Appearances

Last Saturday was lots of fun. :D With our car troubles it would have been difficult to gt all our product for three markets into the two cars that we had. We had some friends who heard of our troubles and offered to drive me to our big market in Houston, while mom and dad went to Austin for market in the morning and a cheese thing in the evening.

It was lots of fun seeing all the other vendors and our old customers at this market as it has been a while since I was there, due to being at another market. It was also fun having our friends helping me for the day (even with their over the top praise of our product. :D ) Then I was treated with lunch out and had a wonderful Panini. Yum-o! (That made two meals with out an a bunch of toddlers running around to watch in one week, what is this world coming to?!?)

One thing that I noticed that day was what people have in mind of us Carlsons. But the more I think about it the more I wonder is it what they have in mind for my family or for me? Let me explain.....

I decided that I had had enough of a certain piece of clothing, I was NOT going to wear it again that week (I had already worn it three times that week).

<---That item was this skirt. It is my out of the house, errand running, market going, friend visiting--basically anything other than church skirt and I sometimes get sick of it. It's one of my favorite skirts, but I have had it for over a year now and wear it all the time and sometimes it just plain gets old and I want a change.







So, I wore these pants instead. --->
(yes, I know bad pictures, but at least you know what I am talking about.)

Now I don't know what it is, but I have come to realize in the past few months that people have an idea in their mind what you are to look like and when you wear something different (in my case jeans) it comes as a slight shock to them.

I have noticed that those outside of our family are surprised when they see me in anything other than a skirt.

When I leave the house in jeans I get comments from other vendors, customers and friends such as..."Are you sure you are a Carlson? You are not matching them." Or "What did you do with the real Katie?!" And "Where did you get the jeans, I didn't think you knew what they were!".

I take all the comments just like I take all the other comments I get with being in a large, homeschooling, farm living, non-dating, non-collage going, family. Only I answered these with a laugh as well as the answer because it shows one of the ways that I have changed in the past decade. (Yes, even before we moved out to the country).

I have been thinking about this and about how people notice my clothing and how I need to keep that in mind before I leave the house. I don't know why but it comes as a slight surprise to me. I guess it's because when you see us in a group you see no less than a half dozen skirts and in this day and age, no matter when or where that will catch your attention. So, I take a lot of the comments that our family gets as a group that would happen to anyone and everyone in the same situation. The first thing people notice is a large group of kids and then a lot skirts, of course they would notice and then comment, but out side of that group no one will notice or comment, right?

But, these past few months has proven me wrong and added one more thing to my list of what to keep in mind when I am about to leave the house....No matter the amount of people I am bringing with me, people will notice me because I am from a large, homeschooling, farm living, non-dating, non-collage going, family and there is just something about me/us that tells everyone that and they notice it, so whether I like it or not I am a witness for a whole long list of things and I need to keep that in mind even before I ever leave the house, and the way I dress is just one way I am and can witness to people.

Oh, the pressure!!