October 24, 2009
I love the Fall! Maybe part of the reason is that I am from a family of farmers and this is the time of year that all their hard work pays off. Nothing is more beautiful than rows and rows of white cotton ready to be harvested!! At least in my eyes!!!
One of my favorite blogs, Hooked on Houses, is hosting a Fall Harvest Home tour so I just couldn’t resist. If you have never visited this blog, you are missing out! If you love touring homes, you will be in home tour heaven! So here is a little peek of some of our home and when you finish head on over to Hooked on Houses and tour the other lovely spaces!! Thanks for stopping by!!
The weather is so gorgous this time of year! I love being outdoors!
I love containers and I won or actually fought for this black iron finial at a Chinese Christmas in our neighborhood.
I use these for every season. I am always on the “hunt” for something natural to fill them with.
Obviously, I don’t make cakes!
I love burlap and I am into white pumpkins.
…and now…just because it is my blog..a sneak peek of what my daughter and I are working on…..
Two of the cutest little pirates we know…not quite finished with the costumes yet but are they precious or what??
October 22, 2009
We had our grand babies for 4 days this week while their mom and dad recovered from the stomach flu and ran to Dallas to buy some new furniture. It has been a crazy week with Peepaw getting the bug and sweet little Jax falling in the garage and having to go to the ER and ending with me getting the nasty bug! Needless to say I haven’t had time to clean up since the babies went home. So today, I crawl out of bed, glad to be alive and go to the grand babies bedroom and I just cracked up!!! This is what I found…..
Even an ugly brown truck can be ...fancy!
She worked all week trying to make everything fancy…she even had her Uncle Kade wear earrings (didn’t get a picture of that) and she tried with her little brother, but it didn’t last. It hard being fancy when you have a very un-fancy family….but she keeps trying!
September 29, 2009
Can it be possible? Our precious granddaughter is 4 years old today! She is the sweetest and happiest little thing! She had a big ice cream sundae party Sunday at her house. She was cracking us up the whole afternoon with her excitement. When I would take a picture she would stop, turn and say “cheese” flash a smile and move on to more important things! She went from birthday girl to princess in a flash…..check out some of the pictures!
During the excitement, sweet little Jax enjoyed eating all the leftover ice cream and playing with the truck that his Paw bought him.
September 22, 2009
Today was the first day of fall and it was so beautiful outside! It was so sunny, cool and crisp out. I love, love fall in West Texas. It makes me dream of a crackling fire, a cup of hot spiced tea or cocoa, and comfort foods. Speaking of comfort food…my hubby made a huge pot of his famous stew tonight and the other night I did a bad, bad thing…I made this wonderful recipe that my sweet friend Brittany posted on her blog. OMG!! It is wonderful!! Apple Dumplings…need I say more. It was so easy and sooo good and calorie free!! Yeah right! Thank you Brittany!
Easy Apple Dumplings
2 medium Granny Smith apples
1 (8-count) package refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspooon vanilla extract
1/2 cup very finely chopped pecans
1. Preheat ovent to 350F. Grease an 8-inch-square baking dish.
2. Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into fourths. Unroll and separate crescent roll dough. Wrap each apple section in a crescent roll. Place in pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
3. Combine butter, sugar, and orange juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over dumplings. Sprinkle pecans over top.
4. Bake 30 minutes, or until crust is golden and beginning to boil and apples are just tender when pierced with a fork.
5. To serve, spoon some of the syrup from the baking dish over dumplings. Serve with ice cream, if desired. Serves 8.
(I drizzled caramel sauce warmed in the microwave over the top once in the bowl……just for added calories!! hehe)
September 16, 2009
Well, after researching lead paint and discovering it was banned in 1978…I have come to the sad conclusion that I am just old and tired!!! I also have decided if Greg and I ever move it will be to a brand, spanking new house. I am so excited for my “young” kids but I don’t think I could do this again (unless I hire someone!!!) Seriously, I haven’t minded any of the work but today I decided that something must be seriously wrong with me. My adorable hubby explained it to me. I am not as young as I think I am!! So I am old and that makes me so sad!!!
The house is about there, if we EVER get the kitchen done. I am not a vindictive person BUT I could kick that girl’s little or BIG a** for doing the stupid things she did! She painted all the cabinets….yes without sanding and covered oil based paint with “cheap” latex so they are peeling off in strips!!! She is (was) a strange person. She has never forwarded her mail so it is still coming to Summer’s house…hmmm…a $12,000 roof replacement check! I think she is a nut case and I have grown to dislike her more and more!!! Ok I am finished venting. Now if you want to see a sneak peek please visit my precious daughter’s blog at picklesandapples.com. She is so loving her house and it is a great house!!! We just want to decorate and decorate and decorate NOT paint and clean!!
Oh… and please pray for my old bones!!!
September 4, 2009
Sorry no posts in so long. Several friends have wondered why? Well, my daughter finally got her house and we have been busy packing, moving, unpacking, CLEANING, and now painting! When I say cleaning I mean scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing……the owner left the house filthy!!! OH MY!! This morning my daughter is taking the babies to a play group so while they are away, I am deep cleaning all the wood floors. That is an impossible task with a toddler around.
The gal that owned the house took everything but the kitchen sink (and we wished she would have taken it! ha) seriously she tried to take all the light fixtures the day before closing but the kids threatened to cancel the contract, so she left them. However…the fixture in the dining had those cute little shades and she took them, took all window coverings (they were supposed to stay) and even took batteries out of ceiling fan remotes!!!! We are not sure but we think she pulled up a few trees!! hehehe Oh well, the drama of that is over!! It is a wonderful older home and has so many possibilities! Our goal is to make it THEIR home. That is if we don’t end up in the hospital from all the hard work!!!!!!!
Stay tuned for (hopefully) before and after pictures. See ya soon!
August 9, 2009
My daughter and I spent last week going to antique stores and junk stores. We didn’t buy a thing but got tons of ideas for her new house. Sadly, today the buyer of her house backed out! The reason being…get this….because of a recent hail storm, it needs a new roof which they were in the process of having done!!! This somehow made her uncomfortable with the purchase. Ok, apparently the gal wasn’t from West Texas. We are the HOME of hail storms! Good luck finding a house here that hasn’t had hail damage recently! Anyway, I know it will sell again to someone who, as a friend of hers said, “loves it the way you loved it!”
Here are a few of the great things we found….if you haven’t been to Grand Central Station on Ave. Q lately or ever..GO! The front left booths are TO DIE FOR! Of course you must like Vintage things.
So cute for a dining room
It hangs on a wall....
We loved this little table
This bird cage has clips to hang pictures on
A vintage cabinet
She loved this lsland
This old window so cute...and we found them for $8 at another store..unpainted of course!
July 22, 2009
While out of town, I was in Hobby Lobby looking for a lamp for the condo and I found a great bargain. In their 90% off home interior isle was a little basket full of my favorite little ABC-123 balls. I paid $3 each and these were on clearance for 29¢ and 19¢!!! When I got back and showed my hubby what a bargain I got he commented that maybe they were so cheap because they were “out of style!” I informed him that apparently people had no idea what was in style! So later that afternoon I was looking through the new August House Beautiful magazine and what did I find??
The Best Accessories for Your Home
ABCs and 123s
Hmmm…..out of style…NOT! I bought about 40 balls for $11 but you can order from here for $3 each! Wow! I love to prove a point! lol
July 18, 2009
Ta Da!!! The re-do on “literally” a dime is about done. We worked hard for one day and this is the finished product. I can’t imagine how great it would look if we could totally remodel but this appeased me for the time being. I painted the mauve/blue wallpapered wall a khaki, as well as the entry and front door. We spray painted the brass tables and daybed with a black textured paint. I bought a couch cover , rugs, and king bedspread at Target. The rest came from….yes….TJ Max. The pillows came from Wally World as well as the shower curtain. The first pics are the before..duh…I took them at the last minute as we were tearing things up and throwing things away. The little janitor wanted everything I tossed for a yard sale so I feel good that she made a little money off of our junk. Tell me what you think.
Lovely wall...stinky purple couch...yuck!
Lovely daybed...I had already tossed the bedspread and picture. Sorry you missed that!
and...my all time fav....the purle/blue/hot pink bedspread....
….and now for the re-do….drum roll please……
Yes that is the same couch...
Bedroom still needs help but hey...better bedspread!
This is the real reason we love the place….these were taken last 4th and the beach was crowed.
One view from the balcony
Fireworks last July 4th
