Minneapolis Memories & Creative Connections

How do you sum up one of the most amazing trips you've ever had the chance to take? I'm not sure how. Which is why it's been a month since I've even attempted to condense my Creative Connection Event into a simple blog. When you get back from a trip one of the best things is reliving the adventure; through pictures and souveniers and story telling. I've been doing that for a month now and still the event sticks with me.
So, what was so cool and unforgettable about this event? The gathering, the staggering amount of creative presenters, the city, the classes, traveling with my mom and my friend, the friends from home who were there, the new friends made?....yes. I'd go back in a second, and need to start saving for next year so that I can feel the love all over again. I'll leave you with some of my favorite memories:

~My scrapbook journal class with Jenni Bowlin-I'm going to copy my mom and use my old book journal for my trip pictures. Love, love Jenni Bowlin-vintage and scrapbooking, and a she's a really nice person, what's not to love!!
~Junk Bonanza. Two days in a row. I think I've made it clear that it was love at first sight. I love my t-shirts and wear them constantly. And I got to meet Heather Bullard and Ki Nassauer in real life-love Flea Market Style!
~Getting to know some people from our little corner of the world Eastern Washington/North Idaho better: Rolane, Holly, Becky, Lisa, Virginia, Elaine, Kelly(the Western Wash. crew too - Timi, Amber, Tippy, Tiffany!!) All really super talented, fun and nice girls!
~Shopping in the Handmade Market and meeting the artists in person-some very cute and unique items in my life came from that room.
~The handmade/creative world celeb sightings-daily!! So much fun to see so many talented, self made, successful and creative women in one place at one time! I admit to being quite star struck most of the weekend. (This includes our very own Celeste and Serena!)
~Sewing my own potholder project; I didn't think I could do it. I had the best tablemates who shared everything with unprepared me and talked and walked me through the whole thing! Now to finish them...
~My glittery crown I made. I learned I have a lot to learn about real glass glitter application, but it still turned out super cool and reminds me of my sparkly trip every day.
~Finding Diet Coke. Apparently Minneapolis is a Pepsi city, or so it appeared to me and those other Coke product devotees.
~The two story Target. Love my Target. We were in the land of Target and it did not disappoint. I mean come on, a cart-escalator. I think I don't need to say anymore. Well, I did also buy a super cute black dress there too.
~Taking care of myself. As a stay at home mom, a job that I love and have always wanted, pretty much can suck the life out of me some days. So to be in a place, on a trip, for 5 days straight and only have to make big decisions like "what do I want to wear?" and "I could actually wear some makeup today" was so refreshing. I came home rested and renewed.

I can tell I had a great time, there must be twenty exlamation points in this blog. Eating, laughing, playing, creating...ahhhh. Thank you Creative Connection Event for putting a spring back in this girl's steps and reintroducing me to me.

PIck a Pumpkin Patch

We said we were going, even though two out of the three boys were a bit under the weather (which turned out to be full blown stomach flu for three of the boys plus me by Sunday). So we went. Our annual pumpkin patch trip was only going to fit on this weekend, and the hero of the day turned out to be Daddy! Super Mark really came through for us; even packing lunches to fuel our pumpkin picking fire (and so that there would be no meltdowns mid-patch).

We went to our favorite family pumpkin patch up on Greenbluff, WA, just north of Spokane. This is sad, because we've gone there for 8 years straight now, but I cannot remember the name of said patch. I know. But it's the patch just past the church and grange, on the left, and it fits us perfectly. Our patch has a little (free!) tractor/trailer hay ride that takes you back to the back forty pumpkin patches; has raspberry plants to pick from (cheap!); sports a tiny toddler size hay bale maze (free again!)which included chickens for the children to chase; and plenty of home grown produce and assorted gourds and pumpkins in full bins to conveniently choose from when you check out (at which point we are usually all spent from our hour of fall frolic).

Well, to condense this, Haden suggests a three point list: (from Haden, age 7)
1. First we went to the pumpkin patch. We rode the tractor and we all picked out one. I picked out a misshapen one, Liam picked out a medium sized one and Finn picked one that was small. We saw all sorts of different shapes and sizes of pumpkins. We saw even bigger ones than we had picked.
2. Then when the hay ride came back we rode back on it to the place that you can buy stuff. We got some squash and weighed our pumpkins. Then we went to the car to put our pumpkins back in.
3. We then went back, and got a container to pick raspberries in. (Side note: I, Mommy really, really liked the yellow and white vintage carriers we got to tote!) We picked alot of raspberries, we filled the whole container, it was just a $1.29. That's all.

On the way home we stopped by Cole's Orchard to pick up some organically grown apples for my little guys and spied some huge carrots and awesome old apple crates. When we got home I told the boys I was "borrowing" all of their pumpkins to sell our house (read: staging), hence the pictures of my humble natural displays.

A beautiful day in one of the most beautiful areas around with the most beautiful little boys and big boy to boot.