Swiss Days

I don't even know where to start with this post.  For so long, this event consumed my entire life.  This event took it over.  I was crazy.  Full on.  I think I aged 10 years, gained 10 pounds, and failed as a wife and mother.  It's been 2 weeks and I still don't know if I have recovered.  I still feel tired all the time.

I don't know if I can completely say it was worth it, but it was good.  It was an amazing two days and I couldn't be happier about how it all went.  I am truly truly blessed. 

I had severe anxiety for months before.  I had no idea how I was going to do.  I stopped telling people how many books I was making because I knew everyone thought I was crazy....which I knew I was too.  I was able to finish making all my books a few weeks before.  I spent the next week or two making the little "My Favorite Cookies & Sweets Recipes" Books and Recipe cards I designed.  The last week before the show, I put together my booth with my super talented mother.  It all came together just in time.

My living room.
I can't tell you how nice it was to finally get these boxes out of my house.

I loved how my sign turned out.  Gotta love photoshop.

My little sister helped me in 100 degree weather spray paint my shelving.

My trusty old shelf.  He's been with me since the beginning.
He is now orange.

The day before, I set up my tent to check things out and it snapped. 
Good thing we are creative and have duct tape.
Oh, and good thing there weren't strong winds.

My mom had to leave to New Hampshire early Friday morning to go to Lindsey's 2nd Wedding Reception and Josie was just a tad pregnant, so I was feeling really abandoned and didn't know how I was going to pull it off.  Thankfully, my awesome Omahaian Friends bailed me out.  Angie drove all the way up from Arizona with her sister and my so unselfish and pregnant-not feeling good- friend Shauna allowed us to stay at her house in Heber and she too helped me through the whole thing.  I have the best family and friends!!!

So....Thursday my mom and I drove up to set up for the show.  I was so thankful she didn't have to leave until Friday so she could help me with this part.  She was amazing.  You should have seen her displays.  She had bags of carrots, potatoes, pasta, etc. along with pans, pots, cookies sheets, etc. on display.  She thought of everything.  She thought of the rug that went under the desk so our feet wouldn't get wet from the dew in the morning.  She thought of things no one would think of.  I am glad she was on my team. :)

I wish I would have gotten a picture of the booth before it got torn apart.  Of course, I didn't even think about it until I got home late Friday night.  I was able to take a few pictures on Saturday.  In the morning, the glare was really bad, so I apologize about that.  So here it is:

Kristina, Shauna, myself, and Angie
Marianne made these awesome aprons that matched my books
and my friend made the matching bows that went on the chef hats.
My cute cousin had the ideas of the chef hats and I felt ridiculous in them,
but I do think they helped set us apart. 

Sorry Kristina, you got cropped...not by me, but by Shauna's uncle.
I do like this picture better though since my eyes are open.

It was a long two days. Friday we were there by 6 a.m. and I was up replenishing my stock until about 3:30 that morning.  My sweet friends were there that whole time with me.  They were amazing. People always told me swiss days was crazy, and it really really is.  It was nuts. 
 
So after 2 LONG days, 7 hours sleep in 4 days, and losing 5 lbs. from dehydration and not taking the time to eat, it was over.  After take down we finally got home about 11:30 that night.  I looked like and acted like a zombie for another 2 days and I still feel like I am catching up on about 3 months of missed sleep.  But it is over. 
 
Here is my boys reaction:
 
 

Mitch is right to the other side doing the same thing.  I think he might have been "Woot Wooting" a little louder than the rest. My whole family is woot wooting.  Everyone is so happy it's over, including me.   It's time for me to take care of a lot of neglected things.  Including my yard.....check out my weeks in just one bed.  Yes, that "ground cover" is all weeds.

Side note:  Yard work is lame.  I miss renting where someone else does your yard work.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone who helped.  I think more than 50 people (no joke) helped me in some way.  I am so blessed.