christmas pup

My sweet talking younger son has been wanting a lab for years now, and my answer has always been "no!".  We already have a shi tzu and I just didn't want the responsibilities that come with raising another pup.  But as you can see in the above photos, I caved the minute he brought home this adorable pup "Bella" and he proceeded to give me a sob story that she was unwanted and had to find a home immediately...and well, I couldn't say no any longer.  She has been a joy, (and a pain some of the time...chewing up stuff and a few training problems) but mostly a lot of fun!  She's growing fast as you can tell...just 6 weeks since we took her in and she has tripled in size!!!

taco soup

We had a very cold and snowy weekend and I decided to make Taco Chili or Taco Soup whichever you prefer to call it.  My family is not a fan of soups, so I call it chili...(boys!).  Anyway, it was so good I had a second helping and decided it would be worth sharing with my blog friends.  Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground chuck
1 tsp black pepper
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 pkg taco mix
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1 to 2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can corn, undrained
1 can chili beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can fireroasted mexican style diced tomatos, undrained
1 can rotel, undrained
1 can green chilies, chopped
1 can tomato soup

Brown meat in skillet on medium high heat, cooking slowly.  Add onions, and seasonings and cook till onions are cooked tender, but not transparent.  Transfer mixture to crockpot, and add all can good ingredients and stir, adjust temp to low cooking and allow to cook until mixture bubbles....then it's ready!  Layer a few frito corn chips to the bottom of your bowl, add soup and top with shredded cheese.  YUM, YUM!!!  Enjoy :)

older son's room makeover

After my son moved out I took over his room to make it a multi purpose room for relaxing and working out...well.......that was the plan, and then he moved back home, so the remake is on hold, but I did get this far, painted bahama yellow walls and bead board and trim in white....I love the room so far and look forward to finishing it someday in the future.  I'll be thinking and working on more ideas to make it perfectly beachy, cozy and tranquil!

creative card making

Spent some time creating a variety of thank you and thinking of you cards....I love paper....it makes it hard to give away when they turn out so pretty.  But I don't have many left from this project, most have been mailed out or given away as gifts.  I love being creative, this is very therapeutic!

tablesettings from the past holidays

These are just a few tablescapes from this past years holidays and events in my home.  Fun Times!

cookies at christmas with girls

Had a very fun day with these girls.  :) They made cookies to hand out to members at church or to anyone they wanted to share them with, plus they got to taste test....yummy!  They made bags with scrapbooking materials and we had hot chocolate and listened to christmas music.  I think I had just as much fun and it was a beautiful memory in the making! We did this the first Sunday of December, I'm a little late in posting.  :(

working on dining room ideas

I've been in the process of trying to decide what I want to do with my dining room...it's a pass through area from my living room to my kitchen and has always left me puzzled about the best way to decorate and resource it's use. I have had to use it as an office space in the past, but now I'm leaning toward making it totally a dining space.

Looking at one of my favorite websites for ideas and furniture, I go again to my favortie spot the pottery barn. I just love Pottery Barn. I want so much to create a room with a dining idea from PB. And looking forward to spring, I spotted this to savor as a possiblity.

Still thinking and trying to decide. But it could be the ONE.

inspiration found

Just love the white combinations soooo clean looking, dreaming of a cottage with these looks someday soon....ahhh pb you're the best!

Star-spangled Bunco

Bunco time again...what a night. It started out on the back deck and in the back yard, with appetizers and drinks. Looked stormy, but still hopeful nothing will happen. Go in for dinner: Grilled All American Burgers and Dogs, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Chips, Watermelon, Apple Pie and Ice Cream! Ready to come back out doors after that fulfilling meal, but raindrops started falling and in the best interest, gathered up as much as possible and stayed in...a good time still, but had so much money and time invested was a little disappointed, but trusting in God, knew it was best for us to be blessed with the rainfall. Pictures as you can see. Fun!

memorial weekend continued

Yesterday, after church the guys went fishing, so I pull out a book I've been intending to read for months....and begin...I finished at 1:30 am...couldn't stop till I had finished it. The name of the book was called Sarah's Key....it was a two fold story of times of war in Paris, 1942 and modern day 2002...it was very good, I do recommend.

Today, went to families for a fish fry! It was extremely yummy...ate so much, I haven't been hungry since! Which is a good thing, but hopefully the scales won't be tipping because of the celebrating. Water areobics should help tomorrow night.

Now it's back to work time again....I'll just be dreaming until the next time off comes! PB rescue me! :)

Memorial Weekend

Enjoying a great start to the extra long weekend....and taking time to be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy, because of all those who went before and devoted themselves to fighting for our rights to remain free! Daydreaming of lots of great outdoor activities to come this summer. Looking at PB for options and ideas!

snow again....

I guess we are really having winter this year. It's good I guess. Certainly pretty when it's falling from the sky. The biggest snowflakes I think I've ever remembered. The purity is so refreshingly calm and peaceful...worthy of the word BEAUTIFUL!! Before anyone steps into the snow, it's perfect! The melting is at the opposite end of the spectrum....UGLY, sloppy, dirty....ugh. But you have to take the bad with the good, right? A record 8 inches for this Feb. 8, 2010. I should've made snow ice cream, but I didn't. Maybe even made a snowman, but not, not that either. Just looked out the window as the flakes fell...soaking in the beauty of every single flake...so big, so pretty.

Did I make any progress on projects, yeah, I did some scrapbooking valentine crafts?! That's good, huh?!

Thinking of the purity of the white and how much I like it, made me think of a great organizing tool....ta'da!...Pottery Barn to the rescue! Love it! When my oldest child moves out, hope to replace his dark armoire with the one above.

inspiration....holding on

So, today I got my new PB teen catalog....loved the ideas and feel like I can use some of these items in my beach room, and my future sunrise beach room...I love the idea of the beach so much, I'm going to make two rooms in my house beachy. Progress is slow, but getting there. One room is so close to being finished....with Spring ahead I know I'll get the painting accomplished...then new rugs, curtains, and wall treatments, and maybe a new light fixture.

Here's my inspiring idea of the day...thanks PB teen! :)

I feel good.....

James Brown sentiments....echo through my head as I wind down after the events of the day. Painting of the dinning room/office/library...is on track, or at least not forgotten indefinitely....painted another section today. A small success in the right direction. Moved furniture, a little organizing of an old piece of furniture in a new spot, some thorough cleaning here and there and lots of good things accomplished at church today and ....exactly...I FEEL GOOD. Can we keep this feeling alive please!

Thinking about the seagrass chair in my breakfast nook, maybe a pair of them, instead of a table....???

snowing...and burr, it's cold

The day has held surprises with the beginning flurries of the morning, continuing all day long and accumulation now building on roads, autos, and roof tops in the neighborhood. And tomorrow is the first day back to work after the holidays....oh well, Murphy's law, I guess...lol! It is so surprising though, this neck of the woods rarely sees much snow, so when it comes, you just have to stop what your doing if you want to enjoy the experience, because it just doesn't last long. I expect it to stop any minute, let's see by morning if I'm still surprised.

Spent part of the lazy times of this day, planning out a few projects. An armoire for my son, and some built in benches for my breakfast nook. Both projects are going to be done on a dime, so I hope I can be really creative and smart. The armoire will be beach inspired, so I'm thinking rope, seashells, marbles, trim, ect...on the front of an inexpesive storage piece from Home Depot, and maybe some splashes of paint....still thinking.

The breakfast nook seemed very easy, until I found ideas from books around my home, now I'm thinking it might need more than just a bench...maybe some shelving up by the windows....again, still thinking....it's a very small nook, don't want to make it seem smaller...so careful planning.

I really loved the cubby wall idea I found from country living...sooo cool!

new year....let's begin!

So I find myself, on this beautiful sunny, but cold first day of 2010, putting up my Christmas decor, while cooking a big pot of Black Eyed Peas and thinking of what will my goals be for this year?

And I have to ask myself, what did I accomplish last year? My answer is not nearly as much as I wanted. I did not lose any weight, (heavy sigh) which would be bad if I had not gained. Well, let me rephrase that answer, I lost some and I gained more. But yet again, I resign myself to make this an ultimate goal this year.

I did get something organized, and that feels GREAT! But as with many other list, it's on-going.

The laundry is so much better than it was last year! yea!

Also, I started on redecorating and remodling my son's bedroom....to be a new Beachy place to do my scrapebooking and just a kind of hang out place for myself...and it came very close to being accomplished. New paint, new floors, new light fixture, new bead board and molding...still need to finish the ceiling tiles and molding and get furniture....but it will be put on hold as my son will be returning home for a while till he can get a good paying job with his degree and save some money for his own place and a car....needless to say, he's still driving the one he got at graduation from high school in 2003, and it was a hand me down. So some small, but important success in getting that room finished...again yea!

And the guest room, which I tackled too, to have a beachy feel, got a great start, some new furniture, new bedding, but still need to do painting on walls, and furniture and the guest bath off the room needs some plumbing issues resolved....hopefully nothing major. So there, that has to remain on the list for 2010 to finish this spring and summer.

So what can I start today on my to do list for 2010, well....I do want to eat better, read my bible through this year (I only lasted with my daily readings through May of last year and then I don't know what happened to me), and since I'm putting up Christmas decor a good time to organize some of the main living areas and rethink the decor. All that being said, I guess it's time to get busy!!!!

:) now let me find some inspiration, I think I'll check out PB as always....

The holiday's are approaching very fast....can't believe how fast. Time to think about table preparations and adding a few new decor pieces....found these great finds at PB...(where else?!)

Great ideas and love them.

Headed to church this morning, gotta hurry, later!

new projects

Okay, so I've bitten off more than I can chew....re-do in my oldest son's bedroom, he's gone and so, I'm changing it into a scrapbooking room, excerise room, and entertainment room....a lot to ask of a small room...but it's gotten off to a really great start. I painted it a happy beachy yellow and white...time will tell if I achieve the look I'd really love from the coastal living style.

That's not all, I've decided to finish my unfinished Living Room/Office....it's been the wrong paint color for along time...put up a border a long time ago that I loved and still love and want to get the walls painted to match the colors...and do a few more updates.

Also, planning a birthday party for my boys (joint party) and having a decorating party the next weekend after the party, and then it's a Ladies Retreat and I'm making bags for everyone...with scrapbooking styles and all unique....have 15 made so far. Goal is to do 2 to 3 every day....whew...can I do it??!!! I think I can.....please tell me I can!