Seasons Change Second Edition...Fall Week 9

For a whole year I will try to find the awesomeness 

included in all four seasons

perhaps the weather or a nature shot...

maybe display the Holidays in turn

who knows?

The sky is the limit!

 

 Trees of orange skies of blue

 Trees of yellow skies of grey

 The Fall leaf shows continue.  Pretty soon tall bare trees (or naked trees as I like to call them) What a view!

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Tis the Season...etsy finds

Tis the Season

Handmade polymer clay pears

Allow me to elaborate on the topic a bit more:

Season to wear warm hats

Elf gnome beanie

Season to put up a Christmas tree

Primitive Christmas Tree

Season to deck the halls

Vintage style Christmas sign

Season for Christmas lights to shine

Primitive Christmas Lights

Season to wrap Christmas presents

Vintage mini ornaments

Season to plan and prepare a Christmas Dinner

Christmas plate

 Season to make choices

Kitchen signs DINNER CHOICES

I promise I will not stress out!

I will not stress out Art Print

I really really want to keep my promise :/

Anybody with me?  Any hands up?

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Thanksgiving family trip

Hello my dear friends.  I hope you all had a wonderful and refreshing Thanksgiving Holiday. As you remember my kids had a whole week off school.  Xavi had a mini Thanksgiving feast in his class where parents and kids sat and ate together.  The kids read poems and sang song of Thanksgiving.  I love this first picture as I was trying to get Xavi's attention and this little girl was just staring at me.

We crossed the border to Mexico on Wednesday.  

We stopped in Tijuana for some carne asada tacos, 

how how I miss them! You know thew real tacos!!

Then we stayed at a house rental in Ensenada Mexico, a coastal city that was only a 1 1/2 hour drive.

By 'we' I mean my family of five, my sister's family of six, my brother's family of three, my brother's family of two my mom and two dogs.  That is a total of 17 people and two dogs.  The only two family members missing was my dad (he never wants to come anywhere) and my nephew who lives in Arizona.

On Thanksgiving morning we hiked down a 3 mile trail ( that seemed longer than three miles) 

Specially going back up the trail!

This is one of my favorite pictures my mom and my nephew!

My brother and baby Diego

 I figured I won't have many more opportunities to climb down a rope, so I hanged to it for dear life! I am posing for a picture. Look that's PJ staring at me.

 Grandma taking care of the baby!

These are the brave souls that climbed down to the beach!  and the bravest ones took off their clothes and went in the cold water in their underwears. 

Our final destination was a lovely little beach that we had all to ourselves.  There were some fascinating under water caves.

When we got back to the rental home, my brother started cooking the turkey.  He's perfected his recipe and makes a delicious grilled turkey.  We the rest of the ladies worked on the side dishes.  We ate our Thanksgiving dinner right next to the beach near the fire and we gave thanks.

Some of the men went fishing on Friday.
It was a great experience!  Of course we had the picky eaters, the scrapped knees, the pooping crying babies, it never fails somebody being sick on the trip, ah yes and the family disagreements!  It would not be a complete family vacation without any of these. This is how families make memories I say!

I hope you had a great and restful and wonderful Thanksgiving! 
Today back to reality.

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Lately...

Lately I've been:

Watching the trees change color.  It happens so sudden that If you don't look closely you miss it!

Thinking that Seasons Change Second Edition Will be over soon.  What to do next?

Listening to my daughter tell me a lot of drama stories from her friends at school ( they learn so much stuff from other kids, things I would not want them to learn) *sigh

Dealing with a little bit of drama of our own *double sigh

Watching a Spanish version of 'Dancing with the Stars' for ten 10 weeks the show was over yesterday.  It was aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays. We kind of made it a family night with popcorn and ice cream with lots of whipped cream.  I will miss it.  Can't wait for a next season.

Buying a lot of treasures! Shopping is the best cure for all evils, I go out and thrift shop. I  find treasures and if I can't keep them all I sell them in one of my etsy shops.  It keeps me busy.

Busy crafting Christmas items to sell on my shop.

Cleaning out my craft supplies.  I accumulate so much stuff.  Sometimes there are things I just can't part with! But cleaning, sorting and basically organizing is liberating indeed.

Wanting  a change for my other etsy shop.  Although I have 713 sales, things have been very and I mean very slow since the Summer.  I am thinking of bringing new items to the shop like supplies and gift wrapping items and more and more things.  I am beyond excited for this change..

Planning our Thanksgiving.  More of this to come.

My husband and kids will have a whole week off school and work and I will be taking a week off blogging too.  You know they require my undivided attention :0

I might still drop by your blogs and say hi to you.

Happy Thanksgiving,

-Claudia

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Seasons Change Second Edition...Fall Week 8

For a whole year I will try to find the awesomeness 

included in all four seasons

perhaps the weather or a nature shot...

maybe display the Holidays in turn

who knows?

The sky is the limit!

There is nothing more disappointing that wanting to step on a dry leaf and that said leaf not being 'crunchy' enough!
It's also disappointing that someone 
beats you to it or is it fun?? I say it's fun.

I am just exaggerating of course 
there are more disappointing things in life, 
so I will just call it a bummer.

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Etsy finds...vintage school supplies.

I was just thinking how weird it sounds when I can trace back time and say 30 or 35 years ago! Heck I can even go back a few more years than that.  Wow...Double wow!  

My children always like it when I tell them stories about my childhood memories. They also like it when I tell them each one of them their birth story.  Now you know I am not that old right?  but I am just planning on preparing a post on each of their birth stories before I forget them.

Anyways, just like a little recollection here's some vintage school items that I found on etsy...did I say vintage?  yikes I told you it sounds so weird!

Holly Hobbie is the timeless and ever popular 1970's girl with the blue calico giant bonnet and apron.  Now I don't recall exactly my own lunchbox but this image brought back lots of memories.

Holly Hobby Lunch Box

I also had a magnetic pencil case similar to this one.  

Oh, how I loved it.

Vintage Japanese Magnetic pencil case 

Now I had a pencil sharpener exactly like this one! 

I am sure of that.

Slot Machine Sharpener

Of course the manual sharpener in the classroom.

Vintage Manual Sharpener

Who doesn't remember these desks?

Vintage School Desk

And my favorite of all this list the good old chalkboard!  I am know to like them and use them

Old School Blackboard

I showed this list  to my kids and Xavi my first grader said "I've never seen them in my classroom"
Sophia my fifth grader said "I've never seen them in my life" 
:/

Do any of these bring back memories to you?
Please tell me I am not the only one who remembers these!  

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Home Remedies for Dry Hands Part 1

Long time no blogging!  and long weekend also.  That meant a full house here and really not much time for blogging.  I really hope that you had a nice weekend,I did.

I am guilty of neglecting my hands :(  Specially during Fall and Winter Seasons.  I am constantly washing my hands and have dry or chapped skin.    The little lotion bottle in my purse or next to the sink just won't do.  I am determined not to let it happen this Season. 

So I searched on the internet for some home remedies to moisturize and soothe hands. All of these remedies combine common kitchen ingredients which is the best part!  Some of these remedies I've heard or tried them before.  

I will be sharing with you. This is part one, I didn't try them all, I will tell you why and will let you know my opinion in red italics under each treatment.  

1. • 1.  Prepare an olive oil bath. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water. Add 4 Tbsp. olive oil to the water. Soak your hands in the bowl for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse your hands with tepid water. Pat your hands dry until just damp. Apply a light moisturizing lotion.

     
     

     Yes I did this one.  No I didn't wait 10 minutes.  Here I go with neglecting myself and not making time for me,  10 minutes is such valuable time!  I tried it I was soaking my hands and I got the maaaaaaa!  yell.  Somebody needed me.  Even though shortened I liked the treatment very much.  Very soft hands.
   • 
     
     2.  Apply a coating of petroleum jelly to your hands before bedtime. Cover your hands with thin cotton gloves or cotton socks. Go to sleep and say goodbye to dry hands.

     To be honest I did not even try this one, I know petroleum jelly works wonders but the idea of covering my hands at night just doesn't appeal to me :/
     
     I tried the petroleum jelly and plastic gloves while I painted some clothespins for a custom order on my etsy shop (notice the subtle advertisement here).  I've also done this before while washing dishes.  Very soft hands afterwards. 
   • 
     
     3.  Steam your hands. Cover your hands in petroleum jelly. Run hot water in the bathroom sink. Place your hands in the resulting steam and keep them there as long as is comfortable. Rinse and dry your hands.

     I tried this one in the sink and in the bathtub.  The water was boiling hot but I didn't feel the steam, so I covered my hands with towel.  It works great, my hands felt very soft.
   • 
     
     4.  Buy an aloe vera plant. Cut off one of the leaves. Rub the leaf onto your dry hands to smooth and soften your skin. This is also a great home remedy for burns.

     
     

     I have an aloe vera plant  compliments of my mother.  Everytime I call her for advice on skin conditions she tells me 'put some aloe vera'.  I've never heard of its moisturizing properties.  The instructions just say rub it on your hands.  I instantly thought common sense tell me to rinse them.  But as I rubbed and rubbed the slobbery liquid started to dry off.  My hands smelled like plants afterwards but not noticeable and it didn't bother me at all.  My skin felt definitely very soft.
   • 
     
     5.  Use an egg yolk mask to moisturize dry hands. Scramble the yolk of an egg and apply it to your hands. Leave the mask on your hands for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the severity of dryness. Rinse your hands with lukewarm water. Pat dry. 

     
     

     Since I was running out of eggs (breakfast is much more important right?), I didn't try this one either.  But again 15 to 30 minutes???  and the smell of egg yolk does not appeal to me either.  Maybe some day I will try it.

     
     

     Next week I will come back with part 2

     
     Let me know if you have tried any of these remedies and if you liked them?  Do you know any other way to moisturize hands using kitchen items?
   • 
     

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Seasons Change Second Edition...Fall Week 7

For a whole year I will try to find the awesomeness 

included in all four seasons

perhaps the weather or a nature shot...

maybe display the Holidays in turn

who knows?

The sky is the limit!

Men at work all over the city it is a good thing I tell you!

Mother nature at work too.  Early mornings are crisp and cool.  Trees are changing colors, chilly windy gusty breeze.
Oh I love the season!

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Ay Chihuahua!

Do you know someone or come across 

somebody that has a foul mouth? someone 

that uses the F or S word every two or three words.

I don't curse or swear much.  I really don't.  I try to set a good example for my kids.  Now I am not saying I don't ever use bad words. I do at times.

For example occasionally while frustrated in traffic, while waiting in line, when I get burn while cooking, when upset because everyday life struggles. (that sounds like a lot, doesn't it??) But really I don't swear much. Words just come out :/  like  darn it! dang it! Oh shoot! or their equivalents in Spanish like ay Chihuahua and others! 

Naturally they flow better in Spanish

...The other day the kids come up to me and tell me "mom say bad words in Spanish because you sound very funny!"  Now I am self conscious because as parents we teach by example and kids are always watching. 

They made feel like Ricky Ricardo ranting when he was upset at Lucy because she had done something wrong. He never used bad words but it was just funny the sudden change of language and his tone of voice. 

I tried to look for a video like that on you tube and I found this one of Ricky Ricardo telling Little Ricky a bedtime story it's so funny!

Did you guess the story?  Do you still love Lucy?  I do!

I will keep in mind my choice of words from now on!  
I gotta be more careful.

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The Totally Awesome Blog Hop

On Saturday I joined The Totally Awesome Blog Hop, 

hosted by four ladies.  

Participation is simple

#1 Follow your four hostesses- they are the first four links.

Chantilly of ChantillySongs
Marilyn of Pulp Sushi
Rachel of Rachel the Hat
Alycia of The Curious Pug


#2 Link your blog / website
#3 Visit other sites, follow, and comment
#4 Grab a button and post it on your blog
#5 Post about it on twitter, facebook, and all your social media sites

Most of the time I decide not to do this type of things because I am afraid it will very time consuming, but it really is not.  You can always just stop and say hi to new bloggers learn something new, or get more ideas. A great way to connect and met new bloggers!

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Happy Mail

This is the mail that has made me happy lately! 
and hopefully made somebody's day.
 

Outgoing:

 This postcard was sent to my friend and 

penpal in Wichita Kansas.

 This postcard was sent to my dear friend in Tucson Arizona.

 This one was sent to my friend in Australia.

 This one was sent to my friend and paypal in

Wichita Kansas.

 This postcard is the crookedest street in the World.  Lombard Street in San Francisco.  I sent it my penpal in Nebraska.

Wait, funny thing I just came back from the Post Office and not sure if it was the other way around.  Oh Alzheimers!!

NOTE:  I usually save the happy mail in drafts until I have enough pictures of incoming and outgoing mail.  But I really just came back form the post office and can't remember :/ 

 A handmade card for dear Priya.  
She is having a baby boy!!
I am so happy for her and her growing family.

Cupcakes booties for the baby...
 

 and some slippers...remember I caught the crochet bug :)

INCOMING MAIL:

 

 A Feliz cumpleños card from my dear friend Priya 

in Burbank California.

 Christ of the Ozarks postcard from Wichita Kansas.

Beautiful rainbow wouldn't you say?

Chicago's Buckingham fountain at night postcard 

also from Wichita Kansas.

Happy mail does help brighten a day!

By the way hope you enjoy your extra hour of sleep ;)

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