Refining the Moment: October 2010

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Festivals

Fall is full of so many wonderfully fun things. Unfortunately this year we have not been able to participate in as many as we would have liked to. We missed the local pumpkin farm's corn maze, hay riding, pumpkin picking, animal petting fun but we were able to make it to a smaller event.
The spay and neuter clinic that my husband helped remodel (and also the place that found us Lucy) was having a pre-Halloween event.
We don't normally do much for Halloween. In fact, we don't do anything. We have tossed around ideas of celebrating Reformation Day or all sorts of things but in the end we would rather turn the porch light off and hunker down for a family movie night and pretend we don't hear the knocking on the door. For those avid trick-or-treaters out there you are probably appalled. At one time in our past we gathered our arms full of small bits of candy and stood at the door anxiously awaiting the first ghoul or goblin. Our 2 year old at the time was just as eager until the first costume arrived. He ran away screaming and it was all we could do to get him to come out of his room. From then on we've decided just to snatch up all the candy the day after Halloween and run around all year dressed up as something.
At this most recent event however, only Lucy showed up in costume. As I mentioned earlier, it was plan B (little red riding hood with a basket of goodies for grandma) but she was still adorable. We entered her in the pet costume contest but didn't stay to participate. They were giving my latest creation away as a prize so I was happy to bow out gracefully. The boys ate popcorn, candy, caramel apples and threw bean bags. How much more fun could you ask for?

Saturday, October 23, 2010

New blog

I've been working on a blog for Oil and Spice that will be exclusively dedicated to information on our business. This blog will have announcements on new products (I eagerly anticipate adding many gift options before Christmas) and often these announcements are accompanied with a discount! So check it out. Let me know what you think and visit often!

Oil and Spice Blog

One of our most recent announcements is the change in our look. We are desirous of creating a more artistic and uncluttered label that gives you an idea of what the soap looks like without having to rip into the packaging. I would love to hear what you think about the new labels.

Friday, October 22, 2010

puss in boots

I am sorry to all of those who have come to enjoy my Friday Finds and were hoping to find one here this week. I have so many wonderful ideas of what I would like to feature next and yet time has been my enemy and I have not been able to begin my quest.

One thing that has been absorbing some of my time (unnecessarily perhaps) has been creating a costume. We are attending a costume party at the Spay and Neuter Clinic tonight. This is no ordinary costume party because the ones who are wearing costumes are pets. I came up with the brilliant idea of dressing Lucy up as a Smore. She is white and fluffy and I have always called her my little marshmallow so the idea seemed perfect. Little did I forsee that even after we created the cardboard crackers and cardboard pieces of chocolate and finally wriggled it onto our anxious dog, that Lucy would be terrified of it. I gave up the attempt in utter defeat this morning and ended up falling on plan B. I will post pictures later.
There has also been a lot of gearing up for the holidays. Packages arrive everyday with essential oils, large quantities of bulk oils, bath brushes, soap dishes and many more wonderful things to add to my shop before Christmas rolls around. I'm already feeling the pressure. Time is flying by, the air is so much cooler and starting to smell of winter. The final leaves of fall are giving one beautiful finale
before falling to the ground and giving in to their fate.
The music of Bach fills the house as Warren learns about another amazing composer. We sip tea, read "On the Banks of Silver Lake" and try to enjoy all the little moments we are given.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Brown Paper Packages

My desire with my Friday Finds posts is to find wonderful treasures on Etsy that I have not yet discovered and share them with all of you. I love the idea of supporting handmade crafts and people who are striving to use their talents in a business venture. It takes a lot of time and effort to create a product, market it and end the end actually make money on it.
I must say I was delighted when one of the sellers I featured on my last Friday Finds, Lori's Place, offered to send me a sampling of her product for free. Just as a "thank you" for featuring her on my blog. It was unexpected but I jumped on the opportunity because it is often so hard to know, when it comes to food related items, how they taste. It can look amazing in a photo and have a wonderful presentation but you have no way of knowing whether it actually tastes as delightful as it looks.

I am very happy to say that I not only recommend this seller for her great customer service and kindness but her cookies are wonderful. The sugar cookies she sent looked like these:

The boys absolutely loved them! In fact I had to sneak a piece off of one just to get a taste for myself. I think they would make a wonderful gift. My hope is to order some for family that is not in town, especially the boy's cousins who would be overjoyed to receive a gift of cookies in the mail. She has some amazing designs that fit almost any event.

So even though I know she doesn't need my recommendation (she is quiet successful without these words to recommend her) I would definitely encourage you to try her!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Going Camping

One of the reasons for my earnest attempt at getting better was in anticipation of this weekend. During the summer our church did a men and boys camping trip. I didn't mind that at all as it gave Ben a time with our two older sons and me an excuse to rent a movie he would never watch and try a Bertolli meal for the first time (I was surprised at how good it was!). So as they were roughing it I was enjoying some much needed alone time with Christopher and my stay-in Italian meal.
Well, this weekend is going to be different. They announced another camping trip only this time it is going to be everyone. It may sound a bit strange but I am actually pretty excited. I have technically never gone camping. I guess there was that time in high school. The only other attempt at camping was made by my husband and I shortly after we got married. We thought it would be wonderful to pack up some sleeping bags, canned ham, and other great necessities and camp on the Appalachian trail during the fall. The only trouble was that Ben didn't get home until after it was already getting dark. We forged on ahead not dissuaded by the darkness that was beginning to fall. Drove up into the mountains, through some pretty scary woods (at least they seemed that way at night) only to walk around for about 10 minutes, get totally freaked out and make out way back home to our cozy apartment and soft bed.
Thankfully this time it's a little more organized and I am pretty excited to be able to drink in the stars. The sky is perfectly clear and the night promises to be very cool. So with sleeping bags in hand, we are going camping!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Sick

I really believe my mom was superwoman. I don't recall a time when she was sick, or at least sick and I knew about it. One thing she always said, "When you are a mom you don't get to take the day off." And it was true for her. She worked and did everything around the house and I don't ever remember hearing her complain about it. She does tell one story of a time when both of us girls were young and in the throws of the stomach flu...she was too. She couldn't stop to care for herself but just thought of how to take care of us even though she was absolutely miserable.
This image has remained in my mind. Every time I start to get sick I am determined not to stop. My first action is to ignore the fact that I am sick (maybe if I ignore it, it will go away). When that doesn't work I have to give in to the reality that I am but I still try to keep going. The kids still need food. Life still goes on.

This time I was able to get some rest. I slept much of the day yesterday and my 6 year old son took care of everything (at least everything he could). He said, "If you get a cut, mommy, I'll bring you the bandaids, and if you need medicine I will bring it to you." I assured him that if he could just watch his brothers for a bit that would be just fine. He even went so far as to take his youngest brother potty and wipe him (now that is brotherly love!). I was impressed with how much he could do. Even last night he insisted on sweeping and mopping the floors (the floor being one of my cleaning obsessions). So I join the land of the living even more impressed with my boys.

I am still confident that as a mom you rarely get the luxuries of having a sick day. If you don't do the job, who will? Yet we are given grace to continue in our calling and press on even when we don't feel well, would rather be in bed, but the world spins on and we still have to take care of the little ones God has given to us.
thank you mom for setting such a wonderful example of strength....

Friday, October 1, 2010

Friday Finds: Colors of Fall

i can't escape the feeling that comes over me this time of year. i love sipping hot tea on cool mornings, hearing the leaves rustle endlessly as the breeze blows through the open windows. i love seeing the colors... the bright orange pumpkins surrounded by earthy greens and browns, the bright reds and yellows of the leaves. it is hard to not become thoughtful, absorbed in the world around me, forgetful of the things that so easily burden.

Today's friday finds is dedicated to fall.