I've Been Meaning to Catch Up!

Good Evening! All I can say is this post was supposed to happen several days ago but I just never got the chance so before I settle down for the evening, I thought I'd do some sharing. I usually enjoy blogging around 5:30 in the morning with my cup of coffee and a kitty or two or three next to me. This will work out just fine!

The week just flew by, didn't it? Last weekend we went to one of our favorite places: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I wish I was still there as it was such a quick trip I feel like it didn't even happen although I loved every single second I was there. I think the anxiety of whether or not we were gonna make it at all is what made it a little difficult. We had tried to go in June, and had to cancel. We thought we would go in July and also take the kids to Hershey and had to cancel that too then our last plan was to go on the Jewish holidays-Thursday- Saturday since our school was closed. Changed that too and ended up packing and going Saturday morning and coming home Sunday. But boy am I grateful to go! We had to keep cancelling because my husband's construction company is keeping him busy and in this economy I feel blessed and humbled that we are that lucky so we will cancel as many things as we need to. Lancaster ain't going anywhere, right? And I wanted to go when my husband would not be on his phone in the car :< the whole time :( Well, he wasn't on the phone and completely enjoyed his time there but the rush of going took a toll on him because he didn't get any rest like we thought we would. We did as much as we could though I couldn't linger in some stores as long as I wanted to because they all close at 5pm and they are closed on Sundays except for a few. So we felt rushed but we enjoy shopping and driving through the farmlands and we did that. My husband actively participates in shopping, which I love, and he picked out some nice items for our bedroom when it's done. We had hoped it would have been done already but we spent this past year building up our business with equipment and that's where the money has to go. So I can look forward to my new bedroom for 2012 and getting that finished once and for all. We tore down our house in 2008 and finished our whole rebuild except for the second floor.

We had a great dinner at the Steamboat and it was so lovely to eat while being serenaded by a gentleman who played piano and sang. I felt special! Caitlin was so intrigued by the gentleman playing and was actually singing along. I had tomato bisque and steak delmonaco. Yummy. It was the special so we all had it. After dinner we returned to the hotel and we rested our weary shopping bones in the pool and hot tub. I can get used to that! BUT when we came home Billy was very busy all week and now he is not feeling well. I know he is just over tired and exhausted so a day or two HOME is the remedy for that. He couldn't move this morning. It just caught up to him! So he rested all day and said he's only going in for a 1/2 day tomorrow so that he's rested for apple and pumpkin picking on Sunday. What a guy! Back to our trip, one of my favorite spots is a store called the Intercourse Trading Post. It is owned and run by a husband and wife and they are always there. Always! I think he has great prices and gets a lot of unique country stuff. He always recognizes us immediately, chats with us, his wife even hugged me ---on the way out of the store this time they gave me a beautiful orange mum. Such a generous couple.

I got some great stuff from all my stops. I was sad to see one of my oldies but goodies is now closed: The Flower Patch. It was an Amish business run out of her barn that had expanded nicely since we first visited her when she opened back in the very early 1990's. We bought beautiful dried flower arrangements from her and more. I'm hoping she closed because she retired and not because of lack of business. I'll miss you Flower Patch on Rte 340. Anyway, I will show you what I bought in some future posts. The brooms for sale in the photo above are from an Amish Farm. We bought 5 dozen brown eggs from her. I love the black brooms so much. I'll have to put that on my list of things to buy. The key to shopping in Lancaster County is to "follow the homemade signs." You find the best Amish stops. Right on their farm, in their barn or in their house. It is incredible.

I really love the lighted branches they've been showing in all the country decorating magazines and I've seen them many times in the stores. I took lots of photos of them in flower arrangements at the different stores we went to but they are pretty expensive. The cheapest I saw them for was over $20 and that was only two short branches. I've decided to make my own. I bought a few sets of rice lights (a short strands) and I'm working on making them! Improvise! I think they will come out good.

I'm still working on my all my Fall & Halloween decorations. I added my ghosts to the hallway with my haunted house light up. It looks awesome in person. I hung them from the hooks of my Boyds Bear shelf. Now I have to begin work on my party favors,

Pot roast was for dinner tonight and I made some yummy corn muffins. Comfort food heals the soul! I truly believe that. There's been a cold snap in the air and when my son came home from school and smelled the pot roast he said "I'm glad you made that for dinner tonight, Mom. It makes me feel cozy."

Speaking of comfort food, I was surprised to see the author Phyllis Pellman Good who has written my favorite cookbooks (Recipes from Quilters, Lancaster County recipes and tons more) opened a store in PA right on Rte 340 called the Good Cook. It sells kitchen gadgets, pots, etc plus her cookbooks of course. I'll have to check that out in future trips.

Well, have a great night!