Candle sale!

Hi Friends!

Ooooh the holidays are here and that's so exciting, isn't it?  I have other exciting news too.

After making 100% natural candles for myself, I decided to make them available for sale here on the blog.  Just in time for the holidays.  Add ambiance to your home for the season.  Candles make great Christmas gifts for friends, lovely hostess gifts, and even perfect stocking stuffers.  Don't forget to treat yourself to some too!

I love to burn candles, but really dislike the black, toxic smoke that you get when you burn commercially made candles.  Soy wax helps with that, but still the fake fragrances are also toxic. Have you ever experienced a headache from an overpowering candle?  Ugh!

A few years ago I decided to create an all natural candle that I could feel good about burning.  I use non- GMO soy wax, pure therapeutic grade essential oils, and eco-wicks made from cotton and paper. 100% natural.  😀

These burn clean!  No toxic smoke!  Plus you get the added unique benefit each essential oil has to offer.

I've been blending and sampling essential oil scents and finally settled on four unique blends to create a "Regions" line inspired by America's coastlines.  Each coastline is so unique and beautiful in their own ways, and these scents reflect what I associate with those areas. 

"Pacific Northwest" - scented with coffee essential oil. 

Because PNW = Coffee!

"So Cal"  - scented with hints of grapefruit, orange, lemon, and spearmint.

Bright and refreshing and reminiscent of their citrus groves.

"Deer Isle"  - scented with bergamot, lavender, and fir.

A tiny island off the coast of Maine with tall evergreens and a rugged coast.   

"Sanibel" - scented with hints of sweet orange, cinnamon, and eucalyptus.  

Silky soft white sand and shell treasures everywhere on this little island off the coast of Florida.

Each 6 oz. candle [with a burn time of approximately 25 hours] is just $10 

4 oz. candles [with a burn time of approximately 18-20 hours] are just $7.50 each

Or choose a sampler of 1 of each scent
6 oz. size for $38
4 oz size for $28.

Sale Details 

Ordering:  Email me at carol@hfhco.com with your order.  I'll fill orders on a first come-first served basis, and I'll answer you with a confirmation and total.  

Delivery/Shipping:  If you are local, we can make arrangements.  If not, I am happy to ship anywhere is the U.S. 

Shipping rates:  All orders are sent USPS Priority Mail.

1 - 6  (4 oz. each)   OR 1-3 (6 oz) $ 6.80 (priority small flat rate.) 

4 - 12 (6 oz each) $ 10.80 (box A regional)
For larger quantities inquire for shipping.

Payment: 

I accept Paypal (use carol@hfhco.com), cash or personal checks, if you are local.

Life Lately

Life lately has been full and busy and good.

We have established a pretty smooth routine for school.  Sometimes schedules look good on paper, but the reality is people move at different paces, and sometimes the unexpected happens, and best laid plans don't work well.   But, so far so good, though.  

We have art planned for Mondays ("Monday Funday") We are all loving that.

The signs and colors of fall are everywhere.    

We have several large maple trees on our property which means lots and lots and lots of leaves.  The kids love making huge leaf piles to jump in.

I was inspired by artwork that I saw at a friend's home.  She bought hers on Etsy,  but I couldn't find it there so I made my own version. 

A piece of scrapbook paper I had on hand, an anchor that I die-cut at the local craft store, and some borrowed chalk-ink pens.   Voila, and at a fraction of the cost. 

Big news.  I just turned 50!  Just writing that is weird.  I don't feel fifty /mostly ;-) /  

I am mindful of the gift that God has given me fifty years of life filled with so much blessing.

But it is a little sobering too because there is a greater sense of responsibility.  I am considered an "older woman" in the church.  I am to teach the younger women by encouragement and example.  (not that that isn't true of any age)  Theoretically, younger women would see me as  wise, and see in my life an example worth following, and one that they would be drawn to as a source for good counsel.   I guess I feel more than ever, that others might be watching me.

I hope I am the best stained-glass window (others looking at me might see my frailties and imperfections, but with the Light of Christ - He makes it beautiful.)

Because it was a monumental birthday and because my father's birthday is one week after mine, family flew in to celebrate both birthdays.  Why did I not get a shot of everyone together?  But I did get one of all the cousins

/ Matthew, Sarah, Caleb, Hannah, Roger, Daniel

Mary Anne, Abigail, and Ellie /

My brother even played a very impressive "Happy Birthday" for us on his harmonica.   

It was a very short visit, but I am thankful for the time we were able to be together. 

 This was Hannah's gift to her grandpa, who adores apple pie.  A single serve pie all for himself.

I admire this girl so much.  She is so inventive and creative.  She comes up with perfect gift ideas that cost little to no money.  She works within her means.  That is a skill that will serve her well all her life. I also admire her willingness to make something - like pie - even though she can't have it herself.  
Which brings me to the topic of her health.  You can read more about it on her blog, where she has tried to be rather candid about it. We would covet your prayers for healing and wisdom for the treatment course, but we have a big praise in that tests seem to indicate nothing serious.  While that may sound rather innocuous to some, we are thankful that we can be confident it is restricted to an inflamed gut.  

It is so hard to watch your child suffer with constant pain.  In spite of all her best efforts of eating safe foods, and avoiding offending ones, she has not improved, and at times, we've felt she's gotten worse, so to know that we are on the right track is a huge comfort.  I know this trial has been difficult and discouraging for her, but I also that God knows what He is doing.  He is allowing this because this trial will accomplish His will for her.  Do I know what that is?  No.  But I know this is true and that I can trust Him, who loves my daughter more than I ever could.

This is my latest drink obsession.  A chai tea with steamed coconut milk.  It's the perfect sweet-spicy flavors for fall. 

Eric gave me this for my birthday.

It's fantastic!  A huge upgrade from my D40.  So I hope to carve out time to take some pictures and get intimately familiar with this new favorite.   

Time is whizzing by - we have an upcoming fun trip to the zoo with friends, then a quick trip to Colorado to help my brother move, and then it will be November!  What?  

How is your life lately?  I'd love to hear from you.    

~Carol

Linking with 

Random-osity and Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth

Farm Chick(s)

For as long as I can remember, Ellie has wanted to get chickens.  

This year was her golden birthday (back in June), and we thought chickens might be the perfect gift for her, but first we had to find just the right place for just the right coop. 

And also - have a bit of dry weather.

I've pinned lots of super cute coop ideas to my pinterest board hoping to find the right one for us.

We considered a chicken tractor.  That would be a fabulous option, except that our property is not at all level so it would be impossible to keep the girls safe. 

We recently received a mailer from Tractor Supply who had a coop on sale. 

It looks cute, holds up to six chickens, and was priced right. :-)

We also needed to choose the right place. 

Level. Not too close to the house (smell). Not too close to the goats (the health of both).  But close enough for easy chores and watching my little egg-collecter.  :-) 

Ellie was excited to help put it together. 

She and Eric painted it yellow to match our house.

Then they had to prepare the place.

Just the right size for this farm chick. 

This girl didn't want to wait any longer so even though it isn't spring, when most feed stores have chicks available, we found a local farm.  

4 female Buff Orpingtons, please.

Those eyes are filled with more joy than she can contain!

For those of you who know Eric, (who has always said he would never have chickens) you won't believe this...
He set them up for the first night IN THE HOUSE - in Ellie's bedroom! 

No one really got any sleep that night.  Those soft little peep-peeps during the day are rather loud throughout the night.  They are now in a much better spot!  I think it will be about six more weeks before they'll be in their cozy coop.

I'm looking forward to the days when Ellie brings in fresh eggs.  
Ellie is one happy girl.  She kisses them, tells them she loves them, and prays with them at night.  

 :-) 



~ Carol

Free time and elephants and randomish thoughts

Sometimes alone is really nice.  

I think, if given the choice, the kids would choose the company and companionship of their siblings, rather than being alone.  In a big family though, there isn't often a lot of choice in the matter.  Recently, an opportunity presented itself for Ellie.  

I tried to secretly grab a couple of pictures with my phone because she just looked so content and happy.  (but she spied me after only a couple.)

It was a really warm day with a gentle breeze and nothing but quiet.  Moments for herself to think her thoughts and create.  

Caleb had given her this Elephant and paints for her birthday.   Just a cloth to protect the deck from paint, and she was off.  Free to paint however she wanted.  

these are the precious carefree days of childhood.  

. . . . . 

Some days I just have to pinch myself. I have a husband who has always valued the impact of motherhood and has never underestimated my work here at home while he works away from it.  God has blessed me with eight children, and the privilege to be at home with them. 
And though there are days where I am weary and worn thin, I am just so thankful to be able to spend my days with them training, teaching, observing, sharing.  

. . . . . 

 Here we are in August already.  There are signs that summer is winding down.  Here in Washington it feels like it has just arrived, which makes saying good-bye to summer oh so hard.   

I'd say, that even though the sunny days haven't been aplenty, we've been enjoying our vacation days.  The moment there is a break in the weather, we make the most of it, a river day with friends, sleeping in the front yard under the stars - finding constellations. Rain or shine we've been thoroughly enjoying the days of no schedule, and not much responsibility.

This month finds me taking care of business - appointments of all kinds (well visits, eye visits, dental visits for all.) and also planning for school - not so much what anymore, but more the how and when.  We'll be starting again in just a few short weeks.  Seriously, the time passes quicker with every year.  I mean September = 3/4 of the year complete.  

But...happily we still have this last bit of summer to savor - and a few last things to check off our summer bucket list.  

~ Carol