Auntie Cake's

Up to my Eyeballs

2012-02-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

In glitter!

Just the way I like it.

Since this girl decided to leave me for better things

(like college...)

I decided I needed to get my act together and send some love letters her way.

I added some treats

a sweet "love" diary, some black cherry soda, valentine marshmallows, a pretty necklace, some cupcakes

topped it off with a special valentine,

and called it a day.

One very sweet day.

Hope you enjoyed your day my sweet girlie. We missed you tonight.

But we couldn't stop there...

I found these on pinterest.

Thought it was the perfect valentine for my Little Fireman, who is now obsessed with all things from WWII.

36 "love bombs" later, we were done.

Whew!

(And incidentally, after making all 36 of them, I wondered if these babies would make it through the school day without getting him expelled.

I chanced it.

And no phone calls from the principal.

Thank goodness)

Hope your day was filled to the brim with loads of sweetness.

Hope your day is...

2012-02-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

filled with love and loads of flowers!

Happy Valentine's Day!

For Now...

2012-01-05T18:35:00.000-08:00

My mom and dad TOTALLY hooked me up for Christmas with a new camera and all, but I am a ~~little~~ lot slow about actually taking it out of the box.

But I am craving being surrounded by "pretties" having taken all my Christmas decorations down in a timely manner this year.

(Even got the outside lights taken down today. Living in Minnesota, that usually doesn't happen until March. Or April. Okay, maybe even May... But in my defense, we usually have three feet of snow covering all those electrical cords until then!)

And not exactly knowing the etiquette about snagging pics off of Pinterest, that has me swooning on a daily basis, here is an old post.

Hoping to brighten your day, here are some of my favorite things...

Little girls who take baths in a bucket in the garden

Beautiful teacups

Spools of lace

Engagement rings

Homemade nests

My grandma's earring

Engraved silverware

Engraved anything

Old family photos

Little boys who let little girls drive!

Enjoy this weekend that God has provided for us!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T15:34:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of google images

Wishing you all the best in 2012!

Have a safe and wonderful new year!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T21:30:00.000-08:00

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NIV

One of our favorite family traditions, the kids all act out the nativity scene. Even the big kids. A little artistic license going on and a wayard shepherd or two, but all is good.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas on this blessed day!

One Very Good Reason...

2011-12-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

Why I shouldn't trust my kids to get their annual Santa picture taken without me.

We only have four kids!

Merry Christmas from my kids, and Justin, the kid waiting in line behind them.

Can't chat

2011-10-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

As my mouth is filled with carmel from dipping apples...

Image from Martha stewart

We have had a beautiful fall here in Minnesota. I am thankful for every second of our warm weather as I know in no time my lawn will be covered in snow until late spring.

Tomorrow I am throwing a Halloween party for 250 kids. Oh my, I had better get back to the party preparations, but I promise I will be back soon with the best recipe for carmel for dipping your apples.

I promise, you won't buy that nasty old carmel for your apples ever again...

Kids these days

2011-08-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

My oldest two kids left at 6:00 AM for a week long missions trip to New York City.

At 9:00 AM, my phone rings.

Me: "Hello"

Voice on the other end:" The eagle has landed."

Click

I guess they got there safely.....

Annie's Party

2011-07-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

My family room provided the birthday inspiration for Annie, my niece's party.

Can you guess the theme?

Need another clue?

You're right!

Lib was brave enough to invite Annie's ENTIRE class and then some to a Sock Hop.

At one point, I counted 31 kids!!!
(Lib's crazy...)

They all dressed 50's style.

There were poodles galore!

And you are warned about the next pic...

(I would never normally show a pic of me, but as I sacrificed my hair to those curlers, I just needed to show you all why I am now bald...)
SCARY!!!

The kids played games

And then went to "White Castle"

(Which by the way, was the site of my parents first date...)

And then inside for the important stuff...

The twist!!!

Watch Me Now!!!

The boys loved the dancing...

All that dancing makes a girl thirsty.

Lib had that covered with a trip to a malt shop.

Then a trip to the candy store

Time for a quick swing before...

A movie!

Whew! I'm tired.

For more pics, head over to Lib's blog.

Happy Birthday to our 7 year old!!!

Just what every mom

2011-07-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

wants to hear...

First the short one was surfing the internet and excitedly calls out to me,

"Mom, wanna come check out the tattoo I'm getting?"

And then later that same day, the taller one found a new dirtbike on the internet,

"Mom, if you buy me that dirtbike, I'm pretty sure I could do back-flip's with it!"

Good thing God only gave me two boys.

Don't know if I could handle any more testosterone around here...

Whew! We made it!

2011-07-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

This post is long overdue, but it will explain in part why I have been missing from blogland.

This girl graduated!!!

Photos taken by Front Porch Photography, if you live in MN, I loved them!

Just sharing a few pics of my girl with you, the photographer did a wonderful job of capturing her personality.

She is clothed with

strength and dignity,

And she smiles at the future.

Proverbs 31:25

I blew up this pic in black and white and had this verse put on it.

It fits my girl.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

This year the 4thof July crept up so fast, I feel like Bo, caught with my pants down, wondering where time went. I did manage to throw together a quick party (just so I could use all my enamelware dishes) and as soon as I figure out where the pics are, I'll share with ya.

Hoping this day finds you with family, friends and sparklers galore!

Apparently

2011-05-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

this year, navy blue, black, purple and turquoise were the colors for prom dresses in our neck of the woods.

And we didn't get the memo...

Silver and pink were her colors of the day.

It took me 17 years, but finally that girl had some pink in a dress!

Whew!

Didn't ever think that was gonna happen.

(And Sweetie? Sorry for scaring your poor date.

Actually, sorry that both daddy and I scared your poor friend.

I wasn't actually serious.

Your dad on the other hand? I think he really is serious when he says that you aren't allowed to have a boyfriend until you are 25...)

To Lib and Rachie...

2011-03-31T21:30:00.000-07:00

As both my sisters are once again going to have babies, I just thought I would let them know we are available for babysitting...

We have a wide variety of positive attributes we can teach your kids.

I should warn you though...

Both the mom

and the dad...

tend to be a little nuts.

But we have creativity going for us.

Take for instance, paper.

We run out, no worries.

We teach the kids to find alternative solutions...

Or maybe even this...

And then we stock up...

Comes in handy, especially since now we have indoor plumbing.

Phew!

I was starting to get a little worried...

We do tend to be very free spirits around here.

But then again, for some of us,

that might not be such a good thing...

But that does lead us to discipline.

We have that all figured out...

Naughty behavior deserves time in the penalty box.

(Ok, I still maintain that was a clean hit. That ref needs a trip to the eye doctor)

And if that doesn't work out, we can send you to these guys

Or maybe a trip here...

And we teach them right away, you want to eat, you go to work.

Some of us need to work harder though...

We will teach your kids about different cultures.

Got the hill billy thing down pat.

Leprechaun culture. Got that one too!

(I'm not exactly sure what this one is...)

(But these pics serve as a lesson. Never leave your boys home alone! One might never know what you will find upon returning...)

As we are also very fashionable, we will teach your kids about fashion...

Making sure everything matches.

We can even offer your kids free make-overs!

And I can guarantee, your kids will never get bored!

No sled? No problem...

No inner tube? Again, no problem...

No equipment? No problem.

It's all about making do.

And one of the best lessons? We never take no for an answer.

Just ask Boppa.

He definitely didn't think he was swimming that night!

*I want to assure you, no children were physically injured in the making of the post. Mentally? That just might be another thing. I may have to shell out a few buckaroo's for counseling!

Getting ready for St Patrick's Day!

2011-03-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, tonight on my couch is a little boy who looks like this.

And yes, he is waiting for the leprechauns that come visit our house. They mess up our house and turn our milk green, so he has been trying to catch them. He is sick of doing all that cleaning...

Poor, overworked child...

Earlier tonight as I was searching the internet for fun St. Patrick's Day games, I came across some St. Patrick's Day jokes. I thought I would try them out on him so he could tell them at school tomorrow.

That didn't go as planned.

Here is kind of how it went...

Me: Knock, knock

Him: Who's there?

Irish

Irish who?

Irish you a Happy St.Patrick's Day

That went ok, now it was his turn to practice...

Knock, knock

Who's there?

Irish

Irish who?

Irish, leprechaun, St. Patrick

At this point, Libbie starts laughing...

I told him the punch line again and told him to start over.

I tried to start him off. Knock knock

Who's there?

No, you are supposed to say knock knock, not me...

Oh, but you said it.

UUGGHH, try it again

Leprechaun.
No, knock knock
Who's there?
No no no, YOU are supposed to start off with KNOCK KNOCK!
Ok, ok, knock, knock

Who's there?

Irish

Irish who?

I wish you mumble, mumble, mumble

I decided to move on to another joke as clearly this one was not going well.

What happend when the leprechaun fell in the river?

He got his clothes wet, (duh mom...)

How on earth did he figure that one out? It wasn't so funny that way.

(Not that it was actually funny to begin with.)

I quickly moved on.

So what do you say to a leprechaun?

The real answer was "How is the weather down there?"

but instead, I got

Tell him not to fall in the river! (Duhhh again mom...)
How on earth did I not see that answer coming???

(Libbie was now almost going to go into labor early she was laughing so hard...)

At this point, I decided it was just not going to happen, so I left him to make up his own. And poor Boppa had to sit and listen and answer.

What did the leprechaun do when he fell off the cliff?

Boppa: I don't know.

He should have a trampoline down there, and he should fall on the trampoline and he would jump back up and...and then he... and then... and then...

Then Bo started in. After about ten minutes of that joke they made it to,

What happened when the leprechaun got run over on the road?

(We couldn't figure it out either)

The firemen and EMT's came and got him.

Clearly, we are not so good at making up jokes,

and as he will be sporting this tomorrow at school,

we are not so good at picking out clothes either!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Waiting...

2011-03-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

for

Spring...

image courtesy of better homes and gardens

Where are ya???

Happy Valentine's!

2011-02-14T05:55:00.000-08:00

May you hear Lovely music all day long!

Image courtesy of myspace via google images

and may you Dream in French!

image via google images from http://bistrochic.net/lifestyle/french-valentines-day

Happy, happy Valentine's Day!

Dreaming

2011-02-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

Image courtesty of Country Living via Google Images

Living in frigid and snowy Minnesota, it will be quite some time before I can look forward to a picnic like the one pictured. But when our snow does melt, look out!

My china and picnic basket are awaiting!

And you are invited...

(My brother-in-law built me a very lovely pergola last year, it is also waiting patiently for us.. And thanks again to Kelly for his skills. And his patience with his crew! My own hubby would not have been quite so cheerful with me : )

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

One of my favorite Christmas decorations; a glass Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Given to us with love by great Grandma Ellen. The gift is beautiful in its very simplicity, just like the little stable that housed a king.

May your Christmas be absolutely filled with love, peace and joy.

Boutique Time

2010-12-02T17:34:00.000-08:00

Hey Ladies

Auntie Cake is having a Christmas Boutique!

Friday, December 3rd, 9:00am-5:00pm

Saturday, December 4th, 10:00am-5:00pm

If you would like to attend please email me @ libbiedoyle@gmail.com for her address & directions.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of google images

lifestreamsdb.blogspot.com

I realize that I have a problem when my Thanksgiving post follows my last post, Happy Halloween.

I have decided that it is really hard to blog without a camera. And as I am running around like a turkey with my head cut off, I don't seem to ever get to the store to purchase a new one.

Sigh...

But I still have a ton to be thankful for.

I am VERY THANKFUL that I found the cause of the very foul smell in my dining room this morning. My cinderella pumpkin decided to start weeping all over the floor...
I am very thankful that my husband decided he needed to vaccuum the basement floor as I sit typing. (I tend to blow up all our vaccuums. Ask my dad if you don't believe me, he usually buys me new ones. Hence the new wood floors covering the entire first floor. Just trying to ease the pocketbooks for good old dad...)
I am very thankful that at the moment, all of our cars can get us from point A to point B. (Ask me tomorrow, and that might not be the case...)
I am VERY THANKFUL that, while my hair is starting to turn gray and seems to want to fall out, I still have hair. (Loads of friends going through chemo at the moment...)
And I am so very thankful while my legs look like they are not made to wear skinny jeans, they will take me where I want to go without having to park in a handicapped stall or getting a walker out of the back. (And if I ever get stranded on a deserted island, I can last a really long time before I perish of starvation...)
I am thankful for my little home that keeps us warm and sheltered. (And can cram a ton of people into for a bridal or baby shower...)
I am thankful that my family feels the need to keep discussing my age with complete strangers. That means we are all still alive. (Even hubby, who's heart has stopped a total of four times now, that we know of. Long story... He's fine, don't worry... And ironically, he doesn't have heart problems but is now sporting a new pacemaker...)
I am thankful for fireman license plates. Let's just say they tend to save me a lot of money on tickets... (And also gives the kids yet another opportunity to discuss my age...)
I am very thankful for all the men and women that serve our country. And their families. Soldiers, policemen, fire and rescue workers...
And last, but certainly not least, I really am thankful that we live in a country where we can worship and give thanks to God, and not have to fear for our lives.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of Google Images

May you and your family have a

Jolly and safe

Halloween!

#64

2010-10-28T05:40:00.000-07:00

It's fall.

My favorite time of year.

(That translates to football games...)

And this is is my fave player.

HHHHMMMMM...

What's that sticking out of the helmet???

Way to go Girl!

You already have your own fan club.

And why was I so surprised when she told me she was going to try-out for the football team?

Surprise! Trick-or-Treat!

2010-10-26T11:01:00.000-07:00

Yep, we're still here.

I had been having computer problems, I got them all taken care of and now the camera is having fits.

Sigh...

(Someday I will get everything under control. Until then, who knows what will happen...)

We've been having the most beautiful fall ever; cramming in loads of fall fun. Here's a tiny peak at our latest Halloween event,

Trick-or-treating in a turn-of-the-century village. We caught up with friends from the 1800's to the very early 1900's.

Throw on a costume and come with us.

We rode by horse and buggy to the village.

Here we are, my Roman soldier and Little Bo Peep (AKA, Annie my niece)

Down the path,

to our first house.

Along the way we stopped to look for Little Bo Peep's lost sheep.

(They are cowering in the way back of the barn, I promise)

Met up with a fellow soldier,

And had a "staff meeting."

(look at the hands....)

We saw some friends we usually only see at Christmastime.

And had a delightful night.

Happy Halloween!

Thanks for stopping by.

Both of you.

Hopefully it won't be so long before I am able to post again. I do have loads of fun things to share. You really wouldn't believe what we have been up to!

Annie's Party...Final Post :)

2010-06-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, Kate REALLY is missing her computer by now & ALL OF YOU!!! This is our last Party Post put up by her sister, ME :) Hope you get her back soon!

I tried soooo hard to get the number of pictures down, but I needed all of these on here simply because I couldn't leave any of these out! trust me there ARE more...but I will spare you :) Well, not really...here we go!

Annie prayed for lunch.

Kate made these cute chiffon hair clips.

Thank You

Kacie Wilson

for the beautiful photos!!!

Thank you KATE!

Annie's Party...They're Here!

2010-06-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

It's me again, I just wanted to share with you more of the party Kate helped me throw!

Annie was dressed and ready for guests!

She greeted them in Kate's front gardens.

They arrived with...

...Tiaras,

High Heels,

Jewels,

Sunglasses,

and Gowns

There were cousins,

Sisters,

and More Sisters!

Annie's Auntie Cake gathered the girls...

...in her Fairy Garden!

She showed the girls the treasures the fairies had left there and soon she had 16 girls believing...

...and hunting for fairy treasure.

Look what else we found lurking in the garden...

Next Post...we will share a few more activities!

Thanks for bearing with us...we just had so much fun!

THANK YOU KACIE WILSON FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS!!!

Annie's Party...Lunch is Served!

2010-06-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

Kate's computer is down, with not much hope of a revival, so I (Libbie) put this same post on both our blogs since we threw the party together.
THANKS KATE!!!
You are amazing!

A sweet friend came to take some of the pictures.

THANK YOU KACIE WILSON!!!

The good ones you see are hers.

The wind was blowing hard as the table was set.

Everything is ready...now where are all the girls?

Come on back tomorrow to see more...

...the girls were just darling!!!

Pure Bliss

2010-06-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

Silver, roses and peonies....

What more could a girl want?

Another Visit

2010-06-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

Since my lilac friends have come and gone, I have been eagerly awaiting a visit from my other friends, the peonies.

Last weekend was the perfect time for their visit.

Friends used this bucket for flowers at their wedding.

I was lucky enough to be able to take one home and I have been using it ever since. The bucket is from IKEA, they drilled a hole in it, added a loop of ribbon to hang and filled it with oasis. It is a wonderful way to hang flowers in unexpected places.

My tree never looked so pretty!

This grove of trees grew on it's own. I think God knew I needed them there. We are always hanging out under these trees.

Have a very lovely week!

I've Been...

2010-06-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

Very busy these last couple weeks. Want a peek at what I have been up to?

That's right. Once again I am taking all the furniture out of my first floor.

Even emptied out the kitchen.

Put it all in the dining room.

Did I mention that this is not the first time this year I have done this? It's getting rather old but I am not complaining, as my floors are finally getting finished.

Whew! I am tired just looking at these pics! Sorry I haven't been all that great with the posts, but who can spend time on the computer when their house looks like this?

I'll be back when I get everything all cleaned up. That feels like it will be a couple of years. I'll try and hurry!

Thanks for being such wonderful bloggy friends.

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the men and women and families who serve our country!

Party Girl

2010-05-27T04:57:00.000-07:00

I love to throw a good party.

Libbie likes to throw a good party also. Annie's birthday is coming up, and what a better occasion to celebrate than my girl turning six?

image found on Google Images

Lib asked me to host Annie's birthday in my garden. I jumped all over it.

Your first response is, "Girl, are you crazy?"

An afternoon of 18 five and six-year-olds running all around the house?

I am still committed. For purely selfish reasons.

Let me explain, the fact of the matter is that Lib has Kelly, her husband, wrapped around her finger. If she tells that boy to work, he works. If she tells that boy that we need wooden benches made for Annie's party, we are taking a trip to Home Depot to buy lumber. If she tells that boy that I need a pergola in my front yard for Annie's party, he is showing up with power tools.

Got the picture???

I mean come on, Sweet Bluebird is graduating next year! I gotta get to work!

So last Saturday, even though I had planned on spending the day working on a creation for Thespa's contest, (go check it out, and she is having a fab giveaway too, you really need to go spend some time with that girl if you haven't already met her. She makes the most to-die-for-beautiful creations that you really need to see, click here) I spent the day making wooden peg dolls for Annie's birthday.

One for each girl who is coming. And we are painting them to look like each girl.

Not quite finished yet, but they are coming along, aren't they?

And yes, these babies are way more work than they look.

But for a girl who named me Auntie Cake? It's all good.

To see what Libbie has been planning for the party, click here.

A Proud New Momma!

2010-05-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

My favorite class in school was science. And in the spring when it came time to hatch baby ducklings in an incubator, I was in heaven.

No wonder I decided to incubate my own chicken eggs.

I now have 10 baby chicks living in my pantry.

(Not the best pic, I know, have you ever tried to tell 10 baby chicks to hold still?)

Fave Friday Flowers

2010-05-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

This morning I picked the very last of my lilacs to share with you.

Hoping your weekend is as sweet as my lilacs!

Lazy Spring Afternoon

2010-05-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

It's know it has been over a week since my last post. I apologize, but I was off enjoying spring! ( I didn't have anything interesting to say anyways...Kind of boring around here, but I like boring.)

After the first week of May with freezing cold temps, a little snow and a lot of rain, spring finally decided that now is the time to show up around here. I had to enjoy it while I could, in Minnesota you never know what the weather is going to be like. I spent all of last week outside.

I picked masses of lilacs to fill my house.

My kids had Friday off of school, so I forced them to lounge around and soak up the beautiful weather.

What could be better than this spot to read a good book?

Enjoy some peppermint tea,

and your very own snack served on 100 year old china with your initial monogrammed on the silver?

That is what I call a good day!

My Girl

2010-05-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day made me stop and reflect upon my kids.

My kids are totally swag.

(They would kill me if I called them good, awesome, sweet, etc.)

I am actually lovin' having two teenage girls. I am already sad that my oldest is growing up. I sit back and try to figure her out because I don't know where her philosophy of life came from. She is so not me.

She takes her own path in life.

She doesn't fit the traditional, cookie-cutter "girl" mode.

She is content with who she is, doesn't try to be like all the other girls.

She has post-it notes of inspirational song lyrics above her bed.

She supports breast cancer with her black "Save the boobies" bracelet instead of the traditional pink and use of the word breast.

She has music blasting out of her room at all hours of the night.

She hides in her room reading at all hours of both the night and day.

She is one tough chic. I suspect she threatened a boy with his life for picking on her younger brother. (I'm not gonna ask about that one...)

I ask myself,

WHO IS THIS GIRL?

Then I looked back at my last post.

HHHHMMMM...

Sorry girl, but you even got my bubble butt from spending way too much time on the ice.

Look on the bright side, maybe you can get Daddy's legs.
They can do miraculous things with electrolysis now days!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Many of us follow our own path down motherhood.

May that path not be filled with 300 pound defensive ends.

'Cuz that just sucks.

Happy Mother's Day to all my teammates, whether you play football or not...

Not So Favorite Friday

2010-05-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

When I was excited about my lilacs, this was not what I was thinking of...

Thanks to my aunt who braved the elements to take pictures. Go check out her new blog, proofofbliss.

Hoping you have better weather!

The Teacup

2010-05-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

This week the ladies of our church are hosting a wonderful tea party. I am in charge of the decorating, so I have been running around like a madwoman trying to decorate. (Don't worry, I actually have a very sweet little vignette in mind, so hopefully I can keep the madwoman part hidden for a bit longer...)

In honor of the tea party, I thought I would share my daughter's little teacup. When she was about four, we saw this cup at Cracker Barrel and Nature Girl just had to have it. It is the sweetest little cup, so I happily bought it for her.

Nature Girl loved having her own teacup. For the tea at our church, she carried her own little cup and saucer in this sweet little box.

Most of her tea parties took place at home, though. Her favorite partner-in-crime for tea parties was her dad. (Oh, how I wish I had been organized enough to take pictures...)

Dad was a great sport and would try and cram himself into her little chair and drink chocolate milk while wearing a ridiculous hat.

When Dad wasn't around, she then moved on to having tea parties with our various animals. We used to keep goats, and I will never forget the time she decided our goats named Firefighter Harry and Little Lady Princess Crystal, were going to have a tea party with her. Harry kept jumping up on the table and Little Lady Princess Crystal kept trying to eat her feather boa. Needless to say, our goats had very bad manners and so Nature Girl moved on.

One day while cleaning her room, I found Nature Girl's pet worm collection in the bottom of her tea cup. Apparently she forgot them there and let's just say, it wasn't pretty...

One would think she might give up after the goat and the worm fiascos, but no, that girl not only was very creative, but she had a stubborn streak longer than the Mississippi River.

(And still does, oh, how I love that girl...)

One afternoon while I was preparing a tea party for her in the kitchen, I heard a thump. Like something fell from my kitchen counter. Very odd I thought, as I was alone in the kitchen. I did some investigating, and I found her guest for the tea that day crawling under the kitchen cabinets.

That is Sally, a salamander. Nature Girl dug Sally out from the pond in front of our house and thought Sally would be the perfect tea party guest.

Sally was a indeed wonderful guest. So much so that Nature Girl kept her for a while. That night when Nature Girl was taking a bath, I walked into the bathroom to find only her head and tummy sticking out of the water. On her tummy was Sally, happily taking a bath with my girl.

Now you know why we call her Nature Girl!

Fave Kind Of Day

2010-04-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Today I woke up to stormy weather outside.

Images courtesy of Google Images

www.luhy.wordpress.com

I love a good storm once in a while.

Today you might say that storms are my favorite kind of weather.

(Tomorrow it might be sunny, snowy or foggy, I just never know.)

Image courtesy of Google Images

www.thestormtrack.com

We must all face stormy weather in our lives, what you do during this time shows your true character...

Here's to hoping that God grants you the courage to weather your storms with grace, compassion, dignity.

The Best Things

2010-04-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

In life are free, aren't they?

I am thrilled that once again my eastern bluebird friends have chosen my bluebird house to lay and hatch their little family.

Off to get them some meal worms!

I'm Waiting!

2010-04-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

To My Dear Friends, The Lilacs,

I just want you to know I am very eagerly awaiting your arrival in my yard.

I have prepared my house for you, washing vases, making sure the house is neat and tidy, dusting...

I even changed out a chair for you, my cream one with violet flowers painted on it, is now also waiting with me.

Like a kid waiting for Christmas morning I am,

I would call it delicious anticipation.

I check on you each day to see your progress. A gentle spring rain and you are almost there.

So come soon, my friends,

I miss your delicate scent, your sweet blossoms, your gentle nature.

I welcome your arrival!

Until then~
Kate

What's A Mom To Do?

2010-04-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

What's a mom to do when she is in Dallas for the weekend and her oldest daughter is going to prom in Minnesota?

Well, the mom calls her sister, of course!

Sweet Bluebird went to prom for the first time this weekend. Big Fireman and I were devastated that we both had to work. Since we both were not going to be home, of course the pre-party pictures ended up at our house.

Luckily Libbie saved the day and came to take plenty of pictures and help the girls get ready. I am fairly certain she also became the official bountonniere-pinner-oner. (Yes, I made that word up.)

Here's my girl and her date.

(Not a boyfriend, just a date)

A funny story about the date.

Bluebird is a junior in high school. Her freshman year, Big Fireman and Bluebird were walking around at school. This boy comes up to Fireman and talks about how he is best friends with Bluebird. As we have never heard of this boy before, Big Fireman is thoroughly checking him out. (Big Fireman is quite intimidating in person if you don't know him.) The poor boy starts backtracking and talking how they are besties in homeroom only, not boyfriend/girfriend besties.

The poor boy still appeared a little scared of Big Fireman, but they went on their way. Well, when Big Fireman gets bored, he likes to torture our kids. So later, when Big Fireman spots the boy quite a ways from him, Big Fireman yells down the crowded hall, "Hey, what are you doing for prom your senior or junior year? I might let you take my daughter!"

Of course Sweet Bluebird has been mortally embarrassed about this ever since...

And of course, we never let her forget it.

So this spring we are in Florida over spring break and she gets a text message from the same boy-

"Will u go 2 prom w me?"

She texts back-

"Yes."

Now the boy is a smart one, he texts back-

"And they said I couldn't find a hot date for prom!"

And the girl is a sarcastic one (just like her mom...)

She texts back-

"I already said I would go with u, u don't have 2 kiss up 2 me!LOL"

AAAAHHHH, a match made in heaven...

Another long story if you can indulge me.

Did I ever mention how Big Fireman gets bored and likes to torture our kids?

Well, at work he hatched out this whole plan.

He and his cop buddies were going to hang out and be on hand to greet all the boys at our house before prom. They were going to park as many cop cars in the driveway as they could and sit out on our front porch and clean their hunting guns. Big Fireman and his friends were all excited over their own version of the prom party until they all realized they all had to work that night. Their plans went down the drain...

(Sweet Bluebird, you have to thank God for that one...)

Well imagine my surprise when this little guy shows up in cammo bearing his own arms on all the pictures.

Just like his daddy!

Thanks B (that's Lib's nickname) for saving the day and taking the pictures!
Go check her out here!

Another of my Friday Faves

2010-04-23T06:19:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to make you guess what one of my favorites is.

I'll give you a little clue...

Need another clue?

That one might not help so much...

Okay, okay, here's another one...

Surely by now you kind of have it figured out...

But just in case...

Got it now?

I know you recognize this!

You guessed it!

It's my garage/estate sale, flea market, and the occasion dumpster diving car!

This baby has the worlds biggest trunk. I can practically fit an entire sale in it.

Luckily, I don't.

Well, usually...

But sometimes, if it's really good...

Just kidding.

I mean, my husband might read this!

Enjoy your weekend!

Another Visitor

2010-04-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

I am still amazed at all of your comments on my skunk friends.

(Thankfully, I outsmarted them. They are now living back in my ditch, where they belong.)

But I just wanted to show you another friend I had come spend the day with us last summer.

I went out first thing in the morning to get some weeding done. This little guy was perched on a day-lily.

He seemed in no hurry to go anywhere, so we started talking...

(Luckily I am very good at stimulating conversation...)

I think he liked our conversation as he stayed there, so I decided it was safe to go in and get my camera.

He was still there, so I went back in to get Nature Girl. It was love at first site with those two!

The day wore on and our new buddy cheerfully stayed in the day-lily. Nature Girl and I pretty much lived in the garden that day, we wanted to see what he would do. He was just content to stay there.

(Incidentally, Nature Girl and I did a very thorough check for Thumbelina, we thought she had to be nearby that day.)

Late afternoon and he was still there. By then, my house had been overtaken by teenage boys and I had no food left, so I decided I couldn't live out in the garden any longer. The flower was beginning to tuck my friend in for the night when we took him out of his new home.

And one of us kissed him, just in case he was actually a handsome prince in disguise.

And no, I won't tell who did the kissing...

But shortly after, we put him safely on the ground and he hopped away.

I'm quite sure he went looking for Thumbelina. I know she was there somewhere!

Wonderful Surprise!

2010-04-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

I opened my mailbox the other day to the most wonderful surprise! This girl, Tracy, from cottonpickincute sent me a box to-end-all-boxes. I mean, the girl spoiled me rotten!

Sorry for the poor pictures, it's really hard to take good shots when one is dancing around.

I mean, just look at what was in there!!!

Look at the beautiful packaging!

(Okay, I totally have to confess... My grandma used to save wrapping paper from Christmas, and then she would iron it for use at a later date. Yeah- we totally made fun of her for that, even though we loved her dearly... She was a wonderful grandma, but ironing wrapping paper to a kid is kind of out there. Well, guess who is now not only ironing that original letter from the 1940's but going to make copies of it too? Just a warning, never make fun of grandma!!!)

To totally understand and appreciate this package, you have to read here. It's a tribute to my dreams...

Little did Tracy know that I was actually thinking I could resurrect a discus for my attempt. Guess who was the champion discus thrower in the family? ( Yes Libbie was pretty good also)

The fact that my abs look remarkably similar to that in the statue is purely a coincidence...

Adorable handmade owl, love those eyes!

And the details on these bookmarks, could they be any sweeter? And does Tracy know how much I love to read?

Can you believe the fabulous apron?

(I snagged the pic from her site as she took a much better picture than I did. Thanks Tracy!!!)

It was the most thoughtful package that I have ever received. There was also a CD, some soap, the sweetest letter and a darling little bottle of lavender. The details Tracy put into this package are stunning. Gotta love that girl! She sure knows how to make a girl feel special!

My Newest Friends...

2010-04-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

Look what moved into my yard this spring.

photo coutresy of Google Images get-rid-of-pests.com

Right under my bedroom window.

Not good.

I couldn't think of a way to get rid of them, so last night I very quietly opened my window and tried to coax them to find another home.

I talked very sweetly to them.

Yeah...

Let's just say that didn't go too well.

The only thing worse than having skunks move right under your bedroom window is getting your families underwear mixed up in the wash and not realizing it until it is too late.

Don't ask...

Apparently...

2010-04-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

I have been slacking in my parenting lately.

On Monday I had five Meyer lemons.

And I thought it was rather odd when on Tuesday I only had four.

But then, when I only had three? I started getting suspicious.

(I know, call me Sherlock...)

I guess I need to teach my kids the difference between a Meyer lemon and an orange!

Because, who would want to miss out on this?

Sunshine in a jar! Yum!!!

Recipe found here

I Come From..

2010-04-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

A long line of dumpster divers.

A long line.

Sometimes it's not so great.

Like the time when our dad found a bubble mower in someone's trash and actually walked home pushing it. Very embarrassing.

Especially when you are a teenager and everyone knows that is your dad snagging a lawn mower from the trash four blocks away and actually walking down the street with it.

And he is proud of his new find...

Mortifying actually.

But when he finds this?

And you snag it out from under your mom before she gets a chance to have it hung?

It's very cool...

Especially when you were thinking that your room needed some sprucing up.

And especially when it had all the crystals with it.

Then being a dumpster diver is totally awesome!

And sorry, mom, I do feel a tiny twinge of guilt.

But only a teensy, tiny bit.

Hardly anything at all, actually...

And when you see it hanging in my bedroom? You will agree that it is the perfect home instead of your porch.

I just love recycling!

Friday Faves V

2010-04-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

My Friday Faves today?

Lines, of course!

Some great lines, on favorite, but ordinary, treasures in our home...

Hoping you cherish this beautiful spring weekend!

Look What Else...

2010-04-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

I caught...

Baby Chicks

Finally, a use for my one lonely shoe.

There was an old woman, who lived in a shoe...

(Wait, I'm not old!)

My new babies have great taste, don't they?

And yes, Libbie, I am expecting you and the kids for a photo shoot tomorrow after Annie gets out of school.

I'm Back!

2010-04-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

After spending a great week with the family, we are getting back to ~~normal~~ our regular routine. I am back to cooking, cleaning toilets and being the taxi driver, and the kids are doing their thing. Poor Big Fireman is back at work. (I can't feel too sorry for him as he loves his job and it doesn't involve cleaning toilets...)

Thanks so much for leaving sweet comments on my last post. It was so wonderful to turn on the computer and see all your well wishes. Truly wonderful, you all are so sweet! I missed you, but we had a great week, it was fun to spend some family time together. We don't get that as much as we would like with this crazy world we live in.

I got a ton of emails asking about our Easter pictures. Being the scatterbrained mom that I am, or rather, the mom of three teenagers who have to be threatened in order to have their picture taken, I will leave you with my lone Easter shot.

I will warn you, it's not for the sentimental or the faint-of-heart.

Look what I caught...

The EASTER BUNNY!

Happy Spring!

Whew!

2010-03-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

It's been one of those weeks. I am fairly certain I need one of those.

Or maybe two.

Or maybe try them all.
(That's actually what I did...)

Want to share with me?

Friday is the first day of spring break for my kids. I promised them a week of uninterrupted kid time.

(Translate to no blogging...)

I look forward to catching up with you when the kids are back in school. I will miss you all, my friends!

I wish you and your families a very Happy Easter and remember,

He is Risen!

Friday Faves IV

2010-03-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

My Friday Faves today?

Circles!

Circles here...

Circles there...

Circles, circles everywhere!

Thanks Karyn!!! Beautiful!

Have a circular weekend, my friends!

A Hunting We Will Go!

2010-03-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

When the Doyle's showed up on our doorstep last night, these Irish kids couldn't wait to get hunting for leprechauns!

They all wore cammo so the leprechauns wouldn't see them coming. Of course, they all had to have hats!

The garden seemed to have a lot of leprechaun visitors...

What did they find?

Why, treasures, of course!

My yard was very busy last night! Even Bo got in on the action. He kept saying, "I tink I tound tome-ting!" Translation, "I think I found something!"

(One day this boy is going to be very mad at me. In the mean time, I love those suspenders!!!)

I think this was about the time Annie yelled, "Quiet! We have to be quiet so we can catch some leprechauns instead of this junky old paper!"

Luckily, the boys know who's the boss by now...

And this new leprechaun trap showed up on my doorstep. Lib and I can't quite figure out how it works, but the kids worked on it for a very long time. I do know that the ripped up plastic cup is an integral part of the entire trap.

Be careful if you come over today!

Then inside for some green treats! (It's amazing what you can make green...)

Then off to bed...

This poor boy has been planning to sleep on the couch with a butterfly net to catch the leprechauns for weeks now. Too bad he just couldn't stay awake for it!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from

Twitchie McPixie!
(my leprechaun name, of course.)

A Hunting Trip

2010-03-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight, this boy is going hunting...

All by himself.

For what you ask?

Well let me show you...

(But first I will turn off the night vision goggles...)

Here's his hunting outfit.

Green shirt, suspenders, lucky socks and one very green hat.

And his hunting equipment?

One butterfly net, some night vision goggles, and some very minty Hershey's Kisses for a snack.

And just what is he searching for?

A pot of gold, of course!

Or some leprechaun memorabilia perhaps. Maybe some gold coins?

By the way, in case he were to fall asleep on this hunting trip, we have a back-up plan.

One leprechaun trap!

Aunt Nellie's Shoes

2010-03-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

When my Great Aunt Nellie passed away, I was lucky enough to receive some of her beautiful shoes. She was a secretary to the president of a major department store in the 1940's and a very glamorous lady. I adore her beautiful shoes and in honor of her, don't you think I really need to start a vintage shoe collection?

Hope your Monday shoes are this beautiful!

Friday Faves

2010-03-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

This week has been crazy busy, I didn't get the faves I really wanted. You will have to settle for my favorite

Girls~

Meet my ladies...

While attempting this little photo shoot, I realized one thing. It is difficult to get good pictures of your girls at breakfast time...

I tended to get the wrong end!

Have a wonderful weekend.

March

2010-03-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

It's a M A R C H I N G kind of day today!!!

Happy Monday

2010-03-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Sending you a bouquet of flowers, hoping your Monday is a happy one!

photo courtesy of Google Images and blog26

Anyone Know How To...

2010-03-08T06:06:00.000-08:00

Get rid of an unwanted follower? I seem to have acquired a follower that I would rather not have as it contains child pornography. I have no clue how to get rid of them. I have contacted blogger but haven't hear a word yet. Any ideas?

Thanks for your instructions, I will leave your comments up in the event that anyone else has the same problem!

Friday Favorites

2010-03-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

My favorite colors.

I love the color of...

Meyer lemon curd

Fresh baking

Vitamin C

Sunlight on my pantry shelves

Chintz

A good book

And my ultimate favorite?

The color of baby girls.

Enjoy your weekend!

Prince Charming!

2010-03-04T07:12:00.000-08:00

You all were right. Prince Charming did come last night, and he was bearing footwear for me!

Unfortunately, it was this...

Bummer... But much more appropriate, he says.

And Prince Charming just got scalped by his barber, he is much cuter when he actually has hair!

And when one leaves the Army do they sign something saying that is the ONLY haircut they are allowed to have for the rest of their lives???

Oh Where Oh Where...

2010-03-03T07:22:00.000-08:00

Has my other shoe gone?

I lost the other one when we moved. I am still looking for it. If you should see anyone walking down the street with only the right vintage silver pump, you just let me know.

Oh why do I do things like that???

So annoying I am...

Goodbye Games!

2010-03-01T07:31:00.000-08:00

So long to all my pals that I have spent every possible moment of the last 17 days with. I will miss you. I had a great time watching you, cheering you on, (did you hear me yelling?) and celebrating with you.

Sadly, while watching these games, I realized I must be growing up. I just might not make it to the winter games as an athlete after all! Even though I can figure skate, ( I was hoping to make all those 4:30 AM practices pay off, but I don't have a triple axel either...) play hockey, slalom ski, cross-country ski, snowboard and go sliding, (surely that would count for skeleton?) those coaches just never called me. My kids wouldn't lose that message... My last hope was in curling, and while I can run on ice, I am terrible at sweeping. My dreams of competing in the winter games have been crushed this year.

Congratulations to all the athletes who represented their countries so beautifully. Your determination, dedication, training and grit has inspired millions around the world.

Now I have to go start practicing. The summer games are only two years away. This just might be my last chance. What's this I hear? Are you laughing at me???

I was really good at track you know...

Friday Favorites I..

2010-02-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

Glittering diamonds

A good book
(tutorial found here and thank you Dawn for posting about it. You are both special!)

Worn metals

Precious jewels

The local wildlife

Find something to thank God about this weekend.
No matter how small.

A Gift

2010-02-25T07:22:00.000-08:00

I did a Halloween swap, and since then, have gotten to be friends with my swap partner. She has been so wonderful about sending me packages in the mail, look what she sent this time!

An amazing afghan! Cathy made this wonderful afghan and my family was the lucky recipients. It has been wonderful to have a new afghan to snuggle under this past week. My kids have been sick and this beauty has traveled around the house with them. We have had a ton of late night games and practices and I have come home weary and ready to veg out in front of the tv and watch the last night Olympic coverage, of course, the new afghan makes snuggling up that much sweeter!

Thanks Cathy, I love it. You are so sweet and it is so wonderful to count you as a friend. (Just wish you lived a little closer so you could teach me how to crochet!)

A Cheerful Day!

2010-02-24T07:27:00.000-08:00

The "Amen!" of nature is always a flower.

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Wishing you many Amens today!

My Fabulous Monday!

2010-02-22T10:09:00.000-08:00

I went to my mailbox to leave something for my postman, and guess what was waiting for me?

A beautiful package from Thespa, of VintiquitiesWorkshop.

The most beautiful, dear, sweet, exquisite creation I have ever laid my hands on! A pocket journal with so many details that you won't believe it!

The cover has a beautiful antique lace flower.

Adorned with a tag and crystal.

There is another beautiful crystal on the cover that Thespa altered with the word "Friend." She took the word friend from an old hymnal.

The insides are a wonderful mixture of antique and vintage ephemera that Thespa beautifully layered together.

Did I mention that there are no photocopies in this book? All originals. I so wish I could take beautiful pictures so you could see all her details. Here is a sweet pocket that Thespa stuffed to the gills with more ephemera!

This sweet clown was between the pages. I love her!

Thank you, sweet Thespa! (go check her out here...) So much talent you have,

you have no idea how much I adore your creation!

Dreaming Of Summer

2010-02-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

My sister has dubbed my house, "The Party House." There is nothing better than hosting a great party for friends and family. Last summer sped by so fast. I wanted to try and capture those last days with some good old-fashioned fun. What a better way that to throw an old-fashioned croquet party?

I made everyone wear white. (Guys were allowed to wear khaki pants, and not all of us complied with the dress code, Mike. Don't worry, I shared your fashion faux pas with everyone!) We had a great time. Hope you enjoy our fun.

I brought out some old furniture, just like the Victorians did.

It does help to have cute kids to decorate your old furniture with.

My dad. (BTW Dad, thanks for the 14 boxes of cereal!)

My mom and Rocco by the drink table.

Annie helping to hang out my bloomers.

We actually did play croquet.

Bo loved having something to pound all day long...

The kids love to eat at their own table.

You rock those socks, Mike...

I made fairy wands for the kids.

Little Bo. He does look angelic, doesn't he???

The first meeting of the Good Old Boys Club...

The girls have their own club too.

One thirsty girl.

And hungry too!

Apparently we also played Follow-The-Leader...

Cousins

Thank goodness summer will be here before you know it!

Artist Class

2010-02-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

I've always wistfully seen the sign-up for Artist Class and wished I was a part of it. When it was time for another class, I finally did it. I signed up. Since then, I have been busy making these.

My attempts at making paper shoes. I love them, and can't get enough of them. Today I am learning how to make my own journal.

(The heel of my first shoe, it's my favorite part, just had to show you...)

I'm gonna use these babies to hold treats at a party I am having. I can't wait.

Mary, from Greenpaper, has organized this whole experience, thanks Mary! There is still time to get in on the February class if you are interested. And if you are like me, and can't get enough of these beautiful shoes, go check out Corinne from 100 Pretty Things. She is the inspiration behind this magic, her shoes are beautiful. So beautiful.

A Sunny Day

2010-02-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

It's almost five in the afternoon and the sun is still shining brightly! Makes me feel like this...

Hope the sun is shining wherever you are!

Let The Games Begin!

2010-02-12T06:04:00.000-08:00

The bags are packed...

The skates laced up...

The skis waxed...

The sticks taped...

The sleds are polished...

And the blades are sharpened...

(okay, I admit, a triple axel might be a bit difficult with this baby, especially as I only have one...)

I am hoping for some gold.

Some silver.

And some bronze.

Go World!

For All My Sweet Girls

2010-02-10T17:42:00.000-08:00

You've practiced most of your life for this moment.

Countless hours.

You've laughed, cried, sweated, and given it your all.

These next few games will be the most important of your life.

F1, F2, F3, bad goalie, make the most of your chances.

You've done it before. Tasted victory at this level. Finished on top.

You know what it takes...

It's about who wants it most. Who's the most disciplined.

Believe in yourself. In your team...

No matter what the outcome, you're a winner because you play with grace, dignity and class.

Be the one to inspire, to break away, break glass ceilings, to smash the plexiglass with your shot, to honor the past, but carve new ice, to represent your team, to play for the love of the game, your town, the future, to burn through the brackets, to be ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE!Nike/Bauer ad

Be the one on the bottom of the pile...

All of you...

Now go rock it.

What in the World???

2010-02-10T05:15:00.000-08:00

I have to laugh because apparently my daughter has a new place to store her snowboard.

Now don't get me wrong, I like to mix things up a bit. Put unexpected pieces in different places...

But I never would have thought of this one!!!

Major Score!

2010-02-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

A couple years ago, I made my mom buy these.

Eight of the cutest little covered pots with heart-shaped handles. The pots have sat in her cupboard ever since. My mom is in a "clean-out-the-junk stage", and being the good daughter that I am...

I helped.

I now have eight of the sweetest little pots.

There are only six of us here,

Won't you join us for some Valentine's Day love?

Simple Things

2010-02-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

I was visiting Marla from Butts and Ashes and discovered a blog called Enchanted Oak (go spread the blogging love with her and her wonderful family!) The author of Enchanted Oak, along with her family, is donating $2 to relief work in Haiti for those of us who do a post about simple things in our lives. An anonymous donor is also matching her generous gift! What a wonderful world we live in!

As I am all about the simple things, this was right up my alley

Here's my list:

Having all four of my car doors actually on my car... (yes, you never realized how important this is until one is actually off the car. You just try driving without a door on the drivers side...)

Turning on the water and having clean water come out

An oven (mine just tanked, I miss it and my kids miss cookies...)

Playing hockey with my kids

Being able to run, although I hate it when I am out there... But at least I can, if I want...

The fact that my husband, while he works odd days/hours, only works what would be equivalent to 40 hours a week. I just met a family who recently immigrated from Pakistan, the dad works 7 days a week, 11 hours a day.

The fact that I can openly go to my church and will not get arrested for it. Or even worse.

The best dad in the world, who, when my kids complain that we don't have any food (they actually mean we don't have any junk food that they like to eat) will go out and buy the kids some food. Thanks Dad. (BTW~ my mom is pretty good too.)

Good doctors that listen to me

It is nice that all my family lives nearby, and that we usually like each other...

The fact that my kids get excited to show me a beautiful moon

The sunset (I would also put sunrise, but in reality, it is WAY TOO EARLY for me to appreciate)

Playing football

Being able to turn the heater in your car on, from inside your car (very long story, but in a nutshell, my husband drives a beater car, seriously, a beater... Kids and I call it the ghetto car...People actually look at us as we drive down the highway in it... His heat switch went out, hubby thought it would be funny/easier to just hook a toggle switch on the outside of his car, until he can fix it properly...So we stand by the hood and turn on the heat before getting in the car... And sadly, this switch hangs right by the cord to plug the car in.) Did I mention that my car only gets 12 MPG? Sometimes I weigh which is more important, my pride or the fact that if I ride in the ghetto car, hubby will take care of the gas. My pride has taken a serious beating with the ghetto car.

I should actually be thankful for the darn toggle switch hanging out of the hood of his car. For a bit there, we had to connect two wires, and if we didn't connect them the right way, there was a rather large flame...

I should also be thankful for the ghetto car. In places in Honduras I go on missions trips to, people are thankful to have any mode of transportation, the lucky people have cars, some have bikes, and some have donkeys. Some only have their feet to walk...

The fact that I can laugh about his ghetto car... Thank you God for a sense of humor...It really makes my life much easier...

The fact that Little Fireman yells up the stairs before going to bed "Is anyone going to pray with me tonight?"

Off to pray with my Little Fireman. Yes, he is going to bed at 10:30 on a school night. What we don't do for a good football game!

A Rescue Operation

2010-02-05T08:01:00.000-08:00

My latest rescue operation. Rescuing vintage furs from garage sales and thrift stores.

I should mention that this rescue organization is a non-profit (meaning, I have no job...) so the furs all have to be under $5.

The fur hat is not a rescue, but I thought someone could rescue this poor little boy from his mom. She takes his picture to put on her blog while he is (in his own words) "looking dumb!"

Have a great weekend!

Don't Know About You..

2010-02-02T15:05:00.000-08:00

But I could easily read away the day in this chair.

Image from Country Living Magazine

Recycling our Valentines

2010-02-01T09:36:00.000-08:00

I love cards. The problem is when I buy them, I usually hang on to them for inspiration. That leaves me scrounging for a replacement at the last minute. This weekend was no exception.

At 11:00 the night before I was to leave for an out-of-town wedding, I was frantically looking for a card. Nothing in my stash was going to work for me. Valentine's Day decorations were stacked on my dining room table, and I looked there for inspiration. I found this box from last year. (See, it does pay to save!)

I quickly hot-glued mini-cupcake wrappers to the top of it, then added one of Linda's flowers that I have been making. (Click here for tutorial. If you have not checked out Linda and Robin's Egg Blue's, you need to do so. The best way I can describe her blog is that it is full of loveliness and is a mini-vacation for me each day.)

The best part of this card? On the inside I placed our actual card I made from scrap-booking paper, then added a heart-shaped Christmas ornament. What a fun and unexpected surprise for a bride and groom.

This could be adapted so many different ways. My kids are always wanting gift cards to i-tunes. I now have a fun gift-card holder. What a great way to give a trinket or some new jewelry. And the bonus? If you didn't save all your old boxes from last year and have to go buy new ones, you can eat the candy. In the name of giving, you can force yourself to eat those chocolates. Even if they aren't that good...

And my card stash is still safe...