HOPEFULLY Lauren mailed my camera back …I miss it.

You’ll get scads of photos,… and see all the people that show up early to garage sales, in the snow and rain, THEY DON”T CARE.

( I had to tell my mom NOT to answer the door Thurs or Friday, you see out here in the north forty, people show up at your door with a sad face and say…I’m not going to be here Saturday, can I look at your items now!  It’s a scam I say!!)

Ok no more putting it off, gotta get to those toilets!!!

I’ve been trying to carve out a little time to check out all your blogs… but some days there is nothing left to carve!

Thanks for sticking with me!