The Many Faces of Me...

Rainbow, Rainbows Everywhere...

2011-03-16T11:18:00.000-04:00

Wow...a super cool giveaway over at Thorns Have Roses...She's celebrating her love of rainbow's...One of the neatest giveaways I've ever seen...check it out!

Justin Beiber @ Our House This Weekend...

2011-03-11T07:35:00.001-05:00

Ok, so my daughter's 12th birthday is tomorrow...She's a great kid if I do say so myself...kind, caring, and just like me...I did a wonderful job, thanks.

She does however have a flawed sense of a great birthday party...

People, THIS is what I'll be looking at all weekend...

Really?.....Really.

Oh yes...The house will be turned into a purple freakin' people eater...(apparently that's HIS color)...

A house full of screaming girls...

BABY, BABY, BABY, OHHHHH...

I SO can't wait...

Justin Beiber table cloth, Justin Beiber plates, Justin Beiber cups, Justin Beiber door covers, Justin Beiber piñata, (which by the way, my daughter has refused to bash b/c his cute little face is plastered all over it) So ya, we have to CAREFULLY remove the candy from it so she can save it...(you mean I gotta look at it even beyond the party)???

You name it, we got it...purple streamers, purple balloons...the damn cake is even purple...blah, blah, blah...

I don't even like purple...

Gone are the days of Disney princess parties...cupcakes & tiaras...frilly dresses & costume jewelry...

I suppose it'll all be worth it...There'll be One Less Lonely Girl here at the hiz house this weekend...

That's ok, I'll cook the dogs on the grill, cut the cake, open the gifts...and all the while my tub full of bubbles will be filling & I'll be retiring to it with a glass of red=)

ABC's of Me...

2011-03-07T11:22:00.001-05:00

Found this over at...http://adiosfatgirl.blogspot.com/...Check her out!

ABC's of ME

Age: 39
Bed size: King, been married to long to have anything but...
Chore you hate: Cleaning bathrooms...I do it, but all I can think of is what goes on in there & it makes me wanna vomit...again, not kidding
Dogs: Nellie...going on 16 yrs
Essential start of your day: A nap...not kidding
Fave color: Red
Gold or silver: Silver
Height: 5'4"
Instruments I play: I used to play flute in the high school band, but I couldn't read music...to the point that they put me in remedial band class...I'm not kidding
Job title: I'm a mom & a wife...I hold EVERY title known to man
Live: in the country for the first time in my life...eek
Mom’s name: Zettie
Nicknames: Bootie, pookie
Overnight hospital stays: To many to count...really
Pet peeve: People leaving kitchen cabinet doors open...makes me wanna slep em' upside the head
Quote from a movie: "I'm so in love with you",,,Drew Barrymore...Wedding Singer
Right or left handed: Right.
Siblings: None, I was a spoiled brat
Time you wake up: 6am weekdays
Underwear: Depends on my mood;)
Veg you dislike: Rutabagas...they are disgusting and they smell horrible
What makes you run late: Staying up to late the night before...causes me to turn off the alarm & not remember doing it
X-rays you have had done: ankle, leg, collar bone...probably many more
Yummy food you make: Baby back ribs on the grill...Mama is SLAMMIN' on the grill!
Zoo Animal, favorite: Seals, Sea Lions, Otters

Uterine Ablation Anyone??

2011-03-02T23:06:00.001-05:00

Today sucked monkey eyeballs...no other way to put it...

Hubby says if I were a monkey, I'd look JUST like this...I'm gonna take that as a compliment since this particular monkey is so damn cute=) Thanks...

It's that time of the month, OH the horror! I was on the sofa with a heating pad ALL day, vomiting b/c the cramps were so bad...I seriously considered holding my hand over the flame of a candle just so I'd forget the cramps!! (No, I'm not THAT crazy...not really)

Got NO walking done today and had pizza for dinner...It was total comfort food...by the time dinner rolled around I was so tired from vomiting my guts up, I didn't have the energy to cook...Hubby ordered pizza and I ate it...

Am really thinking about having uterine ablation done...Not sure if a GYN would consider doing it to someone still in child bearing years....although trust me when I tell you...I am DONE with the baby days, I'm NOT even kidding...

My cycles have ALWAYS been horrendous...I'll spare you the gory details...suffice it to say, most months I can be found in bed with a heating pad for the better part of 3-4 days...I can't do this anymore...

Anyone have any info or experience with the ablation?

Bee Boppin'...

2011-03-01T20:20:00.002-05:00

I actually walked today! Yay me...

I donned my shoes & pink baseball cap (like the good little soccer mom that I am)...whatever lol

plugged my headphones in my phone and out I went.

Walking with music made it MUCH easier for me...I was bee boppin' to Brittany & Christina, totally forgetting I was doing something I loathe! I actually wanted to break out in a dance & shake my ass but thought better of it...I have neighbors ya know...

I did 1.2 miles and wasn't ready to go home (I know, I can't believe it either)...It was almost time for Sunshine to get off the school bus so I figured I'd keep movin' til she arrived.

I wanted to say in the area of the bus stop so I just started walking back and forth across the street...walk to one side, turn and walk back...slowly making my way up the road...this added many more steps to my walk and turned my 1.2 miles into 1.5.

I'm proud that I went out to begin with, much less that I STAYED out...Stranger things have happened. lmao

Blogger Award...

2011-03-01T07:41:00.002-05:00

Thanks to NOT CAKE, I received this award yesterday...I suppose she saw how versatile I can be=))) (Or either this is her way of telling me I have mood swings...I'm not really sure which) ha...

To claim this award, you are supposed to share 7 things about yourself and then pass it along to fellow bloggers of your choice...Be sure to copy the pic onto your blog as well...

Here's to hoping I can think of 7 more things that ya'll may not know about me...

1- I'm NOT a morning person...In fact, I don't understand why the world starts each day before noon...

2- I absolutely hate shoes being worn in the house...germs! And not to mention "I JUST CLEANED THE CARPET'S DAMNIT!!"

3- I love vacuuming...yup, sho' do

4- I'm an extremely overprotective Mother...don't cross me when it comes to my daughter...I will end you.

5- Daffodil's are my favorite flower

6- I love my dog as much as I love my husband...(I know he's reading this)...the husband, not the dog

7- I think about my Grandparent's everyday...(they have been gone for a few years now)

Now to share the love...

Memory Lane
The Minute Man's Wife

I am From...

2011-02-27T21:53:00.002-05:00

I got this idea from The Minute Man's Wife...Basically it was an assignment she had to do for a writing class. An assignment where the writer learns to get in touch with themselves...For you can't be a good writer if you don't actually know who you are.

I am from Zettie...A single Mom who did the job of two parents...

I am from chasing lightening bugs on Summer evenings...putting them in jars with a stick & some grass...

I am from the smell of salmon cakes frying in Bigma's kitchen...

I am from Summer nights at the lake with lights of all colors strung around the campground...

I am from NC where the mosquitoes will carry you away...

I am from bar-b-qued chicken, boiled potatoes and salad w/ french dressing at Bigma's house where the entire family would gather...

I am from roly poly's and four leaf clovers...

I am from The Brady Bunch and Dallas...

I am from rocking chairs on the porch in the evening...

I am from homemade biscuits made with lard, stuffed with hoop cheese...

I am from flowering Dogwood's and Crepe Myrtle's...

I am from Minnesott Beach where there was no A/C...we thought we were "uptown"...

I am from sandspurs and crabbing with chicken legs...

I am from a home with a floor furnace...

I am from Duran Duran, Bon Jovi and Madonna...

I am from Summer's where you stayed out from dusk til dawn and Mama didn't have to worry about you...

I am from Esprit and Tretorn's...

I am from strawberry picking on a hot Summer's day...

I am from shelling peas in rocking chairs on the front porch...

I am from tinsel covered Christmas trees...

I am from a home that always had a cat...

I am from ocd...

I am from Barbie dream houses and Brook Shields Barbie...

I am from The Smurfs...

I am from a Mom who gave me everything, even when she didn't have it...

I am from fried chicken and okra fritters...

I am from family vacations at the beach with aunts, uncles and cousins every year...

I am from vegetable gardens, apple and cherry trees and muscadine grapes right off the vine...

I am from a daughter who loves me more than anything...

I am from a family who made me the person I am today...

I am a daughter, granddaughter, cousin, wife and Mother...I am me...

Whaa, Whaaa, Whaaa...

2011-02-26T23:27:00.001-05:00

Some of you scream at the tv during football games and such...I never understood... they can't hear you...duh

Tonight, as we sat here watching Hoarders, I found myself joining the thousands of people who do that very thing...act like a complete idiot...screaming at their tv in hopes of..................what??

They can't hear you, remember...

I don't get it...no really, I don't get it! This is the stupidest show ever, and I sincerely hope I don't step on any toes out there, but when a house gets in that condition, don't give the owner an option of what stays and what goes....F'IN THROW THAT SHIT OUT!!!

I'm not even kidding you right now...

Dude, quit asking...."how do you feel?"..."Are you okay with this process?"...WHAAAA WHAAAA WHAAAA...

Pull the damn truck up, throw the shit in it, take a damn shower and sthu...It's that easy.

NOT to mention, it's all a freakin waste of time anyway...9 times outta 10, they will revert back to the old ways of holding on to useless CRAP....AND...If I was on the cleaning crew (WHICH by the way I never would be...ewww....I don't like germs & my ocd wouldn't allow it anyway) I would of snatched the man on tonights episode up, shoved his face down in the rabbit shit that covered his ENTIRE house and made him clean that shit up.

WHEW, I feel better...Now I'm off to take myself a good ole hot bubble bath...I feel disgusting just from watching that crap...Please don't let me...

7 Things About Me

2011-02-22T22:28:00.002-05:00

The Minute Man's Wife was thoughtful enough to send me these flowers! I love her blog & look forward to new posts daily. If your looking for a smile or a laugh...look no further, check her out.

The rules are pretty simple...

* Copy and paste this award to your blog
* Thank and link to the person that tagged you with it.
* List 7 facts about yourself
* Give the award to 5 other bloggers and tell them they have it.

(I sent it to 7, b/c 5 wasn't enough & I couldn't stop at 6...6 is an unlucky, bad number in my opinion...it has nothing to do with the fact that it would cause my ocd to flare up)
Today I edited and added another...my ocd told me to.

7 things about meeeeee...

1- I think all men should sit down to pee...really...I'm not even kidding

2- I have OCD...yes I told you this on my last 7 things...but I'm ocd, what do you expect.

3- I had to have cosmetic surgery on my ears when I was a child...they stuck out like Dumbo the elephant. True story

4- I love my boobs

5- I take zoloft for mood swings...really people, you don't wanna be anywhere in the vicinity when I miss a couple of days.

6- I love gardening (yes I have a domestic side)

7- I'm a total Gleek and Curt is my favorite character...no I'm not kidding

Now to pay it forward...

It's a Lollipop World

A Real (Upstate) NY Housewife

K Under Sexed, Under Paid, and Under Valued

My Winning Year 2011

Amber LaShell Rants

blogstarrmom

Absolutely Narcissism
How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

I've Created a Monster...

2011-02-22T11:33:00.001-05:00

I've created a monster...for real.

(looking so sweet & innocent)

Ever since our daughter was a baby, I'd rub her back, her arms, legs & feet...(hate to admit it but she came by it honest)...Most nights I can be heard begging my husband to rub me....rub me honey, rub me.....rub my feet....rub my back...yadda, yadda, yadda...All the while, daughter is plopping herself down in front of me, pulling up her shirt...."rub me"....omg what have I done?

It takes an act of congress most nights...I don't understand, for the life of me....WHY? I'm not asking for much, dang...I mean, who wouldn't want to rub my feet? Really.

Anyway, this past Sunday the husband dragged me outta the house to go for a hike...yes, a damn hike! I contested, I fought it, I whined about it but ended up donning my tennis shoes for the torture.

(gonna make this long story short)

We've already walked about 2 miles, right...we've gone around the loop and have come back to the path that'll lead us back to the parking lot...I'm freakin ecstatic, the car is w/in sight...(NOTE...Never wear damn Shape Up's to hike in)...OMG, each step I took was pure agony...the shoes don't give and walking on uneven terrain with them was like asking to be thrown over the cliff...duh.

Anyway, we've reached the path to the car right? This just happens to also be the path that leads to the overlook...Hubby says...Oh come on, it's RIGHT around the corner....come on babe....(I should know not to EVER listen to his "Right around the corners"...or "It's RIGHT over that last hill"....wtf ever dude!!

(An older pic of another hike he drug me on)...

So here we go....(I'm a sucker, what can I say)....we're hiking UP the damn hills, I'm outta breath, I'm sweatin', my hair's in my eyeballs, my shoes are raging war on my feet and ankles....

Get this....hubby looks behind us, turns back around and says...."Honey, there's 2 OLD couples coming up behind us, your not gonna let them beat you are you?".....Really?...."He's egging me on, daughter is laughing, I'm trying to not have an asthma attack out in the damn wilderness where medical help isn't just a phone call away people!

Wouldn't you know, this is the part of the path that had steep incline's and stairs and all that crap...totally UP HILL!!! In the middle of ALLLLL this, my daughter is walking beside me, looks over and says....."Mom, will you rub my back?" As she proceeds to pull her shirt up.....

ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW????

I've created a monster.

True story people....Needless to say, I made an excuse to stop and take a couple of pictures so I wouldn't look like a total idiot as the senior citizens smilingly made their way past us...Ya I know, I'm lame, but I was quick witted enough to hold my breath as they walked by so they wouldn't be privy to the fact that I couldn't freakin' breathe! HA

Okay, so I didn't make it as short of a story as I planned....sue me...All in all, we hiked about 4 miles...I made it back, heated up dinner, took a hot bubble bath and retired to the sofa to whine for someone to RUB ME DAMNIT!!!

Screaming Skeletons!

2011-02-18T08:31:00.000-05:00

Sitting here having my coffee this morning and figured I'd do a survey...you know, let some of my skeletons outta the closet...Re-post on your own blog & free some of those skeletons that are screaming to get out.

1- What's worse - Physical or Mental cheating?
humm, I'll go with physical

2- Is it easier to forgive or forget?

To tell the truth, cause that's why I'm doing this right? I have a problem with both. We "say" we've forgiven, but since we never forget, can we really forgive?

3- Can men and women be " Just Friends?"
yup

4- Dating co-workers?
well, considering I'm at home w/ myself all day that would be sorta weird...On 2nd thought, not really, I'd much rather be with myself that have to make small talk & entertain someone else.

5- All expenses paid vacation to anywhere?
I'd totally go back to NYC

6- On the way to the electric chair - What's your last meal?
pizza? country style steak & gravy?...I dunno...I sincerely hope I never find myself in this situation lol

7- The water park..
uhh, NO, to many screaming kids and GERMS...I'd rather have my toes in the sand, perched under a multi-colored umbrella, reading a book on the beach

8- When you are "In Love" do you notice other people?
Well.....Yeah...I have eyeballs

9- Is flirting cheating?
I don't know if it's cheating but it's definitely a no-no

10- Would you rather have 1 great friend or 5 pals?
1 great friend

11- If someone called you a bitch would you be offended?
Uhh, I'd be mad at myself constantly...I'm the first one to admit that I'm a total bitch.

12- Are you ok with your significant other being friends with an ex?
Sure, he has an ex that we are both friends with.

13- Would you live with someone without marrying them?
Been there, done that.

14- Favorite sport?
None, I hate sports...if I had to choose...I enjoy a good hockey game...they are down right brutal...YEAH, KNOCK HIS TEETH DOWN HIS THROAT...that's me screaming from the stands...

15- Is toilet paper hung over or under?
FUNNY...I think about this EVERYtime I put a new roll in the bathroom...over, definitely!

16- Do you squeeze toothpaste from the middle or end of the tube?
both

17- How do you feel about tanning booths?
no cancer please

18- Friends with benefits?
it never seems to work out for me but I think it's perfectly okay

19- Do you believe in angels?
I do

20- Would you rather take pictures or be in pictures?
Be in them =) I love myself

21- Have you ever flirted with someone you had no interest in?
I'm sure I have, it's been so long though I can't remember

22 - Ever kissed a random person and then walked away?
nope...I dislike germs too much to kiss some random person...eww

23- Would you buy bootleg merchandise?
uhhh, yeah

24- What color looks best on you?

brown

25- If you could play any sport professionally what would it be?

None, it's too much sweat involved

26- Ever break up with someone and regret it?
nope...I try to live my life so I don't have anything to regret

27- Are you a jealous person?

uhhh, yeah

28- Would you ever have plastic surgery?
I say I would but not sure I'd go through with it...I'm a chicken

29- When do you want to get married?
I don't...am married now and have no plans to do it again...ever

30- Who has the sexiest accents?
Matthew McConaughey

31- Next concert you're attending?
If my daughter has anything to do with it it'll be a Bieber concert....let me take a bag to puke in..ha

32- Favorite song?
Magic

33- Favorite movie?
50 first dates

34- What's your occupation?
I do it all...no really...the title?...Mom

35- What's your sign?
sagittarius

36- Are you a beach, country or city person?
beach

37- Best vacation spot you've been to?
Monterey Bay, Ca

38- Have you ever had a "secret affair?"
I have...years ago...and yes honey, it was before you...(I know your reading this) lol

39- If you could own a non-traditional pet which would it be?
an otter or a seal

40- Favorite show as a child?
the brady bunch..I was delusional I suppose

41- Where do you spend most of your money?
freakin' wal-mart

42- Are you currently working at a job that you hate?

Nope, I like staying home & being here for my family (I bitch about it often but I really wouldn't have it any other way)

43- Have you ever been so heart broken that you called in sick to wprk?
Probably

44- Favorite summer drink?

a good margarita

45- Can you change a car tire?
I "could" but I'd probably call the husband to do it for me

46- Favorite cologne / perfume?
Romance by Ralph lauren

47- Favorite candle scent?

Boughs & Berries

48- Would you consider yourself adventurous?
Sometimes...in my mind more than actually going through with it

49- What is your My Space profile song?
My life would suck without you

50- Favorite concert attended?
hmmmm i dunno

51- Would you date an already attached man / woman?
Nope, never

52- Would you sing Karaoke in front of co-workers?
If I'd had enough to drink, sure

53- Can you shoot pool?
Nope

54- Do you like your siblings' significant others?
no siblings, yep I'm spoiled

55- Can you drive a stick?
yep

56- When you marry will you wear white?
Not gonna marry again

57- Have you ever sat and hoped for a phone call?
yes when hubby was in Afghanistan

58- Ever skip school and spend the day at the beach?
not at the beach...

59- Favorite TV show?
Have too many to list...Dexter, Glee, Desperate Housewives, Big Brother...

60-What do you think about gay marriage?
I think they have as much right to marry as anyone else

62-what are you waiting for at the movies?
Popcorn...ha

I'm Just Sayin'...

2011-02-17T14:55:00.001-05:00

Oh my freakin hell...how hard can it be for one scatterbrained, not so tech savvy woman to create a fan page on facebook for all you stalkers to like? They definitely don't make it idiot proof...I'm just sayin...

Accent Vlog/blog

2011-02-16T16:49:00.002-05:00

Hey ya'll...my first vlog here...hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to get of your bootie and make one yourself. Pardon the hideous bags under my eyes...EEK!!

I found this over at http://www.amberlashell.com/. I found her blog a couple days ago and figured I'd join in the fun...

I'm from NC, so here's my take on a southern accent.

The list of words:

The Questions

- What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?

- What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?

- What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

- What do you call gym shoes?

- What do you say to address a group of people?

- What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?

- What do you call your grandparents?

- What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?

- What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?

- What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

Wordless Wednesday...Got Duct Tape?

2011-02-16T07:11:00.003-05:00

Never have I done a wordless Wednesday before. Maybe it's because I can never keep my mouth shut long enough to actually get credit for being "wordless".

Here goes, let's give it a try...Does the fact that I just said all that count? Not to mention the fact that I'm still talking....hummmm.....

My daughter & her friend made this cake...yes J.B stands for none other than Justin Bieber...*going to puke now*...

My hubby while in Afghanistan...yes, this "softie" is protecting your country. ha

The cake baker from above...beautiful, I know...she looks just like me. Thanks.

So I didn't do so well with the wordless part...Somehow, duct tape or needle & thread just don't appeal to me.

One Good Deed a Day is Enough...

2011-02-15T11:51:00.001-05:00

No, this is not the culprit of my story nor is this his car...but I imagine if the real "karma racker-up'er" were to read my blog, this is what he'd say to me...

Picture this...

I'm in a hurry, trying to get out of the Wal-Mart parking lot on a Saturday afternoon. I'm already PO'ed due to the monstrosity of a floor plan the store had...Which by the way you can read about here...http://martiblogs.blogspot.com/2011/02/where-in-hell-is-dog-food.html.....That link reminds me...how in the world do you rename a link anyway? Some of you would have "Dog Food" as the link...how do I do that?

Ok, back to the story...So, I'm in the parking lot...

And I'm behind this slow as* old man in his circa 1854 Mercedes, (I made up the date people, how in the hell am I supposed to know what year it is?) poking along like he's on a damn Sunday stroll.

Really?...

We're inching along the front on the store and every isle has a car waiting to turn...So the man in front of me slows down to let a car out...ok, that's cool...I can occasionally be found being polite while driving...not often, but occasionally.

We inch up some more and what does he do....yep, he lets out another car from the next lane...Ok, dude you've done your good deed for the day, get your ass in gear and let's go.

After proceeding 2 more inches, he repeats his good deed.....and to make this story MUCH freakin' shorter than the time it took me to get outta that parking lot, (b/c I'm feeling the rage coming on as I sit here in my living room) I'll finish now...

Let's just say I believe he was trying to rack up on some Karma for the rest of his life...(which from the looks of it wouldn't be much longer). He let EVERY.....SINGLE.....CAR out in front of us until we made our way to the main road, I'm not even kidding you...

Yes I have road rage, yes I honestly feel when I'm on the road all others should part like the Red Sea and let me through....no I'm not joking.

My thought was DUDE, one good deed a day is enough already!

Dang...

See ya'll on the flip side, I gotta go to Wal-Mart for groceries now...Unfortunately, no, I'm not kidding.

Ya, ya...It's Valentine's Day, Okay already

2011-02-13T20:20:00.001-05:00

Ya ya, It's Valentine's Day...

My daughter and I were out yesterday having lunch when the topic of Valentine's day came up...Just small talk, nothing in particular when she looks over at me and says...

*With the roll of her eyes and that snippy little attitude she can get*...

HER: "I don't want to be anywhere NEAR our house on Valentine's Day."

ME: "Huh? What are you talking about?"...

HER: "Mom, (again, with the roll of the eyes) I KNOW what all couples do on Valentine's Day, I know what it's allllllllllllllllllll about, duh."

ME:..."Dude, what are you talking about..." (Said with all the fake naivety I could muster)

Like I had to ask...

HER:..(rolls eyes) looks at me like I'm insane and just grunts.

ME: "Girl when you've been together as long as we have Valentine's Day is just another day of the week babe. A day filled with the same dishes, laundry & cleaning, which by the way damn well better be topped with a cherry & sprinkles for the occasion. Pass that along to your Dad. Thanks.

With that being said, I'm eagerly awaiting a sparkly gift and some chocolate.

Where in the Hell is the Dog Food??

2011-02-12T18:04:00.002-05:00

Dang! I'll try to keep this painfully long story as short as possible people...stay with me...

The daughter and I needed to "quickly" stop into Wal-Mart to pick up cat and dog food...so I proceed to what I thought would be the nearest entrance to the pet department...The Garden Center, correct? Umm...

NO.

We walk into the garden center and find ourselves among the fish and all that crap right? I'm thinking YAY, it should be one isle over...Ummm..

NO.

Before someone asks, "You mean you don't know the layout of your local Wal-Mart?"...let me just stop right here and tell you......We were in another town and it was the best choice to pick up what we needed before heading home....out in the smack dab middle of nowhere-ville!

Ok, back to the story...

There are no other pet isle's...Period...I'm standing there, looking like an idiot asking people, "Where the hell is the dog food?"...FINALLY, (Cause you know you can never find them when you need them) I spy an employee walking towards me...."Can you tell me where the dog food is please?" I say

"Oh, it's over by the mens clothing ma'am...on the other side of the store."....

Really?.....REALLY?

My question is this....Why in the hell can't all Wal-Mart's be laid out the same? Or at least SOMEWHAT similiar for goodness sake... This was the most bass ackwards Wal-Mart I'd ever been into....

Anyway, we find the dog food (next to the Faded Glory mens jeans)....whodathunkit....that leaves us with needing to pick up the cat food and head outta there....

You guessed it....The damn cat food is nowhere to be found! Ok, by this point, I'm standing there making an a** out of myself, bi*ching about this being the most stupidly laid out freakin' Wal-Mart I've EVER been in...all the while my poor daughter saying "Mom, you can't talk like that, these people live here and this is their Wal-Mart, they think it's laid out just fine probably."............My response?...."Well they're living with the stupidest, most JACKED UP Wal-Mart I've ever seen! I mean what dumb a** thought of this monstrosity of a layout"??

ENTER: Another smiling, helpful Wal-Mart employee...

"Excuse me, but where in the name of GOD is the cat food"?....."OH, it's over on the isle with the stationary Ma'am."....Like DUH!

"OHHH, My bad. I So shoulda known that"...dumba**.

Really?.....Really...Are you kidding me right now? The stationary???

Come the frick on people...Gawd!!

Needless to say, I got the food, my animals are fat & happy right about now, and I'm pouring the wine as we speak=)

Until next time...Take care=)

Simply Put...

2011-02-11T23:48:00.001-05:00

For the most part, this blog has been about crafting...And while I'll continue to share the crafting and decorating of our home with you all....It's not "WHO" I am, nor is it what I want my blog to be focused on. Ya, I enjoy crafting and all that jazz, but in order for me to actually enjoy being here...I HAVE to be able to express myself...talk about the things that interest me (mostly my smart ass opinions about the world as I see it)...

Who am I you ask?...Well, simply put, I'm a blabber mouthed, say what you feel, brutally honest, sarcastic happy go luck kinda girl. If it's on my mind, it's being spit outta my mouth. I happen to see nothing wrong with that=) Ya, I know...people find me somewhat offensive or abrasive at times, but....uhhhh....well, I really don't care. Now let me stop here for one second and let it be known, I am a very kind and caring person...to those that deserve it. LOL

For too long now, I've not been myself in my writings, (or lack there of). I figure it like this...If I'm a blunt, in your face sorta person in life, then I might as well let the REAL me come through here as well =)

Sooo, if your up for it...hop up here and ride shotgun...we're goin' for a RIDE=))

Seven Things About Me/Blog Award

2011-02-07T15:34:00.002-05:00

My oh my, I got an award=)) Thanks so much to Dawn over at http://megwetch.blogspot.com/...Take a minute and pay her a visit=)

Seven things about myself...

1- I fear death more than anything

2-I have OCD, and no, I'm not kidding

3-I have 5 tattoo's

4-I Need to lose weight but lack the motivation

5-Just in the last two years have I learned the true value of family, and the fact that they won't be here forever. I don't take my days for granted any longer.

5-I'm horrible at keeping in touch with my friends other than on facebook...lazy, I know. (See, told you I can't admit my faults) lol

6-I will be the first to admit my faults & apologize...I expect nothing less from everyone else.

7-Is scared I'll die early and not be here for my daughter.

Ok, so there you have it...Seven things about me...Now it's time to pass this award on to 7 other stylish bloggers=))

http://cranberrymorning.blogspot.com/

http://blogstarrmom.com/

http://pintsizeddreamer.blogspot.com/

http://taketwodesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.confessionsofapsychotichousewife.com/

http://tershbango.blogspot.com/

http://cora-heartfeltandhomemade.blogspot.com/

The rules of the Stylish Blogger Award are:
--Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
--Share seven things about yourself.
--Award seven recently discovered new blogs.
--Contact these bloggers and let them know they've received the award.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore People...

2011-01-26T17:53:00.002-05:00

This is how we spent last Sunday...It was actually lots of fun. The NOT fun part was getting all the leaves up from the yard...

We moved into the house at the end of Oct...hubby was deployed, and none of our rakes had arrived from storage. So what did I do? Waited for him to arrive home from overseas, and made sure he got a leaf blower for Christmas...Duh! HAHA

We officially live in the country now!! When I called the local fire dept. to see if we needed a burn permit and they acted like I was crazy, that was my first clue...."We're not in Kansas anymore people!"

Nothing like the smell of burning leaves and limbs on a chilly afternoon.

And yes, I worked too, I just happened to have reached my "done" point so I figured I'd capture the day=)

We had a really nice family day cleaning the yard...dinner followed at the local pizza parlor...I mean, after a day of manual labor such as this, a girl couldn't be expected to cook now could she??

Mantel Help...Opinions Needed

2011-01-24T12:48:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday ya'll! Hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the week.

Ok, since buying our house I've been struggling with the mantel....what to do? what not to do?....Here are a couple of pictures, please feel free to let me know which look you'd prefer. If you have any other suggestions, chime in with those as well!

Thanks!

This is the first look I Came up with...I personally think there's too much brown, it needs some color. Is there to much on here, or not enough?

Here's what I have up there at the moment. Does it need more? Does it look bare?

Thanks so much in advance for any and all suggestions=)) Let me know which look you prefer and what you'd do differently=))

Take care!

Beautiful Sunset

2011-01-21T06:22:00.001-05:00

I was sitting here yesterday evening and happened to look out the living room window. I stepped outside to capture the moment and I couldn't help myself from sharing with you all=)

Enjoy!

My husband says I take pictures of the weirdest things...I beg to differ=))

Beautiful huh?

My Daughters Room Make-over

2011-01-19T11:32:00.001-05:00

For those of you that follow regularly know that we recently bought a new home. One of the first tasks on the agenda was to give my daughter the green room she's always wanted.

I have to say...She and Daddy went out shopping and came back with the paint. I had no idea they were going to pick up the paint that day....upon looking at the color, I was a little worried as it was a bit dark for my taste. We decided to go with beige lamp shades and table skirts for the nightstands to make them "pop" against the darker green.

It turned out wonderfully! Daughter is more than happy with it....and hey, it's only paint right??

Her new bedding she picked out.

This rocking chair is older than I am....we'll just say that's pretty old=) lol

The walls were an eggshell at the start of the project....Ahhhh, the power of paint=)

MIssion Organization

2011-01-18T07:44:00.002-05:00

Good morning bloggers...Had your cup-a-coffee yet? I'm working on mine as we speak=) I am SO not a morning person. In fact, I have a Dr.'s appt at 9am and have seriously considered re-scheduling for an afternoon appt...just so I can go back to bed!

I recently organized one of my kitchen drawers and have plans to do more...to include the bathrooms. I took a picture of "before" and can't find it anywhere!!! Just imagine, all this crap, along with MORE crap was all shoved into this drawer. Things like seasoning envelopes, soup mixes, broken Christmas ornaments...so forth and so on...

Just like everyone else in blog land, I got these little baskets at The Dollar Tree...$3 for $1.

I've set a goal...to have the bathroom drawers and cabinets, kitchen pantry and the rest of the drawers done by the end of the month=) I'll be sure to not lose the "before" pics next time=)

Hope this inspires you to open up one of those unsightly drawers that we ALL have and get busy=)

Until next time, take care=)

Coffee Filter Wreath

2011-01-16T18:29:00.001-05:00

Happy weekend! Hope everyone is enjoying this long weekend, I know I am=) The hubby and daughter are out and about and I've had the quiet house to myself most of the day=)) I did this craft a week or so ago and wanted to share.

It's your typical coffee filter wreath that's floating out in blog land but for my followers who don't blog, this is a craft that is SO easy and SO thrifty!!

Take a standard Styrofoam wreath form and some unbleached coffee filters. (Unless you want a white wreath).

Take a filter, fold it in half...

And fold it in half again...

Okay, once you have it folded in half twice you want to start gathering it in between the point at the bottom and the middle of the cone shape. Does that make sense? lol...Once I have the flower shape I want, don't let go!...While holding that shape, give it a "scrunch", wrinkling it up as if balling it into a ball....pull it back out and you have a more pliable, realistic looking rosette.

The only thing left is to glue that to the wreath form with hot glue. Continue that process until you reach the desired look. I've also made these using safety pins...just depends on what you have on hand or what you prefer working with.

Don't worry if it looks a little haphazard during the process...it'll all turn out=) These filters, once in place, can be twisted and turned and moved around to your liking.

Tie a bow and there you have it! Total cost...(for me) FREE! I had all the supplies in my craft room. But if you wanted to make this for yourself...the wreath form is $1 from the $ Tree...The filters were maybe $3, and the ribbon was maybe 50 cents. So for about $4.50, you could easily make one for yourself=)

Hope you enjoyed today's inexpensive project, until next time...take care=)

My First Burlap Wreath!

2011-01-12T16:27:00.001-05:00

Hello again my blog peeps! I just got finished making my first burlap wreath!! It turned out awesomely=)) Oh and if your a frequent reader of my blog you probably already know how much it cost....Take a guess??

FAAA-REEEEE! Yup, that's right, I had everything in my craft room=))

I have to say I did get the idea from another blog but I can't exactly remember where....So, if you are looking and I got the idea from you, I apologize for not linking back.

The best part is that I also made my very first rosettes today!! I was a little intimidated at first, but after playing with it for a while, I got it!!!!

Let's take a look at how super easy this craft was...I started with a $1 wreath form from the dollar tree...I cut strips of burlap about 2 inches wide and wrapped the wreath. Now I must stop here and say, I'm an instant gratification kinda girl, I don't wanna wait for projects to dry or cure or whatever else they do....with that being said, I quickly secured the burlap to the wreath using a stapler=) Can't get much quicker than that if I do say so myself=)

Once I had the form completely covered, I began to make my rosettes. I do happen to remember the link for that idea....you can find it here...http://smilemonsters.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-burlap-wreath-continued.html

My rosettes are larger than her's but that's the look I was going for...plus I was practicing, so I wanted to play with it and see what I was capable of=)

They turned out to be quite fun to play with, just remember to add a dab of hot glue every now and then to keep it from unraveling =) I also brushed on some acrylic paint to give it a little "pop", and I cut a couple of leaf shapes, glued them on and painted them as well. Here's a few close up's...

And here she is ya'll! I'm so proud....I'n not sure where I'll hang her, but I'm sure I'll find the perfect spot=)

Hope you enjoyed today's simple, quick and FREE project=) Until next time...Take care=)

Thrifty Candle Dress-Up

2011-01-11T15:30:00.003-05:00

Ok, so yesterday and today are snow/ice days....I officially have cabin fever dudes and dudettes!! I've been cleaning, organizing and browsing your blogs...

I happened to look over at the mantel I've been trying to decorate and noticed my candles were NAKED!! Everyone likes to play dress up right? So I figured, hummmm, why not...they need something pretty too. lol

Off to the craft room I went...heres what I came up with, and the best part is that it was FREE=)

I took two plain pillar candles...tore a couple strips of scrapbook paper (with the white edges showing), and some distressing ink, also used for scrapbooking...

I then used my fingers...(I love getting down and dirty) HA...to rub the ink over the entire front surface of the paper...(not just the torn edges). I attached the paper strips to the candles by simply stapling them on the back side....made a little homemade decoupage to brush on the surface and....VIOLA!

Ok, gimme your opinions here people...With or without the twine?

For now, I've decided to display them with the twine=)

Here they are, nestled all snug in their beds...right by the fire=)

And there you have it folks...a thrifty candle dress up=) Total cost...FAAA-REEEE!!! All materials I had on hand=))

Until next time, take care!

Linking to

THRIFTY Laundry Room Re-do

2011-01-07T13:13:00.002-05:00

OMGosh, I'm so excited!! The laundry room is almost done...all that needs to be added is a rug and a sign over the washer and dryer that reads...~Laundry Room...Help Wanted~

I wanted to go ahead and share the "almost" completed project with you and tell you how "thrifty'ly" I was able to do it!

Here are a couple of the before pics...

Kinda blah and drab dontcha think??

I've seen all the laundry room re-do's in blog land and have wanted to do one myself....so here goes!!

First I added drapes to cover the appliances...$4 sheets, $6 spring rod, $4 ribbon...All from Wal Mart. Total cost for this $18=))

Next I removed the labels from a couple of wine bottles and a jar candle so I could use them for my detergent's. The little green plant was $1 from The Dollar Tree. All set out on an old rustic tray I picked up at a yard sale back in the Fall for 25 cents....Total cost here...$1.25

Unfortunately you can't read the pictures very well but they say Wash...Dry...Fold. I picked the frames up at the Dollar Tree for $1 each and used scrapbook materials I had on hand to make the pictures. The grapevine wreaths were also pulled out of my stash=) Total cost here...$3!

The vase was made from a candlestick and a vase, both from the Dollar Tree for $1 each. I simply glued them together to make one tall piece, filled them with rocks and potpourri (Dollar Tree finds). The finial was also $1...The candlestick, wreath, and soap dish I had on hand=) They are all sitting on a shelf I saved from a yard sale...painted it black and distressed it with sand paper.

Total cost...$5

(Oh, the curly willow branches were free as well. I cut them from the tree in the backyard)

I made this wreath by wrapping twine around a $1 wreath form. The rosettes were made from non-bleached coffee filters, and I used upholstery tacks to give it a finished touch. Both items I had on hand in my craft stash=) I spray painted an old frame black and have the wreath hanging inside of it. The ribbon is the same I used to tie the curtains back with. Total cost...$1.

I had this basket on hand which is now being used for mix-matched socks. The frame was brown and of course I painted it black and used more scrap booking materials to make the sign. The candle was pulled from someplace else in the house and the lovely lace table cloth was given to me from my Mother. Total cost...$1

Another shot of the curtains....The wreath was from my stash as was the ivy...(Just how many grapevine wreaths do I have???) LOL

Here we see the completed look...

This baby dress was white so I stained it with coffee, to make it look older=)

You can't really see it well but it looks really old and vintage=)

Total Project cost...$29.25!! Wow, Even I'm impressed...I thought it was a little more than that!!

I guess that's it for now...Again, I need to find my camera and stop using my droid to blog with! I hope you've enjoyed the tour and that it inspires you to create something in your own home...THRIFTY'LY!!

Pronounced With a Silent "G"

2011-01-02T21:08:00.001-05:00

This Christmas season has been an extremely busy one for us, and even though it's a tab bit late, here are a few photos I wanted to share with you.

Pardon the fogginess of the pic...I need to get my hands on my camera and stop relying on my phone...but we'll just pretend I purposely edited it to be a warm and fuzzy shot. lol

The mantel in the living room...Again, a little fuzzy...just keep pretending. HEHE

A close up of the mantel...these antique angles were given to me by my Grandmother. She was always Bigma (silent "g") to me, pronounced Bi-ma=) These adorable ladies come out each year to spend the holiday with us=)

I LOVE this Santa! I picked him up for 50 cents at a local thrift store. He's a nice addition to my Bigma's Santa collection that I now have=) I add one each year in her memory=)

The dining room...

Madolyn and I made a gum ball tree this year. We cut branches from the contorted mulberry tree we have in the backyard and it was perfect=)

This is our new flocked tree. I've always wanted one and this was my lucky year! She's so beautiful holding up the topper I made.

And the stockings were hung...

Santa's snack...placed by the fire so he can warm up a little before heading back out on his Christmas Eve journey.

I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful Christmas season this year. May your New Year be a safe, healthy and prosperous one=))

~*~Take care~*~

Our New House=)

2011-01-01T22:50:00.001-05:00

Hey there ya'll! I've really missed my other life...you know, the one that consists of a cup of coffee, cozy socks, my laptop, and you all....My blog life!

Just a quick re-cap as to where I've been...Husband was deployed for a year and a half, my laptop broke during that time, we searched for and bought a new house, our daughter and I moved and had everything ready when hubby returned home on the 7th of Dec!.....Well, ALLLLLLLMOST ready. ;;)

Here's a pic of our new home=)

It's all beautifully landscaped with an American flag flying...considering we're a Military family, it was calling our name=)

A view of the front foyer area taken from the upstairs balcony...

Here's the kitchen which I absolutely LOVE! Complete with ceramic tile floors and granite counter tops. I'm overjoyed with the butcher block top island...the entire surface is a cutting board=)) I've added a few things but will do more personalizing as we go along.

Next we have the completely finished workshop/man cave in the backyard.

Here we see the master bath...

And here's my new fav HOT spot....literally=))) Ahhhhhhh....

Hope you enjoyed some shots of our new house....We are slowly turning this house into our home. I'll be sure to post pics of projects as we complete them=))

Thanks and take care!

2010-12-18T08:21:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Long time no blog! I have a few updates...My husband made it home safe and sound from Afghanistan, we have bought a new house and are in the process of settling in.

I plan on getting back into the blogging world now that things have settled down a bit=) I've sure missed you all!!

I hope your Christmas season has been wonderful so far!

~*~Happy Blogging~*~

Furry Friends Friday

2010-09-03T07:14:00.002-04:00

Here's a picture of our 3 legged cat Hopper. We adopted him right before he was to be put to sleep. No one else wanted to give him a chance. Even though he only has 3 legs, he runs and jumps around here just like any other 4 legged kitty! =))

Life is Busy Right Now...

2010-09-02T09:35:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to stop in and say hello! Life is so busy right now. With my husbands deployment winding down, the task of searching for and buying the perfect home, school starting up, and life in general....I'm busy as a bee these days!! Oh, and not to mention, trying to get my bp meds straightened out and working. (When my bp's high, I don't feel all that well and definitely don't feel like blogging).

So, that's why I haven't been on in a while. I am however trying to keep up with the blogs I follow from time to time. I miss all my fellow bloggers here and hope to see ya when I hop in from time to time=))

I'll leave ya with a couple of pics of our kitty, Max Dugan=) aka: Clementine. (that's another whole blog in itself! LOL)

I don't know why in the world he thought this was a comfy position?!?! Maybe the sun was in his eyeballs? lol

DIY Ottoman re-do

2010-08-25T09:57:00.001-04:00

Hey ya'll! Hope everyone is having a great week=) I recently bought a new sofa but completely disliked the accent pillows! The fabric was WAY to contemporary for me. I had them covered by someone other than myself (seeing as I have no idea how to sew & didn't want to take the time to fabric glue them) LOL...They turned out great=)

Welll, when I arrived to pick up the pillows, she had a yard of the fabric left so I brought it home planning to use it to re-cover an ottoman.

Here's the before...Cute and comfy, but faded and worn.

And the reveal=))

I found the upholstery fabric at Wal-Mart for $5.97 a yard=)) I don't claim to be a professional upholstery person, so I did it the DIY way. I basically folded it like a gift, stapled it to the bottom and VOILA=) A total make-over at a thrifty price=))

And it now matches the sofa=))

Yay! I think it turned out just perfect=))

Handmade Orbs

2010-08-23T08:27:00.000-04:00

I recently decided to try my hand at making my own orbs. How easy and SUPER cheap!! And OMGoodness, the possibilities are endless ya'll!!

I picked up a couple of Styrofoam balls from Wal-Mart and let my imagination do the rest. It gets better people...hang on...

I didn't have any mod podge so I made my own, just a mixture of white glue that dries clear and a tiny bit of water...

I wanted the first orb to be covered with torn pages from an old book. No worries all you book worms....I can assure you it was NOT a literary classic by any means! lol

Brush on a little glue mixture, place a piece of the paper and brush it down so it's flat around the edges. I had to cover about half of the ball, sit it aside to dry, and then do the other side.

Once the ball was covered, it still needed a little something. It was too stark white for my taste. I got out some of my handy dandy scrap booking ink and simply dabbed the pad all around the ball and then rubbed it in to achieve the worn look I wanted. =)

I covered the next ball with moss=) Love the way it turned out. (The white stuff you see is just a little glue before it dried) The moss was bought from the dollar tree, along with the handmade paper you see here.

While in the dollar tree, I spotted a pack of 4 balls for $1!!! I thought to myself....hey, an even cheaper way to make these babies!! TIP...Don't get the balls that are formed like a baseball. They have the ridges all around them. Try to pick up the one's that have no seams. They give nicer, finished look.

I then tore some of the handmade paper into pieces and proceeded to glue them on in the same way I did with the book pages.

By the way, I picked up the bowl at a yard sale for 25 cents, unfinished...brought it home and spruced it up a bit. ( I ended up changing the bowl which you'll see in a second).

This last ball was covered with a strip of fabric cut from a bed sheet that I use for such times as this=) (You can see I painted the bowl again here). These can be covered with practically ANYthing!! Let your imagination go wild and have fun!

I hope you enjoyed today's THRIFTY craft!!

balls...$1 total

book pages...free

fabric...free

moss...$1

handmade paper...$1 (have plenty left for more projects)

bowl...25 cent

Total cost...$3.25!!!!

Now those are some cheap balls people! HA

Furry Friends Friday

2010-08-19T21:39:00.001-04:00

No Sew Easy/Thrifty Curtains

2010-08-17T22:19:00.002-04:00

OMGosh ya'll! I'm totally excited=)) After searching and searching for drapes for the living room with NO luck at all, I came up with an idea...I'll make them myself!

That may sound fine and good but if you know me, you KNOW I don't sew and have no idea how to do so!! Oh well, I never let a little detail like that stop me. The search continued.....for fabric. I knew I wanted something neutral that would match the new sofa & pillows I had covered. The cheapest way?.....SHEETS!! OMGosh, this is the best part....I bought four twin size flat sheets for $3 each at Wal-Mart!! The entire window was going to be done for $12 people!!! YAY me!!

Here is a picture of the window before...

Here's the proof that I don't sew. (I wasn't kidding people) That's handy dandy fabric glue you see there=))) I chose the cream color for the front but wanted a darker fabric for the "liner". I simply lined the sheets up, glued two "seams" about an inch and a half apart, and let them dry for 2-3 hrs.

I used beige ribbon for tie backs but will go with a darker brown for more contrast.

I just love em'. I totally got the look I was going for, a full, drapey, relaxed sort of look=)

That wreath is my version of a coffee filter wreath. (That's another blog that'll be up in a day or so) My next project?...is probably to re-do that old window frame on the right side=))

I'm so pleased how they turned out...

Fabric...$12

Curtain rod...$5

Fabric glue...I used maybe.....50 cent's worth??

Ribbon...$1

Total cost...$18.50=))

Can't beat that! Until next time, think thrifty ya'll=))

Need Your Opinions

2010-08-16T10:56:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend=) School starts here this week so we're getting geared up and ready to go.

I need opinions! I recently bought these horrendous candlesticks at the thrift store. I know the re-do will involve paint and new ribbon I just don't know what colors? Or maybe some of you may have a completely different idea...Help!! What can I do with these green monsters?

Thanks for your help folks=) I can't wait to hear your ideas!

Furry Friends Friday

2010-08-13T11:09:00.001-04:00

Hang on people...Furry Friends Friday is being delayed today due to the fact that I don't know what I'm doing! HAHA

I'm having a few issues with the linky...I'll try and get it up and running today...If I can't get things fixed, be sure to check back next week=((
Thanks and enjoy your weekend=)

It's All About Improvising

2010-08-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

Short, sweet and to the point=) Hope everyone's having a good day!

I picked this frame up for 25 cents at a flea market.

NOT a pretty color by any means, but for 25 cents, what was a girl to do?

I painted it a weird brown color and then brushed over it with black. This is what it looked like at that point.

I didn't really like this result so I slept on it for a few nights and came up with an idea.

I spray painted the frame a shade of brown with a paint that gave it a hammered look finish, covered the glass with the scrapbook paper using tacky glue. (In hindsight I didn't really need to glue it but whaev)...This is what we have now...

The scrap paper is brown but this pic makes it look like green for some reason....Of course once I started this project, I realized I didn't have any brown card stock for the matting. I simply took a piece of scrap paper that I didn't like anyway, turned it over to the white backside and spray painted it with the same hammered finish paint I used for the frame. It worked fabulously!

It's all about improvising=)

Thanks for stopping by today, take care!

A Few Thrifty Finds...

2010-08-10T17:10:00.001-04:00

Hey ya'll! Hope everyone's having a wonderful week. I've found a few things for the house lately and wanted to share them with all you thrifty peeps out there=)

First we have this wooden sign I found at Ross. I would normally make my own, but for the wonderful price of $3.99, I couldn't resist=)

Next is this $1 picture frame I picked up at the Dollar Tree. I brought it home, whipped out the sandpaper and went to work=) I had an old photo of my Bigma and her siblings. That, with the frame is the perfect match=))

Here we can see that large candlestick that I found for, what was it? $1.29? Brought it home and painted it. (It was a horrendous color!!) And also the old books for 25 cents and $1.50. But the other thrifty find is the small finial I've added to the collection here. Another Dollar Tree find...$1=) Not sure if I'll paint it or not. I kind of like the contrast.

Now these candle holders below, THEY were a thrifty find people! The shorter one was 29 cents and the taller 39 cents! Of course they were a yucky green color but that just gave me an excuse to break out the paint=)) I think they've turned out nicely. The finials and vase.....not so thrifty but must haves!! lol

And last but not least...I found this cute little homemade gum ball machine for Miss Madolyn. I paid the lovely price of $2 for it, brought it home, cleaned it up and voila!! She's been wanting a gum ball machine, but we wanted the real thing made of wrought iron. We haven't been lucky enough to find one of those yet but we're still on the look out. At only 11, she has an eye and an appreciation for shabby old things and really likes and appreciates this one=)

So yep, those are my thrifty finds for the week=) Yay me!! Hope you enjoyed your visit today and thanks for coming by!

From Drab to Fab!

2010-08-09T09:31:00.004-04:00

Ok, I did the unthinkable! I bought this solid mahogany end table from a flea market for $6. No, that's not unthinkable, that's just THRIFTY right ladies??

Much to my Mother and husband's HORROR, I spray painted it black and then distressed it. *GASP*

Insert the unthinkable. HAHA My Mom was actually nauseated over the whole situation. She told my daughter that she should of called her, she would of come over and tied me down or snatched the spray paint and ran with it! LOL

Before:

While I appreciate the value of antiques, I've sort of come to realize...If it ain't whatchoo want, revamp it! Not to mention, it doesn't go with my decor at all.

And here's the reveal ya'll:

The nik-nak's are thrifty finds as well. The pear was $1 at a consignment shop, and the star tealight holder was $2.50 at a yard sale (originally from Pier 1).

Here you can sort of see the distressing I did around the edges.

The most expensive part...you guessed it, this darn pumpkin!! That potpourri filled gourd was $15 at Ross but definitely a must have! I probably could of re-created it myself but you know me, miss impatient!! Not to mention it's brining a bit of Autumn into the house during these dog daze of Summer!=)

Hope you enjoyed my newest creation as much as I do. Now I'm off to dust the dang thing....black furniture + dust = work! What was I thinking????

Note...Followers, Please Read

2010-08-07T23:43:00.000-04:00

Hi there, I made my first buttons last week, and thanks to all who grabbed them. However, someone brought it to my attention that the button took them to flicker, NOT back here to my blog.

I've since re-made my buttons and they are working fine now. Please, if you are a fellow blogger that grabbed my button, please do so again as the old one's won't work.

Thanks so much and hope to hear from you all soon=))

P.S...Can't wait to share my latest DIY project with you all=)

Furry Friends Friday

2010-08-05T23:47:00.003-04:00

A FREE Dining Make-Over

2010-08-05T15:33:00.002-04:00

Hey ya'll=) Hope everyone's having a great Thursday. The weekends almost here which means more thrifty shopping for me=)

I wanted to share an easy, FREE way to spice up an area of your home. In my case, I had a wall in my dining room that was just "thrown together" when we moved in. Here's the before:

Kinda drab huh? I can't do anything about the white walls unfortunately, but I turned on my thinking cap and went to work. (It wasn't really "work" b/c it was such an easy, 10 minute fix=)

Remember the branches I had over my bed that looked absolutely hideous over the window I re-vamped? Welllllllll, I found the perfect spot for them...

I moved the clock higher up on the wall, Used the wrought iron wall hanging that used to be over my bed and placed underneath it. I then used the old key art and played with them until I thought they looked nice=) And the branches??.....I used a nice large floor vase that I wasn't using for their new home=)

I did have to place the vase on a little foot stool, as the branches didn't really have much height w/o it. To cover the UGLY blue plastic foot stool, I used a piece of fabric that's the same material as the tablecloth=)

And here we are folks. A dining make-over that meets the approval of my "eye", and the much appreciated approval of my husband's wallet=)) Yay me=))

Paint Pizzaz!

2010-08-04T10:49:00.002-04:00

For The Power of Paint Party Wednesday over at http://www.domestically-speaking.com/.

I found this wooden frame in the closet, one that we had never used and to be honest, the reason it was stuffed on a shelf and neglected is b/c, well....it's ugly. It needed some PIZZAZZ! =))

What's a girl to do??? Get out the paint of course=))

I delegated the job of painting the base coat to the kiddo's....I sat back and chilled, they had fun....2 birds w/ one stone, yay=)) (FYI the only white paint I had in the house was enamel paint for glassware. But remember, this is ME we're dealing with here, miss impatient! I couldn't wait, so I figured why not, let's go with it and see what happens=)

After the base coat dried, I brushed on a layer of crackle glaze and, you guessed it...waited for it to dry.

Once the crackle is dry, brush on your top coat following directions from the crackle glaze bottle....and.....

This is what you get=))

I used scrapbook paper for the matting inside the frame=)

Here it is, tucked nicely on top of the pie safe=)

I'm not sure about the sepia finished photo...It seems almost too light, maybe I need to go with a color picture in this frame.

Anywho, here's the finished project, one that was instantly gratifying =) Well, besides waiting for the layers of paint to dry=)

Hope you enjoyed=)

A thrifty find!

2010-08-03T12:00:00.001-04:00

Ok, I went thrifting a few days ago and found this hideous candle stick for the outrageous price of $1.29!!

I looked at this thing and said "baby, your gettin' a make-over!"

After getting this little guy home, I went to work, whipping up a mixture of brown and black acrylic paints to achieve the look I wanted.

And, VOILA! Love the finished look=) OH and by the way, the two books in the photo...the little red one is a copy of Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer that I got at a yard sale for 25 cents, and the book standing up, I picked up at the thrift shop for $1.50, It's an old copy of Little Women=)

A successful thrifty find=))

Before or After?

2010-08-02T21:28:00.001-04:00

Remember the trash to treasure window from a couple days ago? Do you also remember the branches I added over top of the window? Here, let me refresh your memory...

Welllll, staying true to my indecisive personality, I couldn't decide if I liked the branches. The more I looked at them, the uglier they got. Don't get my wrong, I love old withered branches, but this wasn't the right place for them.

I headed out in search of a solution, b/c w/o anything above the window, it looked to bare. I didn't know exactly what I was looking for, but I knew it when I saw it...

Sooo, whaddya think? Before...or after?

I'm really happy with the after=))

Furry Friends Friday/Linky Test

2010-08-02T08:38:00.002-04:00

I see all these "linky days" on others blogs and wanted to start one of my own. I wanted to do something different, something I haven't seen before=) I love my animals and am positive others do as well, sooooooo, I came up with Furry Friends Friday!!! YAY! I mean who in the world isn't proud of their furry babies? I love seeing pics of others pets and figure this would be another way to show off these guys in our posts and to generate a little more traffic to our blogs=)) Whaddya think?

This post is a test to see if others would be interested and also to test the code (since I have no idea what the H E double hockey sticks I'm doing) !! LOL

Anyway, here goes.....leave a comment if you'd be interested and I'll have it up on Friday....IF this works!

Trash to Treasure Window

2010-07-30T13:06:00.002-04:00

UPDATE: I have since removed the branches and replaced them with a pretty wreath=) The branches needed a different home;)

Ok Folks, here it is...my newest trash to treasure project...I'll try to be brief=)

I must say, while I appreciate the art work someone painted, it just doesn't go with my house.

~*~Before~*~

I especially liked the tree.

~*~During~*~

I washed the frame with a mixture of black & brown acrylic paint mixed with a little water. THEN, came the fun part. I took a knife and went to town on this here frame. I secretly pretended it was an enemy, (not that I have many) LOL talking to it the whole time..."HA, take THAT!"...*Scratch, scratch...scrape, scrape*..."Ohhhh, did that hurt??" WOOT, HAHA...Just kidding people! =) Next I used some of my scrap booking Distress ink to darken the dings I made=)

While I love the look it gave, I couldn't stop here. My bedroom furniture is very dark wood, this would look sorta outta place dontcha think? ;) Sooo, Drum roll please.........TAAA DAAAAA!!!

~*~Finished product~*~

I sanded the frame and then washed it with another mixture of acrylic paints to give it a darker finish. Use whatever colors you need to achieve the color you desire. After the paint dried, I sanded it again with a fine grain sandpaper so it wouldn't look like new, shiny paint. =) I mean, we are trying to go for a shabby look here right? =))

For the background I used scrapbook paper that matches the quilt in our bedroom. Once everything was put together, I realized I didn't have any black & white photos...being the impatient chick that I am, I got on walgreens.com, loaded some of my fav's, edited them to a sepia finish, and picked them up w/in an hr! YAY!!

The paper is attached to the glass with fast finish tacky glue, dries clear and you can't even see it=)

I added some branches from a fig tree to give it that finished touch. I love, love, love it!!

I have to say that this would look better on a wall that wasn't stark white. BUT, with us being a Military family, we haven't been able to settle down long enough to buy a house yet. Our home is where the Army sends us. I do however envision this on a moss green or a golden yellow wall of some kind.....One day, my dreams'll come true=))

Thanks for coming by, hope you enjoyed my project!

It's not like I'm asking for Calgon to take me away or anything! Geesh...

2010-07-28T23:08:00.002-04:00

Uggh, I told you all yesterday that I'd have my trash to treasure project posted today.....Welllll, needless to say, real life got in the way...OH the HORROR, right? Oh well, if we're living and breathing, I guess it's to be expected.

Anyway, I had to take my oldest daughter to the vet today. She's been itching like crazy so we wanted to make sure she didn't have some kind of skin infection. The vet that I take her to is in another town so this took up a couple of hours.

Then my mom and I had to pop into this little antique shop we found=) Fun, but her prices were a bit too high. I saw quit a few things I wanted but....no score here today=(

After that, I took my daughter shopping for school uniforms and clothes. We actually had a good time, she was really into the shopping thing tonight=)) Usually she's miserable, I'm pulling my hair out, and I end up purchasing bunches of clothing that she'll never wear! (We normally don't agree on clothing, but tonight we were both open minded, it worked out well=) Yay us!

So why was I writing all this?...OH YA....b/c I promised a trash to treasure project today and didn't deliver =( Sorry folks.

Mama says, "Hold off real life, I got a craft to do and a blog to write. It's not like I'm asking for Calgon to take me away or anything! Geesh."

Until next time, take care=)

My First Blog Award=))

2010-07-28T02:25:00.002-04:00

Coffee, laptops, and late nights, OH MY! (Sang in the tune of "Lions. tigers, and bears, oh my!!") Ok folks, so I just won my first blog award! OMGosh, whodathunkit?!?! I'm so proud to have been recognized but also elated to know that my writings aren't going unnoticed. =) Thanks so much http://a-homemaker-speaks.blogspot.com/ for the award=)

Want to win you're very own award? Here's how...

Tell 7 things about yourself, link back to the person who nominated you, and then nominate a few of your own bloggers who you feel deserve to be recognized=)

~*~About Me~*~

1. I used to take life for granted but have since come to realize that life is a gift. Don't abuse it, embrace it.

2. I love faded, worn out blue jeans.

3. Fall is my favorite season.

4. I just won my first blog award and still can't figure out how to attach a signature to my blog posts. LOL Anyone have an easy way to do it? I would more than appreciate it.

5. I get so many crafting ideas in my head that I start a few projects all at once, only to not finish half of them! (I'm getting better though) Hey, my intentions are good=)

6. When I started knitting, I went out and bought more than a $1000 worth of yarn. (Not at once, I'm not a millionaire) LOL...I still have most of the UN-USED yarn.

7. I'm more than lucky to have a husband that absolutely adores me=))) The feeling is mutual.

Here are a few blogs worth checking out:

http://starrzz.com/BlogStarr/

http://myhomeismycastlebykari.blogspot.com/

http://americanhoneyhome.blogspot.com/

http://fabulousarmylife.blogspot.com/

http://oldglorycottage.blogspot.com/

http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

http://mylifeasjenny.blogspot.com/

Happy Blogging!!

Who Knew My Thumb was THIS Green?

2010-07-27T21:45:00.001-04:00

Not much to chat about here tonight, but I have a really great trash to treasure project I'll be posting tomorrow! =)) Anyway, I'm bored, so here's my short post=)

Just thought I'd share a picture of some of my yummies=) This is the first year I've planted veggies and I'm totally hooked! The convenience of being able to step outside my door and pick the items listed in a recipe has really spoiled me.

Not only does it make life easier at meal times, but the fresher taste, lack of chemicals, health benefits, AND the money we're saving are more than enough reason for me to become a gardener=))

Who knew my thumb was THIS green?

The tomatoes, and peppers have been yummylicious this season!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Take care=)

Frozen in Time

2010-07-20T14:55:00.002-04:00

A few days ago I went on a photo shoot to capture some of my most beloved childhood memories. Here in my hometown is a house that no matter what year it is, or how trendy the world gets, this home stands frozen in time. It belongs to my Mom's cousin, Inez, although she is more like an aunt to all of us.

This old home was built in 1889 and has provided our entire family with a sort of haven if you will. There was never a time we couldn't walk through the doors, (often times unannounced), that we didn't feel as if we were in our own home. The warmth and love that lives w/in these walls is enough to warm the heart of anyone on the coldest of days.

Upon taking a walk around to capture my memories, I was reminded of just how many Summer nights this old porch was graced with family and friends. All enjoying each others company, having cups of coffee and making memories that would stand the test of time.

As I stood here, getting the camera just right, the past came back to me. I could see "Uncle" JT (who has since passed on to glory) sitting in one of these very rocking chairs, with a cup of coffee in hand, enjoying a crisp Fall evening. I stood there for a moment, smelling the brewed beans, and watched him, in his flannel shirt as he took a sip from his steaming cup. I was somewhere back in time as I heard an approaching car, a honking horn and looked on as he threw up his hand to wave as he always did.

Let's head on around back...Come on, take a walk with me=)

Can you hear the dinner bell ringing? She used to come out and ring the bell to call JT in from the garden for their supper. I can smell the fried okra even now.

Some folks may wonder..."What is this a picture of?" My answer is, nothing special really. It's simply the outside of the shed but the shabbiness of it screams "Character" to me. I appreciate how these items seem to, like I mentioned earlier, stand frozen in time.

I even had a companion join me for part of my walk down memory lane.

I often wonder if animals appreciate the beauty around them? This sweet kitty seems to know where her bread is buttered=) She seems to be saying to me "Don't ya just love it here?" I do kitty cat, I do=)

You can see the plaque here with the date of 1889. Come on in with me, I promise your more than welcome in this home.

Home is where the heart is. That is very much true, but also in this particular home, the kitchen is where the heart is. On any given day there was a hot meal, hot coffee, ALWAYS a dessert which more often than not, consisted of homemade cakes and pies. And she always had a treat for us little ones. =)

I just love the way that some of her cooking and baking pieces are hung on the wall on the back porch. This is how it was done back in the day, by everyone I'm sure. But isn't it funny how so many of us shabby and primitive decor lovers aspire so hard to achieve this look? And here it's just natural=)

I love the hats by the back door. It somehow brings life to this area. And the little dress, oh how I love this little dress. I think this used to hold clothes pins when Inez would hang out the laundry. Just adorable, it somehow reminds me of a simpler time.

Let's step inside now. Walking into this home never fails to lift my spirits. Can you hear the creak of the door? I can, it sounds the same as it did 30 years ago. Another memory that some may never have thought about.

This old pie safe is a true treasure to me. I remember it sitting in this spot from the time I was a child. It's truly a country piece of art.

And here she is, the lady of the house. She is truly one of the kindest spirits that God ever placed on this earth. She made her house a home, opened it's doors and called us in. Anyone who has been privileged enough to have her in their life has been truly blessed.

Each time I walk into Inez's home, I'm transported back in time, and the day I took these photos was no different. I'm reminded of my childhood, of all the times that God brought us together as a family. I'm reminded of our family members that are no longer with us...JT, Big Sister, Bigma and Granddaddy, Uncle Earl, Little Sally, and Uncle Buddy. I'll treasure this particular day for years to come as well.

Make your memories folks. Take the time to stop and appreciate the little things in life. Look around you....what do you appreciate? Let you're memories take you for a walk back in time...what do you treasure from those days?

Take the time....and remember=)

Thanks for joining me on the tour today=)

Do You're Flops Flip?

2010-07-19T14:30:00.002-04:00

I saw the cutest picture of flip flops the other day and it inspired me to post a few of my fav's off the internet and also to take some of my own. What's up with the flip flop craze? Everyone (like the water bottle mentioned below LOL) has at-least one pair. It seems these cute little thongs are a must have for men and women alike. I myself have oodles and oodles! (I didn't count them when I took the pictures, I wouldn't want my husband knowing exactly HOW MANY pairs I DO have! Shame on me!!!) And to be honest, Once they were all lined up, I noticed that a couple of pairs were missing. =)

Flip flops and combat boots=) What you'll always find by the door at my house=)

If you've never tried Yellow Box flip flops, you are missing out! They are the most comfy flops I've ever had the joy of wearing=))

I don't know about you, but I have flip flops in just about every color and style! I wear them all year long, with everything from shorts, to jeans, to my pj's! For me flip flops spell out: a comfy, free, easy going, happy go lucky lifestyle.

Bottom line?...

So what about you? Do your flops flip??

Bored & Curious...

2010-07-18T12:04:00.002-04:00

Just thought I'd share the thought's in my head at the moment....Water....Ya I know, kind of boring but if you think about it, everywhere you look, and everyone you see has some kind of bottled water in their hands. Be it vitamin water, smart water, or those recycled, refillable water bottles. I'm curious to know: How do you drink your water?

Do you buy bottled water and open a new bottle every time, or do you have one of those little recycled bottles and just refill it yourself? I have to admit, I was buying bottled water for a while but it gets expensive, especially if we drink the "daily recommended dose" of it!! Not to mention, it's pretty bad for the environment.

I personally have started to use a recycled, refillable water bottle. For the reasons I mentioned above, it's better for our planet AND much cheaper!! I did go out and get a Brita water pitcher for the fridge, and use filtered water from it to fill my bottle=)

Even our furry babes seem to be getting in on the "Water Bottle Craze"!

So again I ask, how do you take your water?

How Do You Blog?

2010-07-15T16:37:00.004-04:00

Hey ya'll, until now my blogging has consisted of being done at home, in my pj's while cooking, cleaning or schooling my daughter. I must say it's really comfy that way. I would however, get interrupted from time to time by Mr. Gilbert. As he proudly hops into my lap, plops down & looks at me as if to say..."What Mother, were you in the middle of something?"

I've recently discovered how relaxing it can be to get out to a cafe, get a cup of coffee and work on my blog. Rather than just getting a cup to go as usual, I thought, why not bring the laptop & hang here for a while?? Last night I found a new hot spot. A local Mexican restaurant...food AND free wifi!! Dinner was great but I think I'd rather hang out with a warm cup a' joe=)

When we lived in Monterey, Ca there was a local coffee shop called Pete's Coffee and Teas. OMGosh, this would of been the perfect blogging atmosphere! The weather was great all year round, you could sit outside the cafe at one of their many wrought iron tables, or by the unique fire pit. All while surrounded by beautiful overflowing container gardens and the aroma of fresh brewed coffee.

Bottom line is...For me, no matter where I sit down (or lay back) to start my "click, click, clicking", it's always better with yummy coffee=)

So, here's the question...How do you blog? @ home in you're jammies? @ a local coffee shop? Gimme some ideas=)

You're Kidding Right? LOL

2010-07-14T13:45:00.005-04:00

You're kidding right? I posted a blog last year sometime titled "June Cleaver Wannabe"....Well folks, I'm having one of those days again. Imagine that LOL

Before I commence with this blog, let me just say, I happen to be a fan of these 50's women and wish I could be JUST like them=) (My hubby is reading this laughing his bootie off saying..."Ya, like THAT'LL happen)!

Why is it that women of the 50's are almost always pictured with gleaming smiles, perfectly styled hair, wearing a crisp, wrinkle free dress and a pair of 4 inch heals while ironing, cooking or cleaning the house? And to top it off, she appears to be LOVING it! I'm sitting here at 1pm still in my jammies wanting coffee!

Oh, and don't forget the apron. I HAVE an apron. A really pretty one with juicy red apples plastered all over it. It sure looks the part and would do the job, IF I'd ever remember to wear the dang thing! LOL NOT to mention, this husband is coming home at the end of the day wearing his trench coat & top hat carrying the mail. He obviously has a 9-5 job, how quaint=) Now, my husband works each day too. However, he wears camouflage and a Kevlar instead of a trench coat & top hat and carry's an automatic weapon instead of a briefcase. Instead of coming home at 5pm each day, he works 24/7 and we haven't seen him since January. But again, I'm not complaining, just stating how things are in my world=)

WOW, Impressive, a 10 course meal. HA Don't get me wrong people, I love my life and family, I just find it funny how the 50's women are portrayed. That cake looks yummylicious doesn't it?!?! OH and here's another thought...how in the world can one woman eat all that food and still have the waistline she does??

And this chick....THIS chick has obviously done her hair, make up and has accessorized herself all BEFORE having her coffee. LOL

HEHE

Nuff said=)))) No need to elaborate on this one;)

Now THIS my fellow Mom's and wives of TODAY, is more like it =)

And who said child labor is a bad thing? These kids don't look too miserable=) I say recruit them and delegate!

Hope you've enjoyed my thoughts this a.m. Now I'm off to clean the house and make lunch for the children. WHICH by the way will consist of a frozen meal (It's a healthy choice one people, come on, I'm not THAT bad) I'll then tackle the cleaning and i'll do it all while still wearing my jammies, hair clipie, & barefoot=))

Let's take a Walk...

2010-07-12T11:09:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to share a few of my outdoor treasures with you all today. I got out this morning, rearranged some of my container gardens and power washed my porches. I decided to take a few pics while I was out there.

Come on in=)

I love this sign=)

Celebrating the 4th=)

I made this water feature all by myself. As you can see it takes two planters of different sizes, something placed in the center of the larger planter so that it'll hold the water fountain. (I used bricks) Then you fill in the sides with potting soil and plants. Place your smaller planter on top, add your pump and water, tweak it with a little ivy and twigs and, VOILA! Love it=)) Very relaxing to sit on the porch and listen to the sound of trickling water.

This is the sweetest bird house. I love the shabbiness of it=)

This old crate houses the birdhouse Madolyn made for me. Love it.

My geraniums

This old water faucet came from my Grandmother's house. I remember playing with it when I was a little girl, sticking my head under it on hot Summer days to cool off. I had to contact a plumber to come over and remove this gem for me prior to the house being sold.

A close up of my shabby kitty

Hope you have all enjoyed our walk outdoors today. Til next time...take care =)

Do yo' thang girl...

2010-07-12T09:15:00.002-04:00

Stephanie did it again. For all of us Twilight fans, we were able to get another fix. Not one that lasted long seeing as I was able to devour this book in twenty four hours. For those of you who don't know me, that's a record!

While the story was a short one, it didn't fail to please the reader. Being able to see the Eclipse "showdown" from another's perspective gave us more insight as to what was going on in the mind's of the characters, literally.

If you've seen the movies but not read the books, I encourage you to start turning the pages. As we all know, books give us WAY more information and details than movies do.

This story absolutely left the door open for another Novella!! So, in the spirit of Eric, come on Steph, do yo' thang girl!!

A Piece of Cake

2010-07-10T13:35:00.003-04:00

While I finished this book just last night, I'm still pondering whether or not I liked it. The cover art sure draws one in with it's colorful sprinkles and possible sweetness, but this book was anything BUT A Piece of Cake.

It's a very dark book about the horrible life this woman endured. The first chapter had me looking at my own eleven year old daughter with my mouth gaping open saying "what if this was Madolyn"??? "Could you even imagine such horrors happening to your own child?"

While I liked the way it ended and the fact that she has remained clean and has a nice life now, the middle of the book was a job to get through. I understand she was addicted to drugs, I get it, but move on already...the chapters seemed to drone on and on, repeating the same information over and over again.

I especially enjoyed the epilogue where she tells the reader how some of the other characters from the book are doing now. I would however like to know where Preacher is and how he's doing.=)

While this cupcake doesn't show the colorful sprinkles on top, Cupcake herself finally got her sprinkles out of life. She deserves it!!

My Nellie

2010-07-09T11:51:00.004-04:00

"Walk With An Old Dog"

by Gayl Jokiel
Because you will not be forever,
Hope against time though I may,
I paint your picture in my memory,
Eyes blue with age, muzzle gone gray.
Because you walked with me in Springtime,
Puppy-clumsy, running free.
As you grew, we grew together-
You became a part of me.
Because you shared with me my sorrows,
Not understanding- simply there.
Often spurring me to laughter--
My friend, you know how much I care.
Because the years have slowed your fleetness,
Though your spirit still is strong.
I promise I will take more time now,
So that you can go along.
Because you do not fear the future,
Living only in the now,
I draw strength from your example-
Yet time keeps slipping by somehow.
Because the day will soon be coming
When I will no longer see
You rise to greet me-but in memory
You will always walk with me.

Gardening 101

2010-07-08T12:56:00.004-04:00

I'm a little behind in blogging about the garden this year, but you know what they say, better late than never.

I planted sugar snap peas, banana peppers, green peppers, tomatoes, and Madolyn planted a sunflower. (Sunflower pic to come)

It's now July and we've been harvesting for a while now. We still have a supply of peppers and tomatoes. The sugar snaps are a cooler weather crop and will be planted again in the Fall. =) They were delish!!

Enjoy the fruits of our labor=)

Squash planted at Mama's

Our first banana peppers

The first bell peppers to pop out

We're gonna have some maters ya'll!

Here's the first batch of sugar snaps and peppers=)

We've since harvested tomatoes and squash, both were delicious!

Madolyn Vogel Amazing Grace July 4th 2010

2010-07-05T22:16:00.002-04:00

My daughter was invited to sing Amazing Grace at the Lake Gaston July 4th Celebration. She had the opportunity to sing to the honored Veterans, paratroopers, and the widow of a former paratrooper. There were thousands of people on the lake to celebrate our Nations independence that day, and it was a true blessing for all who witnessed it.
She was able to work through her fears, gain her strength and deliver and unforgettable performance. (Pardon the video, as I was so nervous and anxious for her, I forgot to zoom in)!! It doesn't detract from her voice by any means though.
We are all so very proud of her. You see, Madolyn is a soldiers daughter. Her Daddy is currently overseas serving in Afghanistan. This year has been life changing for her. She's reached so many milestones and achieved so much, all without Daddy home with her. She's a strong and resilient young lady who has grown so much in just one short year.
I hope you enjoy the video just as much as her Daddy did when he was able to view it on youtube. She uses her singing to cheer him up and bridge the gap between them as best she can. He tells her frequently that her voice is one of the few things that makes him smile these days.
Great job babe, we love you!!

Amazing...

2010-07-05T22:14:00.002-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoHrX_xEKcY

2010-06-22T11:25:00.002-04:00

| View Sample Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book