My First Labor Day (Holiday)

* Before I get started on today's post, I just can't help saying....DID YOU SEE?? Two months, people! Two months!! Evil DST ends!!!! *
Okay. Now to today's news. This past weekend was my first EVER Labor Day weekend off work, and I decided to make the most of it. So Monday morning, I got up at the crack of nine, got ready, and headed here: Skinny caramel macchiato, please! (That way I can justify getting a grande instead of a tall. HA!)


Then I drove over to Kokomo where I got to meet the sweetest new thing...little Maggie. Her mom is my friend Sarah, who is the maker of those fantastic cupcakes I love so much. Maggie is five weeks old. Darling. She slept on me for about an hour! Finally she was in need of lunch and I couldn't help her with that, so I left to go in search of my own lunch. I wanted to go somewhere I can't go ordinarily: Panera! I didn't know they had a drive-thru, but when I found that, I got right in line. Ham and swiss on rye minus the rye. He asked what I wanted instead and I said, "ANYTHING but rye." I pulled into a parking lot (deepest apologies to my friend Marie who hates it when people do that), rolled down my window to enjoy the gorgeous day, and devoured my sammich and pickle, while I read my email.

THEN I headed for my friend Kari's house. I got to see her scrapbooks and catch up with her a bit. Funny thing happened on the way to Kari's...I was driving down 31 in Kokomo (if you're not from around here - it's a 4 lane divided highway) and I had my window down a smidge. I NEVER have my window down, ever. Messes up my hair. I heard a vehicle come up beside me and a voice say "HEY LADY!"

I about wet my pants. Great. I'm going to get SHOT in Kokomo by a disgruntled driver. I very nervously looked over...and it was my friend Sandee! She said, "Where are you going in such a hurry?" I said, "To see your daughter!" So we drove down the highway talking as though we were born in a barn and talking cross-vehicle on a four lane highway was perfectly normal.

After visiting Kari....time for a snack!
And then....oh be still my beating heart: The minute I walked inside...oh the beauty. I wandered about and just breathed the air...and made a significant wish list. Oh Hobby Lobby. How I love thee. How I miss thee.

Half the fun of a shopping trip is showing off the finds. Think you can handle it? I bought JUST a few things.... Not many, really, when you think about it... Okay first of all, I have to show you my favorite find of the day. I don't know whether or not you know this about me, but I'm pretty sure I have a broken body thermostat. I'm ALWAYS hot. I keep my house at 65 degrees. I had to leave church two Sundays in a row because I got so hot in the sanctuary, I felt sick. I have to take off my shoes when I engineer Mid-Morning because the studio is too hot for me.

As you can imagine, shopping for winter clothes is a REAL TREAT. I can't wear anything thick, and I certainly can't do layers. Thin, three quarter length sleeves are about all I can handle. Even that is questionable. So I never get to wear cute cardigans because - hello! heat stroke!!

Imagine, if you will, my joy when I walked into Kohl's and found these amazingly thin, SHORT SLEEVED cardigans. I told Mom it reminded me of that verse "You have heard my cries and seen my tears." Finally! Bekah can wear a cardigan! (They were 50% off so I bought two. LOL!!) I made the mistake of setting foot in a TJ Maxx. Dangerous. I absolutely adore this find. They're lamps. Aren't they cute??? I want to do my guest room (in my new-yet-to-be house) in black and white, so this was my inaugural purchase. Meanwhile I think I'll make use of them in my room. They might not entirely match but...details. Too cute to box up. Found this in the Hobby Lobby - for my office at work. The harvest thing is a little box and the pumpkin is wooden. I think they'll make a good addition to my work space. Speaking of cuteness for the future guest room - in black and white - this rug. I stuck my hand in it (yes IN) so you can see how thick and wonderful it is. I can think of nothing better to put my feet on as I get out of bed in the morning. (I may become a guest in my own home.) My current black heels got a hole in them (2 years ago) and I've not been able to find satisfactory replacements...until today! So I snatched those up and of course it was a BOGO event, so I got some new running shoes. Mine are okay for a few more weeks yet but they'll need replaced soon and I figured I might as well have the spares on hand!Now I know the difference between the old Labor Day routine and my new one. I used to earn money on Labor Day. Now I spend it.

And I love every minute of it.