2012 Kansas Barn Sale

Here we are... The Kansas BS Girls... That stands for Barn Sale people, shheesh.

We have been working together to plan, prepare, and pull-off the 3rd annual Kansas Barn Sale since last October... and we did it!  Last Saturday, just north of Hesston, Kansas, at Josh and Beki's house and on their land, was the Barn Sale.  It was a huge success despite the chilly weather and a little bit of rain.  We had some helpers too, Shannon, Erica, and Gina, thank you ladies for all you each did.  Thank you to numerous Hastings family members who helped with setting up booths, running booths, and tearing down booths, shuttling shoppers to and from their cars on a golf cart, counting and welcoming shoppers, putting up and taking down signs, and anything else Beki and I asked you to do... Thank you!  And, to Josh and Eric... the muscles, the calm voices, the voices of reason, and the supportive husbands that we can count on you both to always be day in and day out... THANK YOU! 

The night before the sale we drove to Josh and Beki's house to set up part of my booth, Darling Doo~Dads, and to help with last minute things... sign making, sign hanging, pennant hanging, wood cutting, hay bale moving, picture spot preparing, and directing early arriving vendors to their booth spots.....

Josh rented a golf cart to shuttle shoppers to and from their cars on Saturday.  This was a great idea because cars filled the parking area and overflowed up and down the country road. Then he recruited our Uncle Charles to drive it all day.  Charles was in hog heaven!  He zoomed around on that cart all day long!  

The night before all of the kids enjoyed getting to take a few rides on the cart too.

Beki grew lots of pumpkins and gourds this year in her garden to use for decorating at the Barn Sale and around their house.  This white gourd turned out to be shaped.... um, funny!?  Needless to say it got left inside all day Saturday even though I suggested a nice spot for it to sit in Beki's Rusted-Chain-Jewelry booth.  Josh said, "That gourd is proof that God does have a sense of humor!"

Eric hung up the official Kansas Barn Sale pennant flags for Beki and I.  He did a great job of hanging them exactly where we wanted them... way up on the old barn and way up in several trees.

Here is a look at my booth, Darling-Doo-Dads, and some other booths.

There was a line all day for hot drinks... coffee, cider and hot chocolate.  We had over 60 vendors selling vintage/antique goods, handmade goods, repurposed goods, yummy food, and live music.

Here is Billy Bloomquist, one of our musicians.  He was great!

Hastings Helpers!  Charles and Wyonna Hastings, Paul and Gloria Hastings, and Dale and Jan Hastings

Sarah, Johannah and I joined them for a couple of pictures.  We are Hastings too!

It was an amazing Barn Sale.  Next year promises to be even bigger and better!  

If you are interested in being a vendor or a shopper mark your calendar now for the 2013 Kansas Barn Sale.  It is always the first Saturday in October, which is October 5th next year.  For more information, updates and Barn Sale news check us out on facebook by clicking on this Kansas Barn Sale facebook link,  follow us on twitter, or email us at ksbarnsale@yahoo.com.

Candy Corn Gooey Cake Bars

I tried out this new recipe that I found on the internet over the weekend... It did not turn out beautiful, but it sure did taste good!  And, it was VERY EASY to make.  (I like easy.)

It was like a brownie with all of these yummy things... (Oreo cookies, M&M's, and sweetened condensed milk) melted a little bit together and stuck on the top.  I enjoyed mine with a big glass of cold milk.

Hendrickson family gives the Candy Corn Gooey Cake Bars two thumbs up!

Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups candy corn Oreo chunks or plain Oreos
1 cup peanuts
1 cup candy corn M&M's or plain M&M's
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Instructions:
Mix together the cake mix, butter, egg, and vanilla until well blended.  Press into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle the peanuts and M&M's on top of the cake mix.  Place the cookie chunks on top. Drizzle the condensed milk all over everything.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Let cool before cutting into bars.

September Schoolwork

September has been a good month at school for Sarah.  She continues to work on writing, matching, grouping, sequencing, numbers, drawing, and comprehension.

Below are two pictures that Sarah drew of herself.

One day at school this month Sarah's teacher helped all of the kids in the class line up from shortest to tallest.Guess who was the tallest...?  Sarah!  She was very excited to be the tallest out of all the girls and boys in her class.  She couldn't wait to tell Daddy and Popee and Nanee this when we got home from school that day.  She had me help her call them right away when we got home.

Me: How has school been this month?

Sarah: "Good."

Me: What school "work" do you like doing the best?

Sarah: "color and trace."

Me: Do you sing any songs at school?  What are they?

Sarah: "Yes. Five little monkeys swinging from the tree, teasin' Mr. Alligator, can't catch me.  Along came Mr. Alligator sneaky as can be and snatched those monkeys right out of the tree."  Then 4, then 3, then 2 and so on. "Miss me, miss me, now you gotta kiss me. That is what the monkey says."

Me: Do you have a favorite story that your teacher has read to your class?

Sarah: "The pink one.  Pinkalicious."

Below is a picture that Sarah drew of our family... Daddy, Mommy, Sarah, Phoebe, Silas, and Jessee - our black dog.

Me: Is there anything that you do not like about school?
Sarah:  "Laying our heads down at recess one time.  And, I don't like to go home."
Me: What happens when some kids get in trouble at school and in your classroom?  What are the consequences?
Sarah: "They have to stand at the wall at recess.  And, sometimes they have to sit at time out and sometimes they have to go to the office.  And, sometimes at time out they have to lay their head down.  And, sometimes for time out they have to go out in the hallway."

Handmade From A Friend

"I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:14

We have a good friend in Emporia who made us some amazing baby gifts for Silas....I love them all!  Personalized gifts are great to give and receive.  A lot of time, thought and love went into each one of these great gifts.  Thank you Regina!

The onesie Silas is wearing in the picture above, the burp cloths below...

"Popee's Fishing Buddy, Silas", "For this baby I have prayed.", 

"Train up a child in the way he should go." Proverbs 22:6, and " Lil' Wildcat"

Shirts for each of my kids... These are going to be a lot of fun for them to wear!

Sarah - "biggest SIS Sarah", Silas - "little BRO Silas, and Phoebe - " big SIS Phoebe"

Bags for the girls...

And a small bag that fits perfectly into my purse... it holds one diaper and a container of wipes.

Thank you again Regina!  All of these will get lots of wear and use!

Cute Kids

Yes.  Yes, I do have three cute kids.  I know.  They are cute.

Eric likes to tell Sarah and Phoebe, individually... "We need to have a talk." (very seriously) Then, one of them will walk over to him... thinking they are in trouble for something.... (and again completely serious) he says, "You have to stop being so cute."  Then little girl laughter and more cuteness follows his comment.

Silas has the cuteness too and the blue eyes... a deep blue... so cute.

And, yes, that is the results of drinking a leaking bottle and drooling on Silas's shirt.  (Silas drank the bottle and drooled.  Not me.)  But, I am not in the running for mom of the year, so I did not change his wet shirt right away, or maybe not at all. Instead I decided to take pictures of my cute kids and then blog about how cute they are.  The end.

Silas * 1 Month Old *

~ Silas Paul ~ One Month Old ~

"Don't Forget Where You Came From"

You're so fresh from heaven there's still angel dust on you

I am so amazed God sent you here

Every time I hold you I am thanking Him for you

So baby let me whisper in your ear...

Don't forget where you came from 

Don't lose sight of whose you are

Take after your Heavenly Father 

He will take you far

Wherever you go, whatever may come, little one

Don't forget where you came from.

I know the One who made you made the planets and the stars

And so I guess I should not be surprised 

But it still takes my breath away how wonderful you are

So baby as you grow and live your life...

Don't forget where you came from 

Don't lose sight of whose you are

Take after your Heavenly Father 

He will take you far

Wherever you go, whatever may come, little one

Don't forget where you came from.

a song by: Carolyn Arends

The Toads

This week we found two toads in our window well.  After Eric rescued them, Sarah and Phoebe began following them around our front yard.  It wasn't even one minute before Sarah had one of them picked up and was carrying it around the yard.  She had just said to Eric and I, "It is slimy."  When it peed on her... Eric and I looked at each other and silently we both decided not to tell her it had peed on her.  Neither one of us wanted her to never hold a toad again.  I quickly said, "Oh, he slimed you."  She just said, "Eeeww", and kept right on holding it.  GO SARAH!

(She came at me with it a couple times to show it to me... I told her to stay back.  I could see it fine from where she was and I didn't want to take any chances of it leaping out of her hand directly onto me... I have never held a toad and the thought of one flying through the air at me or even in my general direction makes my stomach turn.  I don't do reptiles.)

Phoebe decided she wanted to touch the toad too.  She stuck out her little pointer finger, got within a foot of the toad and lightly touched it with the tip of her finger a couple times.  She never did hold it or express any interest in wanting to hold it.

Notice Sarah has on her shirt that says "Princess".  "Princess" Sarah did hold the frog, but did not ever attempt to kiss it.  (We do not need any Prince Charmings around our house for at least fifteen more years...)  Sarah told us the toad felt squishy and bumpy.

After awhile Sarah tracked down toad #2, picked him up and carried him around for awhile too.  It also slimed her.

I did eventually tell her that the slime was pee and that she needed to go in and wash her hands.  She thought it was a little gross, but it didn't seem to bother her much.  She told me she would still pick them up.  I like that "Princess" Sarah sometimes is not so Princessy.