Progress and a Present...

Happy New Year my friends. Hope your Christmas was wonderful and that you are looking forward to a bright and prosperous new year. Thank you all so much for sticking with me and giving me daily inspiration - I so appreciate it! I hope I make y'all as happy as you make me. Sharing is the joy of blogging for me.

So our 2011 has started off rather busy - we don't know any other way - do you? But here is a peek at what's happening here.

The house is coming along...

At the first of the week - it looked like this under 5 inches of snow. Our builders, poor guys, have either battled 20 degree temps, snow, or heavy rains since they started this project. They have been real troopers.

Some of the rafters are up...

Here is looking up part of the stairs...

The fireplace wall...

A few from the side...

Enough about the progress - now, lets talk about the "present". My sweet Father-in-law, Glen, who broke his leg a week ago and is still in the hospital and is battling cancer - well, he needs prayers. But regardless of his condition - he is always, ALWAYS thinking about others. He tells me "Cathy, I've got this old mantle overhead in the barn - I think you'd like it for the house." My reply "O.K. Pops, I'll come look at it." So he and Shaun got it down several days ago and set it up and yesterday when I went to feed - there it was!!! It was my FIL's great-grandparents! Isn't that awesome - well over a 100 years old and it is perfect - ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! I love the clean and simple lines - it will be just right for the farmhouse. Thank you Glen - I LOOOOve it!

And then before I ever knew about the one from Glen - I had already "gifted" myself with this one. Which I also love - but I will probably use this one in the guest bedroom or maybe in the foyer. Who knows - I'm just excited about them both!

And I'm not touching the paint on this one - it is a weathered gray-blue and it is also perfect just like it is.

Happy January, Happy Winter - Happy 2011!

Blessings,

Cathy

A Monday of Change...

...Did you all think I'd skipped the country? I'd like to - hehe. No, jus' kidding. Just been busy like the rest of ya. First I will say that I PROMISE I'll show you pics of the house - tomorrow night. This is just a quick picture of our bedroom decked out for the season. More to come and I'm not lying (since I told ya two weeks ago I was gonna share them with you - y'all forgive me - o.k.).

But the title of this post is to indicate - how much things "changed" today. A Happy Celebration was for my husband - who turned (dare I say) the big 4-0 today. Happy Birthday my sweet Shaun. He had to have help blowing out ALL those candles - from our son and our sweet lil' friend, Madison.

On a more bittersweet note - today also marked the last week of my lil' shoppe being open. Twelve years ago - I began this journey and what a blessing it has been. But oh how I will miss it - my dear friends especially. But by making this decision - it has allowed us to follow other dreams. Dreams of a more peaceful, less hectic (I hope) life where there is much more time for family and friends. So I will try and not be sad about closing "my" Cobblestone Farms but be grateful for the opportunity I have had. An opportunity afforded to me by God, my family, and an incredible support team of friends and many, many, many dear customers.

So on to a happy change. This morning when we left to go pick out a front door - there were no walls up. But when we returned - we almost had a complete first floor. Wow - that was quick.

So - this Monday was definitely one of change. And even though there were a lot of different emotions involved with each "event" - at the end of this day - I simply feel blessed.

Merry Christmas to you my friends!

Happy Pictures tomorrow - Promise!

Cathy