Grand Opening

I have opened up my own little business!  It has been months in the making and now, today, is the GRAND OPENING!  I am offering 15% discount on purchases ordered today, to celebrate my grand opening as well as Labor Day.

Click the above link to check out my shoppe.  Also, on the left hand side is a link to my shop.  I have a total of 9 items in stock, but have no fear.  I will be making to order, so if you see something you like, but not the colors, no SWEAT!  Just get ahold of me with the colors that you want w/the design you like and I will make it for you.

Here is a glimpse of what I have to offer...

Are you tired of loosing your earrings or having them get tangled up in you necklaces? Do you want to take earrings on a trip, but are always looking around for a way to transport them without getting lost? Do you want all your earrings in one place?

If your answer is YES, to any of the questions...

Then this convenient EarRing Book is for you! It can be taken on the go. It's portable, compact and can hold hundreds, yes, HUNDREDS of your earrings!

Each book is approximately 5.25x4.25x3 inches (13x11x8 cm). There are 4 pages to a book. Each page can hold approximately 60-70 pairs of earrings, depending on size. This book can hold your studs, hoops, and dangly earrings. If you want, you can even store some of your pins and broaches in the book too.

*** Earrings and pin are not included... for display only***

How Once Upon an EarRing was born:

I inherited a book to hold my earrings in, that was my Grandmothers. I have had it for a good 15-16 years or so, and it still looks as good as new!

When my daughter got her ears pierced, I wanted something that she could hold her earrings in so they wouldn't get lost or misplaced. So... I made her a book similar to the one I inherited.

This is when 'Once Upon an EarRing' was born! I took the book I had and duplicated it, and here we are today.

Fresno & Hanford Fun

Get ready for a long one...

We went to hotter weather this weekend.  On Friday, we drove to Fresno to see Nat's cousin's.  That night, we had the chance to go and Salsa Dance (I never got out there).  It was neat to watch, but very H O T! (the lighting was bad, so no pics to post)

Then, Saturday morning, we hopped on the train and went to Hanford.  Hanford is where Nat grew up in his elementary years.  They were also holding an Amtrak Employee Appreciation Day, and we couldn't pass it up, and it was nice to see where Nat grew up. 

We basically had a private tour around the town.  When we got to the train station in Hanford, we had a special surprise waiting for us.  Meet Freddie the Fire Truck. 

 

He was nice enough to chauffeur us all over town for 5 hours.

We hit up China Alley

 

Then, we went and ate lunch at a wonderful little Mexican Restaurant. (sorry, no pics of us eating our lunch)

After lunch, we headed over to the town square

The kids standing outside the Bastille

 

the Hanford Theatre

 

on the Courthouse steps, (hitting the shade whenever we could... it was 100 degrees out)

 while waiting for....

 

our private Carousel ride

After the Carousel ride, we were able to go into the old courthouse

Judge M

 

Judge J

Court Reporter

 

First Witness

 

inside, on the courthouse steps

Next Stop was the old Fire Station (Freddie's home).  We had fun looking at Freddie's friends, as well as the fireman's pole

 

 

 

 

Nat

 

Grandpa Stamps

 

Fire Fighter M

 

Fire Fighter C

 

Fire Fighter J

Sweating and needing a cool down, we headed on over to the local ice cream shoppe, Superior Dairy

These pictures don't do justice to the size we were given. Think about ice cream piled up about 6-8 inches above the bowl (yep, that would be their single scoop)  This place was packed (standing room only for the most part)

Once we were done, with the ice cream, we walked across the street to check out the library (and a needed break from the heat.  I have never seen a fish tank in the kids area.  It was neat to see and find all the different fish and crabs.

 

 

 

Our last stop on the tour was a Cupcake shop.  These look to die for (but since we were soooo full from the ice cream, we gave these to Nat's cousin when we made it back to their house.

on the left: Strawberry Pineapple

on the right: Key Lime Pie

Then, we were back on the train to start our long trek home.  We had a wonderful day, and were exhausted and some had extremely sore feet due to blisters that had popped, by the time we arrived home late Saturday night.  I don't think that Nat will let me drive next time (my speed made the van real hungry and we had the idiot light for gas come on when we were about 10 minutes from exiting the freeway).  Hope you enjoyed our family outing as much as we did.

Family Time Fun

We started out by going on a walk to full fill one of M's requirements for Girls Scouts (which we did do).  In the meantime, we ended up having Family Home Evening at the ball park.  Yes, we have a ball park near us, and we can watch games for FREE!  The Maidu Softball Complex had several games going on, so when one ended, we hopped on over to another, and then another, before leaving with heads down to needing to eat (we were only going to be gone a short time, and didn't pack a picnic dinner).  Unfortunately, we didn't get any pics of the games (we knew no one, and out of respect for the players & their parents, we didn't take any of them).  But here are the pics that we tried to take w/my phone of all of us...

Nat & the kiddos 

M wanted to take one 

Nat trying to get the whole fam in the pic, at least he got all the boys 

Me trying to do it, almost made it 

me trying again, better than the last

After this, we watched part of our 3rd game while at the park (the others had an inning to go)... then several of us started saying they were hungry.  We never did finish a game all the way through.  Maybe next time we will plan ahead.

I was reminiscing about the 8 years or so when I played as a young girl.  I miss those days.  I really enjoyed explaining the game to the kids.  Maybe I just might have to find an adult league to join.

Belated 4th of July Pictures

We never buy our own fireworks (I hate seeing my money actually 'burn up').  But we do go over to a neighboring city to watch their fireworks for free.  The place to be is at Sunrise Mall.

Here are just a few of the pics I got watching fireworks in 3-D...

This vidoe is taken in 3-D

I love how the Fireworks set off car alarms.

Goats & Goats

Living on the green belt is AWESOME, most of the time.  I love the feel of living out in the country, while living in the city.  Since the green belt is a nature refuge, the weeds get a little out of hand, and don't even get me started on the ticks... oh those pesky little things.

Well, the city had an great idea, they farmed out the green belts to a local goat farmer.  While over at a friends house yesterday swimming (they live on the other half of our green belt behind us), I saw many goats go running by behind their property.

I like seeing this rather than hearing the lawn mowers (and the allergies that arise from them).  I can't wait until they are brought over to our area.  They are fenced in and have guard/herd dogs with them.  The goats seemed like they had gone to heaven.

New Beginnings

I have been so bad about blogging.  We haven't really been up to much, just the same stuff.  Nat has landed a permanent position with Amtrak.  No more on call 24/7.  YAY!  He is in charge of the buses (yes, Amtrak has buses) that go through Sac, Reno, and a few other places.  He is working 4/10's and unfortunately, he can't attend church due to the hours.  It is so nice to actually have a schedule now, and not having to wait until 2 in the afternoon to see if he is working or not.  No more having to pay for parking (he commutes in on the train Mon-Wed. and Sundays he can park for free on the street) or traveling to a station which eats the gas budget.

M has joined a Girl Scout troop and is loving it.  J is enjoying Cub Scouts.  C is having a blast in Boy Scouts.  Nat is the Cub Master for our troop, and I am the Bear Den Leader.  Scouting has become our life.  But we are enjoying it, and wouldn't trade it in for the world.

We are still homeschooling.  I have decided to go back with a charter school, after 2 years of being independent, I just need that re-enforcement and back up.  With Nat's new schedule, he will be able to help out in teaching the kids some of their lessons.  We have found a wonderful homeschool group in the area, and have made new friends.  We also just joined another (an outdoor one), and this week we will be meeting for them for the first time.  Make sure you go check out our homeschooling blog (Stamps Meadow Academy), click the picture on the left!

I will try my hardest to keep up.  Right now, I am busy gathering all of the school material, curriculum, and making lesson plans.  Our plan is to start the beginning of August, but will wait until I talk to our teacher who is going to be overseeing us.  Hopefully we hear from her/him soon.

He is Risen! Happy Easter Everyone

This Easter, remember the sacred name, life, and sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Great Depression Cooking

She is the cutest lady I have seen! Clara is 95 years young and is a hit. She has her own YouTube show thanks to her grandson), and now has a recipe book.



I just found her yesterday, and ran out and bought her cookbook (I am an avid collector of cookbooks).  She has a whole series of videos, (the one above is the very first one).  She also has a website 

Great Depression Cookign with Clara.  Also, her cookbook can be pirchased at Barnes & Nobles, Amazon, and Borders, just to name a few.  All her recipes cost as little as 50 cents a serving... my kind of deal, I am always on the lookout how to S..T..R..E..T..C..H the dollar that my husband works so hard to bring in.

Rip Roaring Books

I am an avid reader, whom doesn't always get the chance to read to my hearts desire.  In order for me to keep my brain active and exercising, I joined a book club with some wonderful ladies from church.  I am hoping that I can also get Nat into helping out with that blog, as he reads his books as well.  Who knows, I might even get the kids involved (well, M will for sure, maybe even J, hopefully with not much of a fight, C) will help out as well.

Since joining a book club, I have started a blog all about the books that we have read and our reviews, so, here it is Rip Roaring Books. 

CRAZYness

we have been flying by the seat of our pants since just before Christmas.  I promise to upload pictures and update everyone on our Quiet Christmas, J's birthday & Baptism, Indoor ponds, trains & Tech field trips.

This past month, I have been trying to catch my breath from being on the move so much last month, and getting myself and the kids back into the swing of things with school.  Yes, I am still homeschooling them even though I have been quiet on that subject, nothing much has happened during last year, but this year, we have had plenty going on with school... As I watch the news, I am very thankful that I homeschool my kids... Yes, I am protective of them, the kids are only on loan to me while here on this earth.

More to come, so stay tuned!