The Excitement

      We are all still in the 'bustling about' stage of Christmas, lots of last minute shopping going on.  We are so pleased to be able to send our customers out with their gifts in lovely decorated gift bags.  Women sigh with relief at not having to buy wrapping and trimmings, do the wrapping and trimming, while moving onto the cooking, cleaning and last minute errands.  Can't help but smile at the men's reactions to the pretty done-up gift bags...a mixture of relief and this knowing 'She' is going to be impressed with the gift and the gift bag!
     And right around the corner is the time when the bustling is done.  Done.  No more time or energy to do whatever else is left on the ubiquitous list...
     The Peace of Christmas does settle in at last. The reason we do all that we do comes into focus.  Now its time to stop, look around and drink it in, breathe.
     Breathe. And be thankful.

Walking, not running, behind!

Like almost everyone else, the to-do list is growing.  Having won some hard-earned ground in actually slowing down, I am resisting the 'hit the ground running' temptation.  There are right now about 6 boxes calling out to me to be opened, priced and displayed....and this is a gift shop so that's what we do!

But I played with my grandchildren today... and if I sell a little bit less because I am one day late putting all this delightful inventory out...so be it.  Those little faces and hearts full of enthusiasm will remain in my soul long after the cool stuff is sold, a day late... but really, right on time.

Thanks giving. Joy giving.

Not intended to be the feast of the Starting Gate...all of us chomping at the bit for the opening of Let the Games Begin!  Rather, let any of us who can, just take a step back - just for the one day, at least.  Lets give ourselves the gift of a good 'pause'.  Bask in the joy of having family; if not family, some good friends...and remember to look beyond these blessings to Him, and give thanks. 

Tis the Season...

As a shop owner, I have never been ready - the way I hope to be ready - for The Christmas Shopping Season.  Since I just LOVE Christmas, I do keep it more on the fun side than the anxiety-ridden side of things.  This means I have to let some things slide.

'Erring' on the side of keeping family first, people first, things-of-the-soul first.  My mom (how I miss her...) always told me that nobody has it all or does it all...unless something is out of balance in their lives.  I am a bit older, I hope wiser, and I do affirm her truth. 

So I may not have covered all the bases in the THINGS we would love to have on the shelves in the shop.  But our ladies are coming in, oooo-ing and ahhhh-ing at the loveliness of the shop and the little treasures sitting on the shelves...waiting to be someone's very special gift...of course, at M Therese Gift Shop, wrapped so prettily in one of our signature gift bags - ready for the giving.

Seasons

Tolkien had names for more seasons than our usual four.  And doesn't it seem like different climates and societies deserve their own seasons reflecting that?  Maybe some do. 

While home with younger children (that are now grown and some of them home with their younger children) we would make up our own seasons. This transitioning time between the last of the leaves falling and the first snow that doesn't really seem like Autumn or Winter. We'd change our season's name at will.  And even though there are no little ones at home, I am still making up my own seasons!

This year, it seems to me to be a "Settling."  Cool enough to enjoy lighting a candle and having a hot cup of tea. Time to turn out the potted plants and set pumpkins and mums on the porch again.

 Around our part of the country we all know the snow soon will fall, the cold winds will blow and we'll be bundling up before venturing outside, some of us for the daily trip out to the wood pile.  Almost all of the trees are bare now...getting ready for their Winter rest.  This in-between season we are savoring - knowing the winter chill will be upon us.

Maybe I should rename it again - the "Savoring!"

Up North

I thought this would be all about my shop because I have so much to chat about the goings on here.  And I will.  However, after my weekend, I have to blog on in a different vein...

You have to live in Wisconsin to understand 'Up North'...its all relative.  If you drive up from Chicago, once you are just a bit past Milwaukee, you start to feel 'Up North'.  If you live in Milwaukee, you will probably be driving close to the Dells before you get that feeling.  Being settled in Beaver Dam many years now, its not until I'm a tad past Steven's Point - the air is clearer, the trees change - there are more pine and beech, less maple and oak.

Maybe its being just the necessary distance away from life's details...wherever those details reside.  We ended up in Boulder Junction.  One of the quieter burgs up there...one of the prettiest. Can't help but smile.

Next time, Jennifer

Inspired!

My sister, Monica, and I set up our 'shop'table at the Inspire Event at Old Hickory last night.  One never knows how the efforts of the hauling of the stuff and the setting up translates into good for business.  Whatever the results were going to be, we are blessed by the Inspire Magazine and the Good Ladies that create this local lady's publication and are pleased to be a part of their efforts in the Big Event!

And what a nice time we had.  Chatting with regular customers - seeing them all at once, I realized we have a LOT of regular customers!  It was encouraging to hear ladies say to their friends "Oh, you have to stop in at their shop - its always wonderful - they don't have the usual gift shop stuff you see everywhere - unusual things - interesting - the gift bags are lovely!" 

My motivation to set up may have been for this to be good advertising 'for business' - it ended up being a blessing to my soul!

 Thank you to all the lovely ladies who stopped by last night to say hi!  We hope to continue to be the shop where you can find some quiet in the busy-ness of life, gifts to bless those you love and treasures big and small to feather your own nests!

The boxes are arriving in full force...

Seems like ages ago I ordered things for Autumn and Christmas - and here are boxes and boxes arriving now!

Like when you get out last year's decorations and are surprised by something so special that you had forgotten about...when we go through these boxes and pull a wreath or garland out, I am often surprised at how pretty it is, completely forgotten I had ordered it, and its a Christmas Surprise!  Yes, a little early in the year for Christmas - but here in my little corner of the retail world - one does start early.  I am usually the last shop in town to do up Christmas, but this year we have no where to go with it so we are already putting some of the nature themed, nature colors out with the Autumn.

It is another world in the shop...a nice little world!

...and I know I STILL haven't gotten my inventory up on the website! Eventually I will stop unpacking boxes and start 'loading up' the site.  I am thrilled to be well on my way with it all.

Peace and Joy to anyone following this...Jennifer

Newest Little One

Our newest (sixth!) grandchild arrived September 1st.  Beautiful little Avery Grace.  We have never been more than a short drive from any of our grandchildren before.  Many women come through the shop talking about the joy of visiting their grandchildren, - some of them only once a year, being on the other side of the world!

So I now share the ache of their arms, yearning to hold their dear little ones...and having to wait.  Thankfully, this weekend our wait ends and we will have time with our son, our daughter-in-law, and Avery.  I expect Texas is soon going to be feeling like my own backyard...as wild horses won't keep me away too long between visits!

Be back selling, displaying and blogging next week...Blessing, with gratitude,

Jennifer

PS!  I just can't let this wait till I get back...I want to thank Jenny, my right hand lady in the office, for getting this wonderful blog up!  She has done wonderfully well.  I heard her murmuring, gasping & pressing through, as she had to get it just right.  I told her I was amazed how she really gets me, getting a look I couldn't even  envision!   I may be a whiz at decor in the shop, but she has the online graphics thing, hands down!

Blogging? Me? Really?

Jenny has finally sat me down and set up this blog!  Despise not small beginnings!  This month my website is up and running, I am facebooking, and YES, now this blog!  I have only recently learned the magic of getting photos from my camera into the computer... 'old school' girl enters modern age.  I hope to share some of the goings-on of the shop, the people, the finds...the heart and soul of the shop.  Thanks for visiting!

Blessings, Jennifer