A little reTREATing...

I had the pleasure of cooking for a crafting retreat this past week...

Most people would not look at this as a pleasure

or even as an opportunity, some might even go as far as referring to such a thing as no less than a nightmare...

Not me...I saw it as an absolute privilege

and I can't help but smile each time I think about the wonderful ladies I was able to share my kind of love with...

Cooking is LOVE made visible!

And although it completely kicked my buns

(thanks to this darn vertigo that is still hangin' around trying to be my best friend)

I wouldn't trade it for anything...the blessings are so many!

I now have this very special group of ladies that I can call "my friends"...

It was so nice to connect with each of these women, they were each so beautiful in their own special way! 

I absolutely LOVED watching the amazing gifts they have each been blessed with...such talent!

I loved the conversations I had with so many...

I loved the campfire moments...
I'll never look at a root beer again without having the need to break out in song!

Wait, give me just a moment...

...sing along with me ~ you can do it, just sing it to the tune of "Do-re-me"...

Do (Dough) – The stuff that buys me root beer, Re (Ray) – The guy who pours my root beer,

Mi (Me) – The gal who drinks my root beer,Fa – A long way to the johnnnnnnn, So – Let’s have another root beer, La – Let’s have another root beer, Ti (Tea) – No thanks, I’m having root beer,

That’s why I have no dough, dough, dough, dough.

One of the many songs we sang around this campfire, which brings me to another thing I loved...

I loved that I was able to start the campfire ALL BY MYSELF!!!  WOO HOO...

No hubby or boys around to make it happen for me...

I was determined I would not go without a fire and my determination won!

(Side note:  My sweet man did chop all the wood and kindling for me, but I was the one with the stacking ability!)

Check it out!!!  Ragin', huh???  Such a proud moment!

I loved the smiles and the laughter...

I loved the singing and the craziness...

I loved playing Bingo and attempting to watch a movie ~

(Unfortunately, I was also the "Audio/Visual Person"...I failed miserably in this position!)  SO needless to say, the movie did not happen, but some great visiting and creative time took its place.

I loved our photo moments outside in the rain...
I loved the smoke billowing out of the fireplace INSIDE...

(that was ALMOST a Fail on my part,
 but it all turned out okay and brought a yummy outdoor sort of smell right inside with us!) ;)

I loved the treasures that I found laying outside...

(came home with an entire bag full, yippee for me!!!)
I loved the creativity of all the ladies...
one of the fun ones that I plan to do with my kiddos was made by Brenda...she was adorable...and most of all I loved her use of the treasures outside to create her little goodies...take a look!

How perfect are those for this time of year???
Adding those to my list to do for Thanksgiving, so adorable!

I loved the cute little name tag I wore...

Nice job, Corrie...these were adorable!

I loved the stars and the moon and the beautiful deer...
I loved showing how to do a little project...soldering ~ I warned everyone to begin with that I was not a "pro" at this ~ but if I say so myself, the little trinkets they went home with turned out quite adorable!!!  Happy Moment!  :0)

I loved the smell of the campfire...
I loved the crisp morning air...
I loved cooking on the grill and having it turn out so delish!!!
Usually grills and I are not best friends...but this grill was oh-so-nice!
 

And I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the kitchen I called my own for the week...check it out!

Yeah, it was pretty dreamy!!!

And I also loved the sweet new apron that Corrie made me for the week.

It doesn't take too much to convince me to help out...make me something cute and I'm there!  :0)

When I was preparing to head to McCall for this little adventure, I did not believe I would find a single moment to do anything "creative"...

I am pleased to say that I was creative almost every moment I was there!!!
I just didn't create the amazing quilts that all the other ladies were so lovingly making with their hands...
maybe...
someday...
 (daydreaming moment...okay, I'm done!)

My creations were a bit different ~
I was able to CREATE beautiful, tasty meals...

my goal was to pamper these special women,

to help them to enjoy their time away,

to give them a break from the world they live in day in and day out...

I wanted their taste buds to be havin' a party each and every time they put a morsel in their mouths....

I fretted just a smidge that I might not be able to pull it all off...

I slept very little before the big event and even less while we were there.

I had nightmares that I would oversleep and everyone would starve to death before I could have breakfast prepared. 

I worried that all the dishes I was preparing would not be done at the same time and that by the time I was able to "plate" it all...half of it would be cold or worse yet, something would be raw and yucky.

I must admit there were a few "oopsies",

but I have to say I walked away from this weekend feeling a little happier with me...

I pulled it off.

I was able to handle what my dear friend, Corrie, had asked of me...

I wanted to make her shine

I didn't want her to have to worry about the food, I so desperately wanted it to turn out yummy and beautiful and satisfying...

I wanted everything to go off without a single problem...

I wanted to share what I could with a group of women that I had never met and have them leave knowing that I loved and adored the moments I had with them.

What I left with was a love for each of them,

and memories that will last a lifetime.

They shared themselves with me and I feel so grateful for the time I had in that amazing lodge in McCall...

Life is funny...

Life is beautiful...

and life is full of moments to be creative in our very own special ways!