A Doctor in the House has moved to www.beatricebanks.blogspot.com

New Address

2010-11-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

This blog has moved to a new address.

Please click on the button below to be redirected. I would be delighted if you followed me over there.

Thanks!
www.beatricebanks.blogspot.com

Goodbye and a Gratitude Giveaway

2010-11-04T16:53:00.000-07:00

It's a gratitude giveaway! For details, see the bottom of this post.

Time for my blog to grow up, spread its wings and fly so we're saying goodbye here. But read on, there's a new beginning elsewhere.
Happy 1st Birthday blog!

When I first started blogging, I had no idea how to blog, why to blog or what to blog. I just knew I loved reading blogs and decided to start my own. It seemed appropriate at the time to write about our journey through med school. My husband decided after 5 years of practicing as a Physician's Assistant, he should go back to school. Actually, his story is amazing because his very first job was hospital maintenance, in layman's terms- a janitor. He always planned to become a P.A. but earned a nursing degree first to support himself through P.A.school. Well, marriage and kids slowed things down a bit but he has steadily reached his goals. Now he is on the last rung of the ladder. We sold out, moved away and started over. We've moved 3 times in the last 3 years and probably have 2 or 3 more moves to go. He will graduate in 2012. I am so proud of my very smart hubby. He has maintained a 4.0 since day 1. It's been a time consuming, money guzzling and family sacrificing experience. Whew! Waiting for the day I can say, "it was worth it."

After blogging for some time, I realized three things. One, this blog was my hobby, not my family's. Two, I am not a doctor. (wink) And three, the blog was mostly about my personal inspiration. I've put a lot of time into my husband's career/education and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. (I'm old fashioned like that.) We are a team. He's considered me every step of the way, always putting family first. Love that man. But to be honest, he could care less about this blog. I have to ~~force~~ ask him to read it. (Maybe he stalks it? Doubtful.)

So... I've made the decision to change the name of my blog. A reinvention of sorts. Not just the name but the location. I debated this quite a bit because it will be like starting a brand new blog. The title of my current blog attracts spam and probably frustrates those looking for medical advice or med talk. Duh! Didn't think about that one. Remember, this blog was going to be for us. I never imagined people would actually read it. I didn't even know one could google the title.
Enough of my rambling. My new blog is:
The story of the blog's name is posted here.
I'd be ever so humbled, ever so grateful, if you'd follow me right on over there.

Here's the Gratitude Giveaway-
A collection of Thanksgiving goodies. No, I did not get these on fall clearance. This has been ready to go for weeks but it took me a while to put together my new blog. ( Bless Marina's heart! She was so patient with me as I kept changing the design. Check out her fabulous work at Penny Lane. )
The winner of this giveaway will recieve-

Ruffled Thanksgiving Apron
Mulled Spice Candle
Autumn Sticky Notes
Pumpkin Spice Pancake Mix

Thanksgiving kitchen towels

Gooseberry Patch Cookbook

Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Soap

White Pumpkin potpourri

Here's how to win- 1.Be a follower at Beatrice Banks! Every follower will automatically be entered.
Find out a 2nd way to win at Beatrice Banks.
Drawing will take place Friday Nov 12th.

I apologize in advance for your trouble to make this change with me. Thank you a million times over for all the encouragement, help and laughs offered a long the way. Making so many friends here, has been the most surprisingly awesome blessing ever! I hope you continue on with me. You are the best, dear friends!
Hugs and love,
TAMMY aka Beatrice Banks

Butterfly photo by Butterfly Pictures

2 Ingredient Halloween/Fall Snack Mix

2010-10-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

Need a quick snack mix for a Halloween party or a last minute teacher's gift? Here's the easiest snack mix ever. If you like Payday candy bars, you will love this mix.

Just mix equal parts, salted peanuts and candy corn.  I used the autumn candy mix because it looked more festive.  The plain candy corn might be more proportionate with the peanuts.  Use good peanuts.  The cheap variety were very greasy.  

Michael's had a package of cute tags marked down to $1.99.

Our little autumn stickers came from Zazzle. A great place to get adorable personalized stickers, etc. for a good price.

The little jar is $2 at Wal Mart.  It took 2 cups each of candy and nuts to fill.   

Happy Halloween!  

Posting to Show and Tell Friday @My Romantic Home

An Afghan- Are you kidding me?

2010-10-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

So I made my weekly trip to Goodwill yesterday, I could actually go every day if time allowed. While pilfering through the linens, I saw this afghan. It scored points with me right away. #1- it was neutral, not a crazy mix match of colors, #2- the pattern was nice with long fringe on the ends, and #3- it was spotless.

Ok, let me find the tag. Sometimes GW overprices, sometimes not. There's the little tag in the midst of the crocheted loops, kind of hidden. You must be joking. $2.42?

It almost made me cry. Not because it was such a good deal (well kinda) but because of all the hard work and hours some kind soul put into making the thing and now here it is hanging among tattered and torn linens on a plastic hanger in GW. I remembered the countless hours my own grandmother spent making afghans. As a kid, I thought she was a genius for making something so grand out of a spool of yarn. I could sit and watch her crochet for hours. She has been on my mind a lot lately. I miss her so.

This afghan was probably either given or ineherited by a family member who saw no value in it. Did I need the afghan? Maybe not, but it went into my cart about as fast as I could jerk it off the rack. It needed saving from that ridiculous price!

Here's a nice comfy chair for you, little afghan. I think we'll enjoy having you around.

Since this little afghan will bring us much pleasure, I'm linking up to Simple Pleasures over at Dayle's A Collection of This and That.

A Day in Preschool

2010-10-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm still in the borrowed house. More about that in a minute. Today has been fun because I spent the day in Pre-K! (Almost made me want to return to work, almost... )

It was my turn to read to students in Prince O's class. Can't believe my baby is in school! He has to be on the bus at 7 a.m. So early!

Can't you see how happy he is to be awake at this hour? He's like his mom when it comes to mornings.

He chose the books for me to read. His top pick was:

Love illustrations in kid's books! These are especially colorful!

To go with the elephant/circus theme, we made bags of popcorn for snacks.

Look at this cute popcorn bag, purchased at Dollar Tree. Pkg of 10- $1

Cute until you fill 20 bags with microwaved popcorn. My house is smelling very buttery!

For the teachers, Halloween pails from Target $1 bin. (All of the goodies came from Target.) Don't you love those fluffy little pens and fall themed sticky note pads? Ok, maybe not. That's the teacher coming out in me.

I saved the best for last. This was my audience after I read two stories. Aren't their expressions hilarious? My little guy is posing for me in the back. Otherwise, I'm sure he'd be as enthused as the rest of the bunch! Oh to be in preschool! Not a care in the world.

Speaking of reading books, this cute "boy reading book" statue was outside of a restaurant we visited a few days ago. Would love to have him in my backyard!

Thanks to so many of you who offered encouragement over my a/c issues. Such a minor thing in life compared to what some are going through, I'm almost embarrassed to have mentioned it. We've decided to stay put in the borrowed house simply b/c we can't afford to move. The a/c is working for now and thankfully it has cooled off so we don't need it as much. We will deal with it again when the weather changes.

I keep promising a give away. I really do have one. I'm in the process of changing my blog but waiting on the designer to deliver my template. Would like to do everything at the same time.

If you want to do something worthwhile, go volunteer in a school. If you can't do that, gather your children, grandchildren or any kids you can find, and read them a book. Great way to forget your troubles and see the world through the eyes of a child!

Vintage Find and the Unknown

2010-10-13T05:25:00.000-07:00

Found this little pillow from, where else? Goodwill. It's vintage and I love the pattern of the fabric. Wish I could find an entire bolt somewhere. In fact, it is inspiring me to redo my living room again.

But...on a more serious note, the Borrowed House. Oh the woes of the Borrowed House. You may remember the a/c problems, etc we had. Well, we're 5 months into the lease and still having major issues. Repairmen have been out no less than 11 times. Yes, that averages 2x per month. I've been smelling mildew for about 2 weeks so I started cleaning with bleach, sniffing around but could never locate the source. Bingo, our a/c quits again. Some of you may be wondering why I need a/c in Oct. Southern GA. Temp inside is 81. Actually cooler outside than inside this a.m. Repairman says there's terrible build up in the drain, even on the insulation. Eeek! So glad I do not own this house! We have to give 3 months notice to get out of the lease. Let's just say the landlord has been less than accommodating with all of this. Nothing to do but move. However, when you're on a med school budget, you do not attempt paying double rent. Prayers please.

My blog just turned a year old! I've been playing around with the layout to give this baby a spruce up but stopped in the midst of my drama. It occurred to me that I'm sort of at a blank spot in life anyway. Simplicity is what I crave.

A blog b-day giveaway is all ready to go and will be posted asap. So check back! In the meantime, my blogging may get sporadic all things considered.

"All things work together for good!"

More Fall Touches

2010-10-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some more fall touches scattered in The Borrowed House kitchen. I'm not through with overall decor in this kitchen just yet. Thinking of window treatments. I love the shutters but it looks a little plain. Still debating on which direction to take things. Maybe some black toile plates over shelf too..

The best part of fall decorating...Bargain Hunting!

Metal pumpkin: Ross on clearance last year. I need to spray paint it black but just kind of stuck it here to see how it'd look.

My little black shelf. I'm constantly tweaking it.

Silver candlesticks: Pottery Barn from Goodwill $4! They are $28 ea in PB catalog!

(oops, the cord came loose from back of shelf)

Arthur Court Waves Bowl: Gift from one of Dr's friends as a reminder of the Caribbean Sea they swam in on a medical missions trip to Honduras. For my souvenir, Dr brought me back a huge container of pure vanilla extract from Honduras. (big spender that he is) The best stuff ever! Totally transformed my dessert dishes. Wish I could get my hands on some more.

About the rest...

Apothecary filled with pumpkins: Someone commented they could not find the sugared pumpkins- that would be Wal Mart.

Clown: Ok, I'm not big into the Halloween decor per say, but this little clown was free at a yard sale last week. Can't pass up free. Especially in black and white.

Tray: How do you like? Dollar Tree! That's right. $1. Yep, it's cheap but like it, love it. The colors are so vibrant. Go get one before they sell out!
Happy Fall!

Fall Bargain at Target

2010-10-01T05:34:00.000-07:00

A little trip to the dollar section in Target and I found this adorable little wreath for only $2.50! I don't think it could even be made for that price. I love the dollar section but you have to hit it at the right time to find the good stuff. Just thought I'd share for the Target shoppers out there. Happy October!

It's just a season...

2010-09-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

Just as seasons change in nature, seasons change in life. My chalkboard inspiration- "To everything there is a season.." Reminding myself of this Proverb. I'm in a season and seasons don't last forever. Grateful for all the seasons in life.
I'm even feeling a change of season with my blogging. Next month my blog turns a year old! We'll celebrate with a giveaway. More about that later.

Speaking of seasons...AuTumN is here! Scattering a little fall around the Borrowed House kitchen. Remember my orange toned cabinets and back splash? I'm embracing the color as an accent to blacks and creams. Not a bad combo I tell ya.
If you can't beat it, join it.

Touches of fall and vignettes...

Love using my zebra rug here. It was just the right length to go in front of my working area.

And the above picture is a sneak peek of more to come. Can't wait to show you my bargains.

Fall Greetings

2010-09-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

Today is fall (at least that's what the calendar says) and I have no camera! That's right, my camera died. Guess I'll be shopping for a new one. I need cheap. Any suggestions? I was all ready to show some autumn in The Borrowed House. It'll have to wait.
(above photo courtesy of traveldestinationpictures.com)
This past weekend, we took a road trip to a little town called Thomasville. It's where my hubby is doing one of his rotations. He told me I'd love the town. He was right. Just adored it. Downtown is quite historic. My favorite were the homes. Here are glimpses from someone else's camera.

Let's go inside this one. Beautiful staircase-

Love the door..

Nice columns...

I'd have to chop down those two trees covering the columns but I could certainly sit a spell here....

Inside -this staircase is so pretty and what a unique landing....

Closer up under the wainscoating looks like painted graphics or wallpaper? Either one, it's beautiful.

Room for improvement here but look at the great bones. Bead board and fab doors (sigh)...

Nice dining with plenty of windows. The hutch is driving me crazy. Needs a buffet there...(easy to pick things a part when I don't live there. My jealousy is showing. Forgive me.)

My hubby is now required to take me back to this quaint little place. I want to stroll the streets and shop downtown. Can't wait!

This is my idea of a delightful fall day!
(photos can be found here)

He leadeth me...

2010-09-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

HE leadeth me in the paths of RigHetOuSnEss for

His name sake...

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a women's conference. The words of a particular speaker really blessed me. She said, "Sometimes when you're on a journey, God will make a deviation in your path. Go outside and look down the street. You can only see so far. You can't see the bends, curves and hills beyond. And that's how our lives are. We don't see everything on our path but God does. He sees things we don't so He causes us to take another path. Don't fight it. It's God's plan for your life." That really spoke to my heart. The path I'm on would not have been one of my choosing. But what do I know? I can't see the bends and hills. Grateful that we can trust His leading.

This is my best...

2010-09-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

While taking photos of my new great room, I remembered a couple of antique books on the mantle. One is titled "This is My Best." Well, this is my best at using what I already had to decorate with for the great room in our new rental home aka "the borrowed home." So here goes..

Remember how I wanted to add a little green to jazz it up? Brainstorm...why not use my patio pillows? Brownsfield (my last house) had a covered porch. This house doesn't. I know these pillows are made for outdoors but this is South GA and the moisture is high so why not use them indoors? I love the patterns. Purchased on Ebay.

Here is a before...

Here is the after....

All in the details and I'm still working out the details..

The only new item in here is the red clock by the media credenza. (I promise these vases of branches look much better in real life.) Somehow I couldn't get a good close up pic of the clock. Red is tricky. Looking for one more new item, a green throw for the chair.

Remember Mr & Mrs W? They have a new view

Thanks for stopping by. Please come and visit again!

Gettin' My Groove Back

2010-08-31T05:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a whole month? Yikes. A big thank you to all of my sweet blogging friends who haven't given up on me. I'm coming back as fast as I can get my blogging groove back on! A lot of transitions going on around our house. Everyone's in school now except me. Leaving tomorrow to take little Prince O to get ready for his upcoming surgery. Nothing serious but it's major to me when anesthesia is involved. I'll be back next week to show you the progress of decorating the new house on existing decor. What a challenge it's been! Thanks again!

I'm a slacker...

2010-07-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

It's true. I really am a slacker. Thanks to all of you dear friends for still commenting and stopping by even though I haven't returned the favor. Apologies. Noticed I've even lost a few followers in the process. But it's summer and I've been taking a break from it all. Had a blast on vacation with the kids. Returned back to reality of unpacking and getting settled in. It's a sloooow process. Motivation is eluding me. For any of you who have moved a lot, do you just get sick and tired of your decor? I've arranged and rearranged the same stuff over and over. Never does it work the same in each house. I used to enjoy that challenge but am now tired of the shuffling. Determined not to buy anything new while renting. Holding out. 19 months and counting! (That's when hubby graduates and we go somewhere more permanent.) My house still pretty much looks like this...

Well, I do have a dining table sitting there but that's about it. We're drowning in a sea of beige so here's what I pulled from my inspiration folder. This inspires me to add some new life into my red sofa for the family room. Going green this time, just a touch of apple green. Maybe that will wake up my decor senses and I'll get on a roll.

Courtesy of Houzz, My favorite place for ideas. Sorry I do not know the specific owner of this picture. Please come forward if it's yours. I'd love to see more.

Will post pics of my completed room some happy day!

I've decided to chill out for two more weeks and just concentrate on my kiddos. They are growing up and summer is almost gone. Prince A is entering 7th grade, eekk.. Prince O's going to pre-k. And of course, the Princess is off to college. Never have figured out how moms keep up a weekly blog all year long. I've even considered giving mine up but know when school starts, I'll have some "me" time again. Until we meet again, happy trails!

A Life of Cardboard

2010-07-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

Since when did life become cardboard boxes and packing tape? We're back from our trip home to TX, back to the reality of unpacking in our new place. We've had a lot of kinks with this house to the point I've questioned staying in it or not. You know how when you buy a car and everything goes wrong? Sort of a lemon. But moving is major. So I'd prefer to work out the kinks. Therefore, it's taking me a little longer to unpack. I'm planning another trip, this time a little vaca with my kiddos. I like for them to go on at least one adventure in the summer. They're all voting for theme park. Did I ever mention how much I hate theme parks? Especially in this heat. The things we do for our kids.

After that, I'm hoping to find some good white sand in FL. A little beach time should help me recuperate.

Wishing you all some R&R in the next few weeks.

What I'm loving...

2010-06-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

I'm back! I could complain about how tired I am from moving, the inconvenience of not having a computer for a week, my a/c going out on the day we moved in and still not fixed, waaah, waah, waah..So how about I just focus on the positive and tell you what I'm loving about the new house...

A special nook in the kitchen for my computer!

Real plantation shutters! The kind that open and close from the middle so the windows can be completely open if you choose. I've always wanted these but could never afford them. Hooray for renting!

French doors!

And a huge backyard!

Now off to unpack more boxes. This could take a while. Right in the midst of all of this, we're leaving this weekend for our (pre-scheduled) annual trip home. Looking forward to seeing family and getting away from the moving madness!

So... hello and goodbye. It'll be a while before I can post again. Thanks to all of my friends who have not forgotten me! Hope you're all having a great summer!

Early Bird Breakfast and a Message from God

2010-06-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, our church hosted a group of college students traveling with a choir. I volunteered to take 4 of the girls even though it was not the greatest of timing for me. Imagine my shock, when on the way home, I discovered one of my Canada blogging friend's (Cindy from Oakview Cottage whom I've never met in person) niece was in the car with me! It gave me chills honestly. To think of all the people in the world, she'd end up at my house. Ever had a day when you think "God do you even know where I am?" It was one of those days so I was pretty overwhelmed that God would say, "sure do!" Had a nice visit with all the girls. The next morning they voted for a simple breakfast. Had to hurry and meet up with their group so this is what I came up with. Wish I would've had fancy linens but, oh well the monogrammed paper napkins sufficed.

Thank goodness for fresh hydrangeas from the backyard. Couldn't have planned them to bloom at a more perfect time.

And thank goodness for Publix bakery!

A little seasonal fresh fruit...

Not shown was cereal, milk and juice bar located in kitchen. I think the girls enjoyed this quick breakfast. My boys did. They polished it off when the girls left!

More views of the table. We normally don't do fancy this early. But it was a special day.

Thank you God for unexpected blessings.

Posting to Tablescape Thursday over at Between Naps on the Porch.

Ok, girls (and guys if you're reading,) we're about to make the journey to move so it'll be a while before I can blog again. Don't even have internet service at the new house yet. See ya on the other side of the moving truck!

Woo Hoo!

2010-05-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone! I'm having many Woo Hoo moments today. One is I made it through surgery, and woke up! Woo Hoo! It's been a rough recovery though. The first day home, without thinking, I twisted to grab a falling water bottle and ripped one of my incisions. My tummy looks like it's been beat black and blue. 2nd hard lesson in recovery: Do not take pain med on empty stomach. Yes I did and it set off a bout of nausea/dizziness which lasted 2 days. I quit all meds cold turkey. Been painful but I'm surviving.

My other woo hoo moment is--- we finally found a house! God led us to this house. When we were driving around there a couple of weeks ago, I noticed a for sale sign and pulled a flyer. Upon returning home, we called the realtor. Come to find out, the listing was expiring last Wednesday. By Thurs. we were striking a deal. An answer to my prayer of "let me sell my house and find another one before surgery." Well, isn't God humorous? Ok, I didn't specify how long before my surgery. He answered 12 hours before. His time line is not ours anyway.
So here are some pictures. This will be transformed when decorated. But you can see the good bones it has. Need ideas, especially for the kitchen. Black granite and the oak stained cabinets (think that's oak?) are my least favorite in a kitchen.

Not liking that little thingy over the sink either. I mean, who puts those in newer houses any more? Sorry if you have one, I just don't like my window blocked. The crazy thing is, we've never been inside this house! Has anyone ever done this? We based our decision on the market, the area, the realtor's opinion, and the pics. So send me your suggestions and remember a rental means no major changes. Probably not even paint if the doc has anything to do with it.
Oh boy, now the packing starts. It'll be a slow process so my blogging will be limited. My next Woo Hoo moment will be when I'm unpacked in the new house.
Posting to Marla's Woo Hoo Wednesday over at Always Nesting.

Good news

2010-05-18T05:17:00.000-07:00

The good news is....We SOLD our house! I started to title my post good news/bad news but didn't want to be negative. So, the not so good news is.. I don't have another house to go to. We've looked everywhere this past weekend. Seems rental properties are scarce.
Here is a little slide show/snapshots of our current house. I intended to showcase each room on here but this will have to do. It's about to all come down. The boxes are coming out of the attic, the packing paper is ready to go and we're out of here by June 10th!

This picture slideshow generated with Smilebox

The other not so good news is I'm having gallbladder surgery this Friday. In addition, Prince O has to have dental surgery but no date has been set yet. Needless to say, I won't have much time for blogging over the next few weeks. Please don't forget me! Sorry I haven't had time to respond to comments. As you can see, my life is just plain crazy right now.

I hate to be put to sleep but even more hate for my baby being put to sleep. I appreciate your prayers!

Pink Saturday and the winner!

2010-05-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

The time has arrived to announce the winner of my 100th follower celebration!

Here is Prince O doing the honors...

Congratulations to.......

Diann @ The Thrifty Groove!!! Diann is the winner of a $25 Target gift card!

Her blog is really cool! Go check it out!

Thanks to all who entered and to all of the new followers! Now I can work towards my 200 goal.

I am back from moving the princess. We were so busy getting her situated that I actually didn't have time to cry. Then I was too tired to cry on the way home. I miss her already. But I'm holding up!

The dr has been very nice to me lately. I guess he knows all of these things like moving, selling the house, finding a new place, princess cutting the apron strings, etc are putting a little wear and tear on my emotions. So for no reason, he brought these home for me...

This is my lovely Pink Saturday.

My flowers may not keep but the dr.? Well he's a keeper!

A Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

Hope all of you had a wonderful day today. My family honored me with dinner out last night. Otherwise, it's been a low key but meaningful weekend. Today the dr made pancakes for me, at the boys' requests. At least this year we were all together. Last year, the dr wasn't here so my children took me downtown to the neatest little place called Boll Weevil's. I love the red painted bricks.

They specializes in ginormous desserts. And I do mean ginormous! Upon entering, there is a glass case with every kind of cake imaginable to mankind. I could stand at that counter forever trying to choose. (excuse the flash)

Can't go wrong with turtle cheesecake! One of my favs!

Get the picture of the size?

Afterwards, we went for a walk down the brick paved streets. Don't you love the charm of brick roads?

These are my kids. The lights of my life. The redhead, well, she's going off to college this week. Getting a jump start on things before school starts in fall. She hopes to get a summer job. She'll be about 3 hours from our next place. boo hoo And who said kindergarten was hard?? Can't believe I have to go through this 2 more times with the boys. But, she's my only daughter. My firstborn. This was a sad happy mom's day for me. But I'm proud of the independent woman she's becoming. Spread your wings and fly baby girl! It's nice to be a proud mamma but hard to be a scared one.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway Target gift card here.
Will be gone with the princess this week. Be back in time for the giveaway. Have a great week!

A Giveaway and a Birthday!

2010-05-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

It's a woo hoo moment for me! I have 100 followers/friends! So, I'm having a giveaway in honor of blog friendship! It's a $25 gift card to Target. Three ways to enter:

1. Be a follower. If you're a new follower, tell me about it in my comment section.

2. Leave a comment as simple as hi, no explanation necessary.

3. Post about my giveaway on your blog and leave me a link to it in a separate comment.

If you do not have a blog, be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

You have until midnight May 13th to enter.

Winner will be randomly selected.

I'm so happy to have met some of the nicest people ever in blogland. I don't always have time to visit you as much as I'd like, but it's been so much fun surfing through your blog. Thanks for your friendship!

Giveaway will be Friday May 14th.

Posting to Woo Hoo Wednesday @ Always Nesting

Pink Saturday @How Sweet the Sound (Hope the pink flowers on the gift card count as a pink post!)

Show n Tell Friday @My Romantic Home

Inspiration Saturday @The Inspired Room

And for my regular posting...

Happy Birthday Colton!

This is a baby shower some friends and I threw for a dear sweet friend. The baby is soon to have his first birthday. How time flies!

We printed these monogram water bottle labels right on the printer. Then tied ribbon around the bottles and placed them in an iced down baby tub to add a little personal touch.

A place to leave well wishes.

My favorite- toile anything, here toile napkins....

The honoree's sister made little "poop diapers." Styrofoam cups, napkins, safety pin and caramel popcorn.

A baby carriage fruit bowl...

The table centerpieces-

A parting treat for the guests. Honey buns in little white bags.

The Birthday Boy! I love him!!!

Archtiecture

2010-04-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

My last pics of Savannah for now. Just a small sampling of the beautiful architecture. Above is a cathedral downtown,The Cathedral of St.John the Baptist, the oldest Roman Catholic church in GA. You can see all kinds of detailed architecture while roaming the streets. The row houses and old homes downtown are just dreamy. Unfortunately, I did not get pictures of any freestanding homes which I consider to be mansions. Sometimes when engrossed in the moment, I forget to take pictures. Mental note to self- "take pics of houses" on next trip. Love to walk, or more likely ride, for hours up and down the streets and city squares looking at all these beauties.

This is Johnny Mercer's great grandfather's house, built in 1860.

And a little bit more of the flowers from a friend's perspective ..

Ok. Now I must return to reality. Much to do in the upcoming weeks. When I need a break, I'll reflect on my tranquil photos. Adding this to the Woo Hoo! Party over at Always Nesting. Thanks Marla!

Bonaventure in Pink

2010-04-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

May sound kind of creepy, but Bonaventure is a cemetery in Savannah. Beautiful live oaks, flowers and monuments abound. The historic cemetery has been around since the 1800's. One of Savannah's most famous people, Johnny Mercer, is buried here. He's the songwriter who wrote "Moon River" in 1961. He requested to be buried here before he died in 1976.

(I "borrowed" these pics from a friend. She's a great photographer.) Posting all of this pink to Beverly's How Sweet the Sound, Pink Saturday, Show N Tell over at My Romantic Home, and Inspiration Friday at Melissa's The Inspired Room.

One of my favorite things about Savannah trees is the moss which hangs from them. Did you know where the term "Don't let the bed bugs bite" came from? People used to make mattresses out of the moss until they found out there were critters which bit them at night.

Love the beautiful monuments. Pure art.

A little bridge over water, so dreamy...

Nature at best...

How would you like to take your final ride in this?

Farewell...

Diversion

2010-04-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

Not only is this a diversion in my posts, it's a diversion in my life.

It's official.

My house has a for sale sign in the front yard now.

boo hoo We have to move to SW Georgia so the dr can complete his training. We'll only be there two years and after that, who knows where we'll land. So I might as well put on my "big girl panties" and roll with the flow.

We just bought this house a year ago and never dreamed we'd be moving so soon. But... we have to go where there's a better opportunity for dr and, ultimately our family, as he'll have a better schedule.

Ugh! Hate having to stress over keeping the house spotless all the time. Good news is I've already had 2 inquiries with 2 showings. Pray we can sell quickly in this slow market!

Saturday, I stood at the glass screen door and watched as dr drove the stakes in the ground. A lot went through my mind in that moment. All the days I've scoured thrift and Goodwill to find the perfect pieces, the flowers I've planted, sitting on the back porch listening to the crickets or watching the boys play football, having wonderful parties, grill outs and so many more memories. All in just a short year. I love my home, no matter where it may be. And the next house will be my home just as much as this one.

Maybe you think I'm getting nostalgic too quick but I have to get it out of my system now so I can get busy with the job at hand. I won't look back again until moving day when we pull out. Then all these thoughts and emotions will come washing over me at once. I'll cry, maybe for 1 mile, maybe for 10. Then I'll dry it up and dream of my next place.

River Street

2010-04-20T04:56:00.000-07:00

Another favorite place to go in downtown Savannah is River Street. Shops and restaurants on one side, water on the other and old brick road in between. Charming.

Blissful.

But, let me tell ya something girlfriend...No trip to Riverstreet is complete without a stop at the Savannah Candy Kitchen. yum!

When you walk in the door, free samples of pecan pralines are offered. That will cure your sweet tooth, but will leave you salivating for all things sugary and sweet which are displayed in abundance throughout the shop. You can watch them make all sorts of candy, including taffy with all the machinery.

One of their specialties are caramel/candied apples of every kind-

Yes, they taste as good as they look. They also have an ice cream bar with the creamiest ice cream ever. That's the dr's favorite.

But my favorite are these-

Those are pecans. On top are dips of caramel then chocolate. They'll break these off into candy pieces. I can't even compare these to turtles b/c they are far more divine than that.

I bought some to savor while we strolled by the river but needless to say, devoured them before I got 10 ft from the exit.

Talking about a kid in a candy store! This makes me go woo hoo! so I'm posting to Woo Hoo Wednesday over at Always Nesting. Thanks for the party Marla!

Savannah, The place I said yes...

2010-04-18T05:41:00.000-07:00

Today is my anniversary- appropriate to take you back to the place where the dr proposed to me many years ago-right in front of the fountain at Forsythe Park. So romantic! Took me to dinner at Elizabeth's on 37th St and then for a horse and carriage ride. We ended up in front of the fountain. He told me how the fountain represented new beginnings to him which is why he wanted to bring me there for the next chapter in his life. (When looking at attending PA school in Savannah, the fountain always showed up on all the literature, becoming a symbol of the city/new beginnings to him.) Then he dropped to one knee and proposed. Of course, we had a little audience sitting around on benches, etc. But for me, we were the only ones in the universe. time stood still and my life forever changed. Without hesitation the answer was YES! ( And I haven't regretted it for one single minute!) He brought out a little box, opened it and it took my breath away. He slipped the ring on my finger. Our audience cheered. That's my love story. Thrilled to visit the place last weekend. Happy Anniversary Babe!

Someone else is finding romance there too...

I even have a painting of this fountain in my house...

Sweet memories.....

Savannah, part 3 Landscape-the azaleas

2010-04-16T05:37:00.000-07:00

And here's the real beauty of Savannah. Downtown is just about my favorite place in the world, well, I haven't been to Paris yet.

Spring is the best time of the year to visit. Can you spell a-z-a-l-e-a-s? They're in abundance! Every city square, every park, every sidewalk.
In honor of all the pink ones, I'm posting to How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday!

Lots of weddings taking place in Forsythe Park that day.

Aren't the trees magnificent? 2 more posts to come on the beauty of this place!

Savannah, The hotel part 2

2010-04-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Today I'm posting pics of our hotel suite just for the decor. Since this is not the decor I have at home, it was a real treat! To me, this was not the typical hotel look. I could see this being in a home, like a city loft or a modern bungalow. I loved it! Since I also pay attention to details, my camera captured more of those than the big picture. Loved every single texture and color.

A nice splash of bright green to rejuvenate the weary after a long day of walking downtown...

Ok, are you digging the pattern on the wallpaper? I sure did! I had to walk up and feel of it to make sure it was wallpaper. Never did see the seams.

More green and patterns:

Love the little lamp!

Cool mirror over the bar area-

The cabinetry was cherry and had the long stainless handles. So vogue!

Even going green on the coffee!

Check out these awesome white leather chairs at the table-

And the desk chair is divine- swivel and white leather-

One more detail I had to get in was the silver faux animal skin ottoman. A surprise element in the room. Just got closeups b/c I was taken back with the texture-

The sofa made out into a queen bed so all of the above is in the main room. The bedroom and the main room shared an L shaped bath. Great layout. You could enter the bath from either room. More of the cherry cabinetry. Look at the stainless bar for towels.

And the shower was a great stand alone with a beveled glass look. Never seen anything like this in a hotel either. (We don't get out much!)

Then of course, the bedroom. The first thing I always look at when entering a hotel room is the bed, inside and out. I'm a stickler for cleanliness. What could be more clean, crisp and inviting than a solid white duvet with lots of pillows?

Found some more interesting texture. This time on the wallpaper behind the bed. Faux animal skin again. Love it!

The headboard made to look "custom" with wood and leather.

Even the window treatments looked custom with lots of detail.

I would like a lamp like this one.

Ok, there you have it. The doctor has permission to take me back to this place any time!

Savannah, The Hotel part 1

2010-04-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was my birthday and next Sunday is our anniversary. My sweet husband planned a whole weekend getaway to our favorite romantic spot, Savannah, GA. Grateful to our friends who came and picked up our boys. We NEVER get to go anywhere alone. Then my childhood best friend and her husband flew in from TX just for my birthday. I felt really special! I'll be posting some pics over the next few days of our trip. The first part is our hotel. Embassy Suites, a new one in the airport area. We were so impressed. Very sleek and contemporary decor. I could not stop taking pictures! Loved it but am wondering if I could ever live with such a minimal look since I love my "things."

Walking into our hotel. It was gorgeous!

The lobby-

Seating areas in lobby-

Water feature was beautiful with detailed tile work and colored lights-

Elevetor area-

Love the red chest-

View from our balcony-

To be continued...

Could this be his last Egg Hunt?

2010-04-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

My 11 year old informed me he was "getting too old Easter." What?! Can't you see the excitement level here in comparison to his 4 year old brother? He was not impressed with his Easter basket. Maybe if it would have had a PS 3 game or an I Tunes gift card. But Easter is for bunnies, eggs and chocolates. Why doesn't he appreciate that? Where did I go wrong?? My baby is growing up : (

My handsome sons!

The church Easter Egg Hunt. Prince O wanted to swing and Prince A would not be caught dead hunting eggs!

Silly boy!

Shhh.. don't tell him I posted this pic. Prince A is actually enjoying a little egg hunting in privacy at home, of course. (We had a money prize egg, once he found it, he was done!)

He asked me to take this pic. Went and put on his skinny jeans with shirt and tie. Stylin'! I told you my baby is growing up!
Hope everyone had a great Easter and made good memories. I sure did!

Easter Traditions

2010-04-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

What are your Easter Traditions?

#1 THE CROSS- We start a week early talking about the cross. This past Sunday, our family had a nice dinner and a long discussion about the cross. Then each of us, including the kids, told what it meant to us.

When He was on the cross, I was on His mind!

He is risen!

2. Bunnies- Have you ever made the bunny cake out of two round cakes? Made my first in a high school home ec. class. My 4 year old hasn't made one yet so we may just pull out the pans, cake mixes, icing, and jelly beans.

3. Cupcakes- What about the Easter basket cupcakes? Local bakeries are selling such pretty cupcakes now that it almost seems a waste to make them. Still fun to bake though!

4. Egg Hunt- The ultimate for kiddos! My kids want me to hide the eggs again and again. When the adults get too tired, we let the kids hide them for us to find. Now that's fun!

Hope you have a blessed Easter!!
Posting to How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday!

Picture shopping for Easter....

2010-03-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

Posting to How Sweet the Sound Pink Saturday

It's Sunday, just sayin'

2010-03-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Our Founding Fathers would have gotten on their knees and prayed to determine how to vote on an important issue like health care and since it is Sunday, this would have been the most excellent day to pray, instead of using Sunday as a voting day.

God Bless America

Collages

2010-03-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

Find me on Polyvore
I really don't need another hobby, project or web site to give me something to do. In fact, I'm drowning in the stuff already. But..I recently found a blog called The Old House in Texas owned by Necel. She gave a great ~~addiction~~ tip. Polyvore.com. A site where you can click and drag all sorts of art and fashion to make collages. If you need retail therapy but can't afford it, this is for you. So fun! Scroll over the above collages and you'll see my first set, "Paris." Paris is a dream trip which hubby has promised me when he finishes school/residency. You can click on each individual item to find out its source and price. Like the $1,435 purse from Barneys. (cough, choke) But the camera is only $140 at Wal Mart. I liked the color. Go over to Polyvore and try it, you'll love it!

Also want to mention a fab giveaway over at Always Nesting- a $25 TJ Maxx gift card. Boy, wouldn't I like to win that! If you haven't met Marla yet, go visit her blog. She's one of the sweetest and wittiest ladies I've met in blogland.

To Ebay or Not to Ebay, Spring

2010-03-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

How do I know it's Spring? I just made over $600 by selling my sons' spring clothing from last year on Ebay! I buy my kids clothes from consignment, yard sales, clearance in dept. stores/ boutiques and even ebay. I look at it as an investment. Friends ask how much time it takes to sell on ebay. Broken into segments- taking pictures, listing and then packing/shipping, approx. 3 days worth of work for 80 listings, 65 sold.

For Pink Saturday, here's a sampling of what I sold -

The RL shirt was purchased on clearance at Dillard's last year for $9.99. Sold for $7. Some other shirts bought at the same price sold for 9.75.

The Abercrombie set was purchased at a yard sale for $5 and sold for $22. Not a bad return. Maybe I'll even have a little left over to buy these cute tennis shoes found at .Zazzle.

Well, not really. They're cute but not $60 cute. The only place I'd probably wear them is to the kids' Egg Hunt. Come to think of it, it's the teacher in me who's really attracted to them. Where else would you hear, "Oh, Mrs. W, I love your shoes! They're beautiful. Can I try them on? Hey everybody, look at Mrs. W's shoes!" and then immediately be swallowed up with oohs, ahhs and giggles. I love kids!

Thanks to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for hosting Pink Saturday!

Are there any fellow Ebayers out there who sell/buy kids clothing or other items on Ebay? Share a tip if you have one. (This is not a promo for Ebay and sadly, I don't even get paid for advertising.)

Top 10 things I have learned, still have a lot to learn!

1. Always list the size in the title. Some newbies forget that. Everyone searches by size first.
2. Name brands sell best. Gap, Gymboree, Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie, Tommy Hilfiger, Strausburg, if you buy kids' clothing, you know the hot brands. List it in the title. If you have something which isn't name brand, pair it. Circo shorts suddenly look different when paired with a RL shirt. A sure sell every time? Smocked clothing. Never listed one which didn't sell.
3. Sell seasonal items. Winter items won't sell well in the spring. Put them in a box and save them for early fall. The later it is in the season, the harder to sell, or get maximum amount. ***Only sell very clean, spotless clothing. If there's any imperfection, disclose it.
4. Don't overprice items. Search to see what the average price is going for. I do better selling individual items/sets vs lots. Just a personal preference. I do lots when I don't think the items will sell on their own. Auction style, 7 days, seem to work best for me. You limit yourself with "Buy it now" and a set price.
5.. Buy a pair of scales. Worth every penny. This is a must if you're going to sell more than a few items!
6. Pay postage through PayPal. It saves money and time.
7. Use Avery shipping labels to print out address labels/postage via PayPal. Another fantastic time saver! (That option is right on your ebay listing at the time customer pays.)
8. Items over 14 oz. must ship priority instead of first class (the cheapest way to mail.) The USPS has free priority mail envelopes which are thick enough to not tear during shipping. Pick up as many as you need in your USPS lobby.
9. If you mail in a brown envelope (my preference), put the clothing in a gallon zip lock bag or some kind of plastic. Otherwise, it can get damaged or wet. I once received an outfit where the red ink from the postal stamp bled through the package and damaged it.
10. Courtesy goes a long ways. You want to receive positive feedback to build up your rating. Otherwise, buyers will not buy from you. Work with people when they're not happy even if you have to give a refund. Just like anything in life, communication is key.

I know there are many of you out there who are probably pros. But for anyone just getting started, I'm happy to help you if you need it. Just email me.
Happy Ebaying!
tAmMy

Cottage Inspiration

2010-03-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

My idea of the perfect decor is forever changing. Wish I could own a home to reflect every single style I love. An urban loft in the city, a ranch in the country, a cottage near the beach, an arts and crafts in the burbs, a Victorian or Tudor in historic downtown, a Georgian on lush acreage and a farmhouse near the lake, just to name a few. I have H.I.C. (aka House Identity Crisis) But for today, I am inspired by my new Cottage Style magazine. Have you got a copy yet? Oh, you must! Here's a sampling. The photos are all so luscious. (The pink decor is for Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound, check out all the pink loveliness over there. And of course, the inspiration is my contribution to Friday Inspiration over at the Inspired Room, a beautiful blog!)

On a tech note, can anyone tell me why some of my photos come up as a blank square and why some photos do not show up on other blogs on my screen? Thinking maybe I did something wrong with one of my settings? Any help is greatly appreciated as I'm also C.I.C. (aka Computer Intellectually Challenged)

My dream beach cottage, pink bike and all.

Likey the globes ...

An abundance of roses speaks opulence...

Lovely pink inspired bedrooms...

My favorite, since I'm so hung up on ottomans. Look at the crisscross of the tacks. Sweet...

Inspire yourself this week with your favorite home decorating magazines! It's refreshing!

Baby Pink

2010-02-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

This little dress belonged to me as a baby. That makes it over 40+ years old! I love smocking and have dressed all of my children in smocked outfits, even my boys. Smocking is timeless. I keep these little sentimentals in my curio cabinet. The rosette headband belonged to Princess. Headbands were just coming into vogue then (19 years ago) and I took a lot of criticism from people for "putting that tight thing on my baby's head" or "it looks like a helicopter." She survived and turned out to be a very intelligent young lady. However, there are days when I wonder if maybe it did cut off some circulation to the brain. (Just kidding! She's a good girl.) The little boy blue plate was a thrift store find but looks so much like my youngest. (He's the one with the attitude.) There's nothing softer than a pink baby dress. Almost makes me want another baby. Speaking of which, if you like to read good birth stories, head over to Design Mom. The best I've ever read in my entire life is the story of Nella Cordelia. (You'll need a box of tissues.) Have you hugged your child today?

Posting to Pink Saturday over at How Sweet the Sound.

Love the little details...

Looks like it was made in the Philippines...

A little tattered and torn by now, but still a classic...

Free Taste of Spring

2010-02-19T06:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was winter, today is spring. Well, not really. But I've got a taste of spring and it was free! Don't you love freebies? For the past two weeks, my neighborhood grocery store, Food Lion, has offered me free flowers upon check out. I guess b/c of the expiration date. I thought flowers were good until they died. Oh well, yes a 1000x's yes, I'll take them. Pulled a couple of strays and they still look good. Just added a 2nd boquet yesterday.(not pictured) I'll be sure to buy groceries once a week whether I need them or not. A boquet of springtime wishes to you!

These inspire me so I'm posting to the Inspired Room . Love all the inspiration over there! And of course, it was a Frugalicious Find so I'm posting to Finding Fabulous! Love bargains!

Our Snow Day

2010-02-18T11:35:00.000-08:00

I realize by now everyone is ready for Spring and you probably don't want to see more snow pictures. But... you must understand the significance of snow for us here in the south. It's so rare! Our family had such fun playing in it last week. This post is for my family and all the wonderful memories we made.

When it started snowing everyone was gone but me. I was squealing and running through the house. A person can only squeal to one's self for so long. They finally arrived home at dark. We didn't care that it was freezing and the neighbors were all snuggled in their houses. We hooped and hollered (another Southern thang) until 10 p.m.

Snowball fights!

The next morning we awoke to a winter wonderland...

Yours truly had to make a snow angel! Haven't done that since childhood! Brrr.. it was cold laying there!

I loved how the pine branches were heavy with snow! You can see it starting to melt. We don't get it often and can't keep it for long!

And here was God's Valentine's gift to us...

Happy Memories!

Love Letters

2010-02-12T21:28:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most romantic gifts my hubby ever gave me. And it wasn't even for Valentine's. It's a beautiful anthology of love letters written by famous authors of the past. Each page is full of passionate literature and gorgeous art. The real beauty is copies of the original letters( in authentic handwriting) folded inside of an envelope- attached to the pages of the book. I heart this book! I keep it on my bedside table. It's pretty to look at. (Posting to Pink Saturday over at How Sweet the Sound. )

What could be sweeter than these poetic letters? A little love letter from my 4 year old prince, of course!

I know the heart is glued upside down and the message is quite messy, but it's priceless to me!

And today, my house looks like a florist! A Valentine's church fundraiser so the flowers were delivered to me, all 300 of them! Carnations are not my favorite flower but after seeing these today, maybe so. We're going to wrap each stem in tissue and tie with a bow. Right now they're soaking in water, hopefully opening up before Sunday. For those interested, these were ordered online from Sam's for $149. A good deal, however, there were a few damaged.

Dream Big, Dream in Red

2010-02-12T09:51:00.000-08:00

It's the end of my color challenge. I've had so much fun living my life vicariously through beautiful photography. Earth to Tammy. Ok, I'll start creating my own dreams, maybe. But don't wake me yet. Today, I'm dreaming in red for V-Day. Enjoy the romantic journey!
(Thanks to all the lucky owners and talented photographers of these images.) Posting to Brambleberry Cottage~ 14 days of love. Today is "the perfect gift" and the 13th is "romantic escapes". I'm really not this materialistic girls.;) A girl's gotta dream right??

Places to go, things to do...

Ways to get there...

And hopefully there's room in the luggage for some of these pretty gifts to wake up to on Sunday morning...

Sweet Valentine dreams my friends!  xxoo tAmMy

What to Wear/ Red Eye Candy

2010-02-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

And the red continues for this color challenge of mine. Red attire for V-Day! I love to wear red! One little splash of red can "wow" an outfit in a jiff. Red shoes are my favorite. I own two pair but would love to own more, especially those cute heart pumps above. Ok, so I also had to throw in a little red lingerie. It wouldn't be V-Day without it. Even if you just slip on a little red underneath. Red is spicy! Will you wear red on the 14th?

Shoes and more shoes, but never enough shoes..

Dresses, ruffles and romance..

For the love of it....

Purses and other fun things...

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

2010-02-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup lemon juice

Cream the cheese and gradually add milk, beat until blended.

Blend in lemon juice and 1 tsp vanilla.

Pour into a graham cracker crust.

Top with cherry pie filling.

Now enjoy a delicious pie, red for V-Day!

Posting to Brambleberry Cottage 14 days of love!

Edible Eye Candy and Such

2010-02-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

It's part 2 of Eye Candy in RED, the Color Challenge. I can't get enough of red. It's so delicious! This post comes with a warning: Eat before you read!!

Candy, Sweets , Treats and All things good to eat!

Flowers, the must have on Valentine's

One week until the Special Day!

Have a sweet week! tAmMy

Eye Candy, Red of course!

2010-02-05T20:46:00.000-08:00

This is the last color of my color challenge and what else but... red, of course. Red is not just for Valentine's Day. It makes a bold statement. I once read where you should have something red in every room, no matter the color scheme. Some decorator's opinion anyway. I have a little red in every room but my bedroom. Being a sleepy head who can't stand anything brighter than an alarm clock in her eyes, I can't imagine waking up to red. But, these bedrooms are really charming. Definitely a warm cozy feel. The red foyers look very welcoming. What I'd really love is one of those ovens with the "red knobs!" Enjoy this red house tour!

This post will be the same format as the past color posts, but I'm spreading the post out over several days. Red is a lot to take in. (Thanks to all of the contributors of these photos.)

Posting to Brambleberry Cottage for the fourteen days of love, today's topic is "seeing red."

Things around the house inside and out...

xxooxxoo tAmMy

Signs of LOVE

2010-02-04T13:18:00.000-08:00

I've never really decorated anything other than my table for Valentine's. But.. with all this cuteness around, I'm thinking about it. These are some of the lovely little signs and trinkets I saw at Hobby Lobby and Michaels. Holding out to see if they go on sale after Valentine's. Love the little flower balls. They'd look great in my big clear glass vase. You can never go wrong with pink! Especially at Valentine's.

Posting to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound where a whole lot of pink can be found! Also posting to Brambleberry Cottage's Fourteen Days of Love! (Straight to the heart.)

Wednesday Gratitude

2010-02-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

Today is the first Gratitude party over at Heart and Home! There are so many wonderful parties around on blogland. It's impossible to participate in all of them, all the time, even though I'd love to. But when I saw this one on gratitude, I wanted to jump right in. I have so much to be thankful for. Right at the top of the list are these people. The ones who really know me inside and out. Love me, argue with me, laugh with me, cry with me, play with me, pray with me, eat with me, sleep with me, talk with me, disagree with me, clean with me, cook with me, ride with me, joke with me, need me, kiss me, hug me, get tired of me, put up with me and still love me. My heart is full because of

my family!

Chocolate Eye Candy

2010-02-02T08:17:00.000-08:00

What is Valentine's without chocolate? My earliest recollection of Valentines is a heart shaped box of chocolates. My dad always brought home a beautiful box of chocolates for my mom and me every Valentines when I was growing up. (Must be why I'm emotionally attached to it!) Now, I just automatically expect a box on V-day. One year, hubby waited too long (he always buys gifts 30 minutes prior) and could not find a box. He really surprised me by being creative (not normally his style) and bought every kind of candy bar he could find. Then he wrote me the sweetest letter telling what each one represented, i.e. Milky Way- "You are my universe, you send me over the moon and stars, Payday- That's how I felt the day I married you," etc etc. Needless to say, that letter is kept close by in a drawer. I always buy chocolates for my children. They've come to expect it too. The dr does not like chocolate! Can you imagine a person not liking chocolate? I don't know how we became one with such a fundamental difference! (I'm slowly trying to convert him.) A dear friend of mine said when she dies, she hopes to be buried in a vat of chocolate. That's pretty much how I feel about it.

This post is a double one. I'm participating in a fun party over at Brambleberry Cottage- 14 days of love. First day is "how do you make this day stand out from the rest?" Chocolate. We don't binge on it every day, although I'd love to. But at my house, you're allowed to eat as much chocolate as you want on the 14th. The only other day which comes close is Oct 31st.

Then, of course, this is my next to last post on the color challenge, romantic eye candy. The color today is ~~brown~~ chocolate. Wonder when the color word was changed in the decor world? Sounds much more delicious and beautiful. So enjoy these chocolate images! (Thanks to all the photographers/artists/owners of them all!) Two of my favorites are the ginormous Chocolate Fountain at the Bellagio in Vegas and the solid chocolate room by Godiva. All of these are simply, chocolicious!

Flowers, food and edible treats-

Things to wear...

Around the house...

Gifts ...

Places to go....

Ways to get there...

Frugalicious Friday

2010-01-29T09:39:00.000-08:00

Time for Frugalicious Friday over at Finding Fabulous and I get to post something there today! Yesterday while browsing around in Target, I noticed a lot of people looking in the bedding department and for good reason! Seems they just marked a lot of items down to 75% off! My eyes and heart did a double take when I saw the tag on the "love bird pillows" I've been eying for quite a while. They were originally 24.99 marked down to 6.24! Oh happy day! Bought the two left on the shelf. Don't know if it'll be overkill to put both of them on my bed but I figured grab them while I can, return later if necessary.
I love the pattern on the back of them too, great flip flop for the winter-fall season.

Then I found even more bargains.

This quilt and sham for Prince O's bed @ 7.49

Queen sheets $6 and King sheets $10 and $18, (The O'Brien sheets were originally $75.) Everyone in my house got new sheets!

Don't you just love these colors? Makes me ready for Spring!

Yay for Tar-jay!