Many Hands Make Light Work

Thank goodness there are "many hands" at our house today! This weekend, the city of Rayne is hosting their annual Frog Festival. Our small family business will be out there on Saturday, selling our wares, thanks to my super boss. She was willing to share a booth with us. So after tackling the few tests we have to complete today, our family will be preparing the basket of goodies we will be bringing to the festival. If you are in the area, come check out all our Kittles Family Artworks goodies and the textile goodies from the Sew What! shop.

I used to sell my jewelry under the name Rond Alainn when we were living in Texas but when we moved back to Louisiana, I had to stop. We had to find out all the ins and outs of selling things in Louisiana and we had to make new connections. There was no time to do that immediately since we also had the task of settling into the routine of living in a new place. Our old friends had, of course, moved on and grown in their own paths and made new friends, which meant we had to make new friends, as well. You know how the saying goes: "Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other, gold." There's truth in that saying. I'm happy to say we've kept most of our old friends and made some awesome new ones, adding to "the family we chose."

I can't type too much today but I wanted to share a bit of my excitement about being able to sell our things to the public at a live event. It's been so long since I've done so, that I'll have to dust off all my displays! I've also had to refresh my packaging and supplies, and check through all my tags and pricing... Crazy! Well, what is life but a wild roller coaster ride, eh? Have fun! I intend to do so.

Laugh a lot and remember to breathe!

Internet Detention Looms-One More Post Before It Crashes In

Yes, folks. We've hit the download limit again. Ah, well. Such seems to be our lot concerning online time. I wanted to get another blog post in before the lockdown begins.

Does anyone else have last minute Christmas shopping to do? There was a time when I was ready for Christmas...completely...by October. I miss those days very much. Not only was it a relief to be able to take my time while shopping, it was also easier on our budget. Sadly, I had nothing but stocking stuffers by October of this year. So all the major purchases had to be done in November and December. Talk about a budget drain! But I think it will be a special Christmas, even with all the stress and strain. We'll be able to spend this one with my husband's family. We haven't had a Christmas with them in several years. We're really looking forward to it!

Speaking of Christmas, what does it mean to you? Is it just a time for laughs and friends and presents and a feast? Or does it mean more to you? To me, Christmas is a time to remember and reflect. It's also a time to bring family together. Christmas reminds me that there are many more people less fortunate than I am. It reminds me I need to be giving and helpful throughout the year and not just for one month of each year. I'm going to enjoy this Christmas and revel in the magic and wonder and history and splendor. Here's my top 10 for this post...what I love about Christmas, what I'm thankful for at Christmas.

1. People are more giving and forgiving...in general, unless you're in their way on Black Friday.
2. Christmas lights-So much fun and so pretty!
3. Obscure Christmas songs-They are a riot b/c they make people give you the quizzical puppy dog look.
4. Trimming the tree-Fun when I do it alone. Interesting when I do it with my kids. But the satisfaction when it's done is always the same. :)
5. Old Christmas cartoons-I love the stop motion cartoons. Can't help it. The magic just carries over and still makes me feel secure. Gives me warm fuzzies, too.
6. Public Servants-Everyone wants a little peace. Everyone needs a break. Well, most people get one for Christmas. Sometimes we that get a break at Christmas need to remember those who don't, who still go to their jobs so that we can be safe while celebrating during the holiday.
7. Giving gifts-Giving a gift is so much more fun than getting one. I love watching a person's face light up while they open it! I love seeing the enjoyment when they like what they've received.
8. Wrapping presents-I love wrapping presents. It's a time of peace and quiet and I can get really creative with each package. Well, I can get as creative as time will allow, anyway. :)
9. Homemade gifts-Homemade and handmade items are usually a plus. However, if you don't know the person's favorite color, or what they are able to consume, get a gift card. It's not special if you made a chartreuse scarf and the person just can't wear that color at all. :( Having said that, I'm working on scarves right now...and praying the recipients will love them...
10. Stories-I love reading certain Christmas stories with my kids. We have two that are somewhat traditional. The first is 'The Cajun Night Before Christmas' by "Trosclair". (Please take note that none of the other versions can compare to this ORIGINAL.) The second one is 'The Tail of the Three Trees' a folktale as retold by Angela Elwell Hunt. We recently added another possibility to our reading list. Brian Jacques wrote a book called "A Redwall Winter's Tale" that I just love.

Well, that concludes my wordiness for this post. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you enjoy the holiday season. Remember that the most important thing is that you hug those you love. Most people, even children...maybe mostly children, don't really care how many gifts they get. They'd much rather know they are loved and that someone cares about them. Time spent together is so very special! I know there are many more people struggling this year than there were last year. I know times are tough. Just remember you are not alone. Happy Christmas wishes to all! And for those that don't celebrate 'Christmas', then I hope you have a very festive holiday season, whatever tradition you follow. :)