I am so excited!  One of my New Year’s goals was to participate in a swap.  It always seems that I discover these super duper swaps after the fact . (I’m still bitter I didn’t make it into Artsy Mama’s Sweet and Sinister.  I’m going to be all over that come August!)  Well, it just so happened that I came across Speckled Egg’s "Petite Inspiration Box Swap" just in time to participate.

We were divided into groups of four and will make a box for each of our swap mates.  The women I’m working with live all over — Vancouver Island to Georgia.  I’m so pumped and can’t wait to work on their boxes.  We are supposed to fill them up with various goodies and I have some really fun stuff to pass these ladies’ way.

I wanted to share with everyone my mom’s collection of snowmen.  Every year after Christmas, she puts them out to brighten up her bleak winter.  My Daddy was with her when she started the collection.  Every year without fail, he would treat us to a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee after Christmas.  He always said we needed to be "let-down" easy after the holidays and hanging out in the kitchy, Tennessee town was just what the doctor ordered.  We would stay at the Homestead House in the exact same room and shop and eat ourselves silly.  One year, he and my mother found these precious snowmen in "The Village" and mom was hooked.

These are the first two that they bought. 

I think the one above is my favorite.  It reminds me of a little Alaskan snowman. 

Incidentally, in "The Village" there is a restaurant that makes the best Reuben sandwhich ever!

It’s called the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant and Cheeseboard.  (Daddy and I used to call it Dr. Haufenhauhauhaer in honor of Steve Martin from "The Man With Two Brains.")  Upstairs is the restaurant and there are very few tables.  The waitress is also the cook so the service is slow, but I’ve never had a bad sandwich. 

Oh yeah, and while I probably shouldn’t mention this (I really can’t resist), when I was in junior high school and we were eating there, my mother took her bra off in the restaurant.  Apparently it was bothering her and she whipped it off.  Ever since then, I knew that my mom was a wild and sassy woman!  (Sorry Mom, I really couldn’t resist sharing.)

My mouth is watering right now.  Sigh.  I miss home.

I hope that everyone is having a great week.  To all you that have some snow — I’m jealous!  It’s 75 here in the desert and I would really love some cold weather!