Willow House Graymont Entertaining Bucket and Stand

With a black-etched floral pattern, built-in towel bar and lower shelf for storage, isn't this perfect for a Labor Day barbeque?

Another fantastic idea I heard was to set it on the front porch for Halloween, fill the bucket with candy and set a pumpkin in the bottom.

Wouldn't it also be great filled with fall mums?

Hostess a party this month and you can get this piece for only $43.79 (retail price $145.96) when you choose it as your 70% off item.

Please share your ideas! And not just for Fall - how about at Christmas, Spring, Summer?

Football Season is HERE!!

Okay, I admit it. I'm one of those die-hard Sports Moms. Whether it's our beloved Spotswood High School or recreation league basketball, I'm into it. But Friday night football - my heart skips a beat thinking about it.

This year, a new high school was built and they took half of the kids from Spotswood (previously 1300+ students, now around 700) and sent them to East Rockingham High School (now about 600 kids). These are kids that have grown up together, played football with each other since they were 8 years old, and now they're facing off TONIGHT at their brand-new facility. The rivalry is unprecedented around here. And of course, we are going! I'm curious to see how it all comes out, who ended up at which school, what the upcoming Juniors bring and whether sportsmanship will rule the night.

My 10-yr-old son is also a die-hard football lover and plays Right Guard on his rec league team. He counted the days for the season to start, and is excited about his first game coming up in a couple weeks. Practices started Monday and are 3 days a week, and while last year he came home sore and bruised, this year he's relishing the hits on the offensive line. He's on a short break from his Travel Baseball team during the season - check him out - #17 in the photo. Add into the mix the 13-yr-old playing Volleyball for the Middle School and she's also been invited to a Fall Softball team, and the 14-yr-old is doing the books and managing for the Varsity Volleyball team, we are in for one jam-packed fall!

Hubby and I will gladly sit in the stands for all of it, cheering the great plays and silently cringing the bad ones, but in the end my goal is always to enjoy each moment of watching my children grow up. I'm so grateful I have a job that allows me to work around my kids' schedules.

Well, There Went Wednesday!

Yesterday my Mother wanted to go up to her work and check on things for about an hour. She had surgery on her carotid artery Monday, so needed me to drive her. We took her fuel-efficient Honda vs. my gas-guzzling Suburban and spent an hour up at the shop.  At 10:37 we left, picked up the mail, and started toward the intersection a half block away. It's a bad intersection anyway, but I saw a 2010 Honda CR-V making the turn too wide and stopped about 15 yards before the sign to give her room. She kept coming too wide, and I tried to get the car in reverse but couldn't react quickly enough. So I hit the horn, and the other driver hit the gas. CRUNCH! My mother claims I made a comment of "choice words" but I don't remember saying that. My first thought was "I can't believe she just hit us!" My first accident ever while driving. So I pulled the car off the road and called Willie to bring the rollback and pick us up, called my friend Amy to meet us at the body shop in an hour, and then spoke with the police to get the accident report filled out.

At the time I didn't feel like I was hurt, but later in the day an incredible headache hit, followed by alot of pain in my left hip, back of my ribs, shoulder, and arm. Mom shared a painkiller she'd just gotten from the hospital and I slept well last night but I'm very stiff today.

Not my usually intended Thursday post here, and I missed Wednesday as well. Ah, intentions, right? Hopefully by next week I can really start adding some great content here instead of such personal things. I've got a big party Sunday, an Open House Monday morning, and another (hopefully) great party Monday night, so let's hope August finishes up on a much more positive note.

Stepping Out in Faith

Church is a part of our lives, like eating & breathing. It's funny how it came about, because for years we were of the club "Sundays are for sleeping in". Until we visited a tiny little church, McGaheysville United Methodist, just a couple miles up the road from our house.


Although I grew up going to church, my husband Willie did not. His Faith Journey has been a bit more "fast tracked". We jumped into MUMC with both feet, and attend Sunday School after the contemporary service, and Willie was invited to a small men's group that meets once a month as well as the United Methodist Men. It was a big change for my garage-loving husband to suddenly be in social situations, adding on top of that the sharing of his Faith with other men. After all, "manly" men don't talk about Jesus - do they?

You bet they do! So this morning, Willie and Chris, another "manly dude" from church, attended Grottoes United Methodist Church and gave the message to the congregation. I never thought MY husband would be the one to stand in front of a hundred strangers, talk about his Faith journey, and share his relationship with Jesus. I mean, this is the guy who speaks when spoken to, an introvert more comfortable under the hood of a car than in a conversation.

So Willie shared his story - how he always believed in God but didn't grow up in church; how we found our church through a funeral I attended; joining different groups within the church and making friends; how he now sings at the contemporary service with the Praise Band; how he reads the Upper Room and he & I discuss different things within the Bible; and what he struggles with when it comes to trusting God.

Obviously, I'm very proud of my husband and the confidence he has gained. As he was practicing what he would say last night, I could relate - when I do Willow House parties, I'm always nervous, I want everyone to enjoy themselves and have a good time, I want to share something that inspires them, and I'm scared to death that I'll "mess up". But I also lean on God, that he will help me with the courage and strength I need. And He knows what we need, if we just put our Faith in Him.

Welcome to Willow House

Today is the official "birth date" of Willow House. Over the years, many fell in love with Southern Living at HOME and it's a bittersweet thing to say good-bye, yet who can look back when there is so much offered with this new, amazing catalog and the pioneering of our company to take us into new areas online.

I'm excited to start promoting Willow House, and to helping others feel that their home is "Simply Beautiful".