~ Just a quick reminder… today is the day I’m having my first giveaway for a pair of my fingerless gloves. If you’ll subscribe to my blog I will add your name in my drawing at noon today and if you add a comment to my post, I’ll add your name in a second time! ~
It’s almost time for school to begin and we are blessed to belong to a church whose primary focus is to be a “home away from home for the internationals.” Every year when new college students arrive in town we do our best to be a part of all the activities and yesterday we were privileged to help a young couple and their daughter from Columbia, South America. (I see a long term friendship already developing with them!!) I helped them get a bank account set up, groceries bought, school registration for their daughter, and my hubby was rounding up furniture and everything you can imagine you might need in setting up an empty apartment. (They came here with 9 suitcases…that’s it!) It was exhausting but very rewarding.
Today we did Crisis Cleaning 101… me on the inside and my hubby on the outside… he did a wonderful job on our yard so he gets 2 pictures.
Our house is a fixer upper and we have no flooring down yet and no window trim, but I do the best I can with what I’ve got. I try to make it cozy and homey.
Tonight we hosted 5 Taiwanese students for dinner… After a wonderful meal and lots of conversation, they wanted to know if they could see the chickens. Our chickens LOVE popped popcorn so my hubby showed them how to hold the popcorn in their hands and let them peck it out. They were quite squeamish at first but once they got the hang of it, they loved doing it.
Then I asked if someone wanted to collect the eggs… 2 girls immediately said they wanted to. One of our hens is “broody” and is setting on the eggs, wanting to “play mommy” and so the eggs were warm under her. The girls were laughing in the coop and giggling like little girls. It was so cute.
One of the eggs was really large and I told them I was sure it had 2 yolks inside, so when we got back in, I cracked it open and you should have heard the “Ohhhh’s” as they saw 2 pretty yellow yolks fall into the bowl.
We had some cake and ice cream and visited more…
Then I asked if they’d like to see my dolls… (for anyone wondering…I do have a dress started for my Effner Little Darling, but have been so busy I can’t seem to find the time to get it listed on Ebay.) Well, I have to tell you, my dolls were the HIT OF THE NIGHT!!! And that’s putting it mildly! Even the one lone guy in the group seemed to have a good time… They LOVED the shoes, and the wigs and loved looking at my props and my fabrics.
Then my hubby suggested I show them Nyssa and Hope, my 2 Ball Jointed dolls, that can have their eyes changed out. When I showed the students how the top of the head pops off and how you change their eyes, they all gasped in unison. They wanted to change Lian’s shoes and they wanted to see more wigs and get down more props and pick out their favorite fabrics. We stayed in my sewing room a LONG time, and it was really fun for me. They had TONS of questions, and I enjoyed myself as much as they did.
They’ve gone now and I snapped this picture of some of the stuff still spread out on my table… I’m having fun meeting new students, but there is part of me that is ready to get to sewing again… I hope you haven’t forgotten me…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne,
This post just shows that you have a wonderful, full and interesting life! Love the pics and thoroughly enjoyed seeing your house and surroundings. So interesting about the students visiting, and the pics with the chickens! I can relate—we had chickens too, when I was young, and remember all the “special” ones we had, their own little personalities, and even their names we gave them!
Then too, those dolls—what a treasure you have! I didn’t realize you had so many other dolls you sew for besides AG dolls. It would be so much fun to spend a day with you!
HI Linda,
I always forget from year to year how busy this time of year is for us. Even today I left at 9am to pick up the Columbian family and took them to the Thrift shop, Goodwill, Wal Mart, Simply a Dollar, and Kroger, and I just now got home…it’s 4pm. Tomorrow they want to experience Yard Sales, the international grocery store in town and Farmer’s Market. Should be another busy day. Somehow I’ve just got to squeeze in some sewing time… maybe I could skip sleep and sew…??
thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow Jeanne! You are a busy gal! Not only are you an amazing seamstress but minister to others as well. I know it was a memorable night for everyone! Loved hearing about the details of your evening and I bet the dinner was delicious. Loved all the pics and thank you for sharing your life with others, in the blog world and in person! Love you!
Oh YAY! A comment from my big sister! Thanks Cindy… it was all because you believed in me many years ago that this website and my selling is a reality. It’s nice when someone believes in you.
Love you more than words can say,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne you certainly had a busy and eventful day..wondering how you found the energy to write a blog after all that…But also a very rewarding day…My husband rehabs houses and I know how long it takes to get it all together…you are very brave to LIVE in the house while working on it as well…Hats off to you…
Isn’t it great to share these amazing dolls and have the opportunity to hear the oohss and aahhs from a new audience…
Wishing all these new students a successful year and new friendships for you.
Thank you Trish,
It’s so nice that you leave comments for me each day. I’m as delighted to read your comments as you hopefully are to read my posts!
Yes, I would have to agree that I am very busy right now, but I’m hoping it will slow
down enough to be back to normal soon… maybe?
Thank you SO much!
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I too am amazed at your energy level. Just half of those activities would have wiped me out! You truly do have an amazing and interesting life with such varied social adventures. Now as to your house, no need to apologize for the unfinished window trim or flooring. Your rooms are far cleaner than mine. I do have an unfinished kitchen with the priming and painted of the cabinets yet to be completed. The backsplash tile is also lacking. However, we are living with it as is until we get beyond the current health issues with my husband. I have to say that I am jealous of your yard with the lovely grass, trees and shrubs all nice and green and so neatly trimmed. It reminds me of our former yard in Minnesota. So given your active schedule with the new school year and new students we will cut you some slack on the sewing of new design delights !!
HI Jeannie,
Thanks for not looking too closely at my house. There is lot that IS done, but a lot that is unfinished. Maybe someday it will all be done… but in the meantime I just do what I can. Our yard is what sold my hubby on this house. It’s only an acre, but it’s plenty to mow around and so it’s enough.
Thanks for cutting me some slack on my sewing.. I know things will settle down soon and then I’ll be back in my sewing room. YAY!
Blessings, Jeanne