on lake time

When we got back from our family vacation it was family reunion time!

I have two cousins that live on a beautiful lake just northeast of where we live.  

This is where we have our family reunion.

Every year, when we go to our family reunion, my husband and I always leave there wanting to have a little get- away at this lake. 

Every year we take our dream a little further....

Last year we even looked at houses and properties on the lake.

My husband and I have talked a lot about making memories for our children and we talked and asked the question to ourselves…what are we waiting on?

So this year we made the plunge and purchased a little cottage at the lake!

So I have been spending as much time with the family at the lake as we can.

We have been having so much fun!

With working full time and spending every other waking moment when I am not working, at my real job, working on French Hen Farm sales, I had forgotten how to do “nothing” and just relax. 

So this summer I have really enjoyed doing just that....  Nothing. 

There is something about the minute we get on the lake, all the stress just seems to melt away.

So, I am telling you this because, of what I haven’t done- which is spending my free time getting ready for the Fall Sale. 

We have tried to figure out when and how we can have the Fall Sale.

First of all, I used a lot of my “junk” to furnish the cottage on the cheap.  

Which I will be sharing with you over the next few posts:)

 A lot of people have e-mailed me asking me when our sale is going to be....
We know so many of you look forward to the sale and we look forward to seeing all of you!
Over the last few years we have made so many wonderful friends through the sales and we don't want to let you down!

We have toyed around with perhaps having a French Hen Farm auction, or having a combined Fall/Holiday Sale a little later in the year...

My sisters have a pretty crazy schedule this Fall too… so as soon as we figure it out I will let you know!  
Hopefully we will decide our plans in the next week or so and let you know the details!
Thank you for your patience while I have taken a little R & R with the family!

summer memories

So.... I know I have been a very bad blogger this summer.
I decided that I wanted to take the summer off from my extra curricular activities and spend as much time with the family as I could. 
My son is a senior this year and he will be leaving the nest soon :(

We started the summer, taking a much-needed long vacation to the West Coast. 

I wanted to give my kids a vacation they would never forget.  
I am very much into making memories for my children as they are getting older and soon to be leaving the nest.

We started in LA and did all the touristy fun things.  

 We took a tour, went to Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier...

One of the most fun things we did was Universal Studio Tours.  
We splurged and did the VIP passes.  
I wasn't sure if it would be worth it but it was!! 
We had a blast!

You actually go on the sets, into the prop and wardrobe rooms (we saw all the props being selected for the new Elizabeth Taylor movie), go to the front of the line for all the rides and shows and get fed delicious food!

After a few days in LA we meandered up the PCH heading to San Francisco.  We saw so many wonderful sights.

great beaches and cliffs...breath taking sights...

My husband decided to help me sort of fulfill one of my impossible bucket list items. 

I had always wanted to see Michael Jackson in concert.....

Well, we all know, that can never be fulfilled, so we decided to take a little detour and drive to Neverland. 

So at least I was in the vicinity of where he once lived.  Oh well !!

on to San Francisco

We stayed in San Francisco for a couple days, did a very cool walking tour all over the city, crossed the golden gate bridge…

Then, we headed just out of the city to Muir Woods, one of my husbands favorite places.  
He wanted to see the children's eyes when they saw the redwoods!

Then we headed up to Sonoma Valley.  
One of the best things we did up there was spend a day canoeing down the Russian River.  
It was really beautiful. 
And of course we hit a couple wineries :)

After spending a few days in wine country we headed back to San Fran where I had planned a final fun day (evening ) for my kids.  
I had booked the night tour of Alcatraz.  

This was so much more interesting than I had thought it would be!
We had a wonderful vacation!

Hopefully some memories my children will never forget...