CHRISTMAS IN JULY (JUNE)

This was in the mail yesterday. Part of the fat quarter swap. Its an ikea of sweden print and I love, love, love it. Now to decide what to do with it. There was also a fantastic bag of goodies, candy, beads, and a postcard as well.

All in all a very pleasant surprise.

Then, I picked up a huge package from the post office. It was my Christmas in July swap - way early, and all packaged in 12 individually wrapped presents. I was supposed to open one a day until i finished. Well, I contacted my swap pal Susan and pretty much begged for permission to open them all. Permission granted and I did. Oh WOWOWOWOW. All kinds of Christmas goodness. I do have a favorite - She is a beautiful angel bell. Everything is perfect for me. Susan spent so much time getting this ready and I want to thank her so much for treating me during the busiest week of the summer.

I have done NO personal crafting this week. I work fulltime in sales and then we are having Vacation Bible School at church this week from 6-9 pm. So I leave work at 5, drive 30 minutes home, change clothes, drive 10 minutes to church and start crafts class for 40 kids. This goes on, in shifts, until 9, then I clean up the area and set up for the next night. Last night it was about 10:15 before I left the church. Exhaustion rules for this week.

And it gets no better for the weekend. We are having a fundraiser yard sale for Abby's softball trip to the national tournament. We need approx $12,000 to take these kids on this trip, so we are doing all we can to offset the costs for each family. Several parents are setting up on Friday night but we have to there at 6 am Saturday for this. Exhaustion still - but the plus side is that I am getting rid of a huge pile of mess in my house that I have been collecting and stacking in the hall.

My new mail and blog friend, maryann, talks in her blog about clutter. I am the clutter queen, but it is getting better. I have also learned that activities with my girls, my loved ones, and my friends are much more important than a spotless house. I will have time to get all of it clean when the girls are grown and gone. In the mean time, I am completely comfortable with the clutter and slightly behind schedule cleaning of the house. If it bothers people who are visiting, I'm sorry. If it keeps someone from visiting, I'll miss them. If my house has to be clean for you to spend time with me, that would be another thing I can do without.

As I read that last sentence, I realized how really Bitchy that sounds. I almost took it out. Then I decided that's how I feel and left it in. I have come to terms with how people are, how I am, and if people are negative or selfish or demanding or feel like they must be first and formost in the scheme of things, I don't have time for that. I am generous with my time and my resources for people who are truly needy. I am also generous with the people I choose to love and who love me. I would give you the shirt off my back willingly if you need it, just don't come to me and demand it.

Sorry to vent that here. I try really hard to use this medium as a positive message, but these are some things floating around in my head.

I do hope you all are having a wonderful summer.

Have a beautiful day.