Oak Glen in the Fall

Looking for my 3rd Blogging Anniversary Giveaway?  Scroll down, or click here! {closed}

Jesse has been going to Oak Glen since he was a little boy.  I was only introduced to it a few years ago.  But now, it's a special place to both of us--and this year, we got to bring our munchkin with us!

We had a wonderful time.  The weather was just perfect.  Crisp and windy, and completely Autumn.

We stopped at Riley's Farm, where they were doing a Colonial reenactment with school kids.  Very cute!

Handsome Man stayed with Kayleigh while I ventured off toward the restroom.

Is this not the cutest outdoor restroom you've ever seen?  I could easily renovate it and move in!

After that, we drove to our favorite spot in Oak Glen--Los Rios Rancho.  They have the cutest little store.  We bought a jug of fresh apple cider, a jar of apple butter, and a handful of different flavored honey straws.  We love that quaint little place!

After gathering our goodies, we took Kayleigh up the hill for some pictures.

This precious baby has won our hearts!

After a perfect time of enjoying the golden sunset, rustic fences, and fiery leaves, we headed over to Apple Annie's to finish off our time in Oak Glen with some amazing dessert.

Oh, yumm...

Remind me why it's our tradition to go only once a year?!?

3rd Blog Anniversary and a GIVEAWAY!

While poking around on my blog last night, I decided to look up my very first blog post on Happy Homemaker Me.  To my surprise, I realized that the first post was written exactly three years ago today!  So, I decided this is cause for a celebration.  Three years of sharing my thoughts with you, three years of recipes, craft tutorials, trusting in the Lord, three years of adventures with my husband, picture posts, and silly tidbits from my students.

Some of you have followed all along the way, and some of you have joined my adventures recently.  Thank you for your part in my life!  It is so much fun to come home and see comments from you and to get to share in life together.

As a way of thanking you, I'd like to have a giveaway!

 



One Happy Homemaker Me follower will receive this beautiful Christmas Sparkle Scarf.

To enter, simply become a follower of Happy Homemaker Me and leave a comment below telling me:  What inspired you to begin blogging?  What do you enjoy blogging about?

Optional additional entries:

+1 entry: become a fan of Happy Homemaker Me's Facebook page

+1 entry: blog about my giveaway on your blog

+1 entry: share about Happy Homemaker Me's Etsy shop either on your blog or on facebook

+1 entry: follow @HappyHomemakerB on Twitter

+1 entry: add Happy Homemaker Me's Etsy shop to your favorites on Etsy

Leave a comment below for each entry you make.

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, November 23rd, at 10:00pm.

Back in Business

My, what a year it's been!

I opened my Etsy shop last November, so excited and full of hope.  I envisioned a booming crafting business where I spent all of my free time crocheting and keeping shop.

And then in January, my life turned upside down.

In the mostbeautiful, wonderful way imaginable.

I spent the first half of my pregnancy unable to focus my eyes on handiwork without getting queasy, and then the second half rapidly making things for my own little one.

My Etsy shop fell by the wayside.

But now, with this precious little girl by my side (and the opportunity to stay at home with her) I am able to get back to creating things I love.



Enter Happy Homemaker Me's Shop!

There are only a few things in it right now, but I'll be happily adding more in the coming weeks.  I'm once again excited and full of hope.  I'm dedicated to keeping the shop going, and hoping that selling things online will not only fuel my passion for creating handmade items, but that it can also give me a way to help my little family financially while staying at home with our little girl.

Looking for a fun and festive Christmas scarf?  Is there a baby in your life who needs a pretty little hat to keep her head warm?  Please stop by!  I'm looking forward to adding more hats and scarves to the shop, as well as pacifier clips with matching headbands, pretty hair things, and Christmas decorations.  It's all coming soon!

 

Blessings!

Bethany

Surrounded by Love

What a life, huh?

My mom and grandmother came over yesterday to visit.  It was the first time Ami (our name for "Grandma") had come to our new home.  What a treat to have them both here!

I wanted to take them to the sweet, Christian tea room in town, but I goofed and didn't realized that it's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Bummer.

Oh well.  We still had a lovely time, and Kayleigh loved being the center of so much love.

(She's wearing a sweet little crocheted pinafore made by her Aunt Megan)

Oh, to be seven weeks old again!

This Little Piggy

Who would have guessed that toes could be so wonderful?

 

Sigh...I'm in love!

Awkward Moment at Goodwill

On Wednesday, I headed over to the new Goodwill in town to see if they might have a jelly roll pan.  I needed one to make pumpkin cream cheese rolls (amazing!  I'll try to do a post with pictures next time I make them).  Stores were selling them for around $15 a piece, and with our new itty bitty budget, I knew that I couldn't do that.

I tucked my sleepy Kayleigh into the Moby and headed in.  This guy was stocking the shoe shelf and said hi to me when I walked in.  I said hi back and proceeded to the kitchen section.  I felt a little uneasy when he followed after me, but was completely confused when he pointed to Kayleigh, who had fallen asleep as soon as I put her in the Moby, and said,

"He's an angry baby, isn't he?"

I looked down at my sweet little rosebud, who was smiling in her sleep, and assumed he must be attempting sarcasm.

"Ohh," I said with a smile, "She's a good girl, and I'm thankful for that."

"Well, he's waking me up in the mornings with his crying," He went on.

I stepped back, confused.  "Whaaat?"

"You live at _____, right?  I'm your neighbor.  Apartment #4."

Awkward!

I stammered that I was sorry that she was waking him up, that she's been sick this week, and that I do my best to keep her quiet.  The worst part?  Our apartment is a stand-alone unit.  It doesn't share walls with anyone.  AND, #4 is across the walkway from us!  These are old buildings, and the walls are very thin.

But, whoever mistakes this little sweetheart for an "angry baby" is incredibly off base.

Smiley Girl  (video of some of Kayleigh's first smiles!)

 

p.s. I found my jelly roll pan!  Less than 2 bucks.  Yay for thrift stores!  But...umm, maybe I'll go to Salvation Army next time.

Family Moments {Jon and Megan's Wedding}

While Laura, Mom, and I put the finishing touches on the corsages and boutonnieres on the morning of the wedding...

Jon and Kayleigh took a pre-wedding snooze.

Once we arrived at the church, we realized that we got there before anyone who had church keys!  So the guys did their ties using windows as mirrors.

And Kayleigh melted our hearts with her sleepy cuteness in her matching outfit.

Mom made all of our bridesmaid dresses.  I'm so excited to own an infinity dress, now!

Megan was such a gorgeous bride.  Those two are going to have beautiful children!

(I love that Jon's wedding present to Megan was a string of pearls.  It's a tradition that my Papa Chuck, my dad, and Jesse have all given their brides pearls.  Now Megan is officially part of the club!)

Laura and me

I wish I had a good picture of all three of us sisters, but it's too hard to get the camera away from Kate :-)

The union of the Jackson and Mueller families means that I now have six sisters!

(left to right, Laura M, Melissa J, Kate M, Amanda J, me, and Emily J.)

My dad married away his second child that day

Kate, Ami, Jesse and me

I love my handsome man!

Such a happy group of siblings!

I love my little family, too!

Welcome to the family, Mrs. Megan Mueller!  We love you!