Newbies

Is anyone strolling through Hobby Lobby and seeing the Christmas decorations right beside the fall ones?

I mean, this has been going on for months already.

I know it happens every year, but it STILL shocks me each time I see it. 

We're not officially celebrating fall yet, but lets get the Christmas decorations out!

Ha.

While I think it's a little silly, I've jumped on the bandwagon myself.

The other day I listed some Christmas (AND FALL) decorations in my store.  I have some other Christmas things sitting on my craft desk awaiting the final touches that I can't wait to list!

Here are some things that I put into the store the other day...

Four different Fall Flag/Pennant/Bunting to decorate with.

Everyone needs a little fall in their life!

Some cute non-spinning pinwheels to use for a party or just as a decoration...

And some Christmas ornaments.

I still have some vintage book garland in the store for your Christmas tree too, or to use over a mirror, above a window, etc. 

Check back soon to see what else I've listed.  You can click the link on my side bar.

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!

A work in progress

Our house is 8 3/4 years old.

Sounds silly, I know, but we moved in when it was completed in Feb. of 2006.

Grace had just turned 6 and was HIGHLY upset that she couldn't have her 6th birthday party in our new house. (We had it in the rental house we were living in.)

She was even more OUTRAGED that Evan did have his 5th birthday party at our new house in March.

We'll let bygones be bygones.  It's water under the bridge and 8 3/4 years later.

That being said, along the way we've upgraded many things...(our house was a modular spec home that was moved here and we added the porch along the front and the garage.)

We've changed light fixtures, door handles (from brass to nickel), I've painted all the kitchen hardware (from brass to hammered black,), we've painted doors, walls, and added a patio.

When our house was put together on our land, it had aqua shutters which have faded badly over the years.

Since Brent was working on making all our windows more airtight, he decided it would be a good idea for the kids and I to paint all the shutters.

So that's what we've been doing for a week now.  (in our spare time, which is why it's going so slowly.)

 I got the paint to match the front door I updated last fall, and each shutter took 2-3 coats. 

I painted the first coat on the last 4 today.  22 shutters total.  Slow work friends, SLOW work.

The kids now tell me since Brent has put up two of the sets, that the house now looks like a ketchup and mustard house  (yellow siding, red shutters.)

Funny.

Since the windows are being fixed, that means the inside of the windows needs fixing too.

Brent has taken off all the skinny fake oak trim (which I HATE in new houses) and we will replace it with thicker trim, painted white, and the inside wood around the windows will all be new too.

Yeah, more painting.  (insert sarcasm here.)

Right now, we just have ugly windows inside.

We're moving in stages people. 

Time and money are always the issue.

At least SOME areas of the house are staying the same.

I have more plans, but they are slowly being processed.  In my mind, and on paper.

I'm also in the midst of planning a 50th wedding anniversary party for my in-laws.  That is also time-consuming.

I guess this is what it means to be home owners, right?  Always changing, always updating, always maintaining.

We'll keep you posted.

It's a Fall list

In the blog world, the posts are all about lists lately.

So, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. 

You all know I love lists anyway, so it's perfect.

Here are some things I've pinned from Pinterest lately, that I thought I would share with you.  Maybe one or two or more of them will inspire you too.

1.  Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins.

 I'm completely in the mood for fall baking now that the weather is cooperating.  These look DELICIOUS, and I plan on trying them.

Along the same lines, this recipe looks delish too.

2.  Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder.

Yum.  Cozy, warm, curl up in a corner, movie watchin' kind of meal.

I'm currently working on a project that involves something like this...(but my own version)

3.  Distressed Coffee Sign.

AND something like this...

4.  Coffee bar on my counter.

I'm gonna leave you hanging there, and post details and pictures when I'm finished.

This week I'm going to have to start doing this...

5.  Canning Grape Juice.

My grapes (concord) are ready, and this is pretty much the same recipe I use. Easy peasy.

And since the weather IS cooperating like I said, these two things would go very nicely in my wardrobe.

6.  Grey flats.   (strolling along flats to be exact)

and

7.  A puffy vest.  Any color, although I do like mustard yellow.

This is what I've got on my mind lately, these 7 little things. 

What would be in your list?

What has consumed us

Since the HORRIBLE cold/flu that Brent brought home, and simultaneously ran it's course through all of us has departed, I feel a million times better.

That's whats been holding up blogging for awhile, well, plus some other things...

Like, I started a new job on Sept. 3.  I'm the receptionist for Grace and Evan's orthodontist.

So far I like it alot.  I get to see people I know everyday because so many of the kids friends/school mates go to this orthodontist.  But the two weeks prior to that, I was training the new lady who took over my job.  It was bittersweet.  I didn't want to leave, I loved my job and the ladies I worked with, but the pay was killing us, and it was time to make a change. 

Funny how the educating of our CHILDREN, and all the jobs that go into it are the lowest paying around!  Doesn't quite make sense.

So, anyway, it's been a roller coaster of change all around.

Plus, we've been spending our "extra" time, when not driving kids back and forth to practice, at their games.

Evan is a linebacker again this year, on the 8th grade team.  He's #2.

He's seeing quite a lot of playing time because he's physically bigger than last year, and stronger too.

He's loving it, and it's fun to watch him play.

Grace is a freshman on the Varsity Cheerleading Squad.
She's pretty proud of that, and we're pretty proud of her!

She's loving her new coaches, and doing her best at every game.

So far, it's been a fun start to the school year.

And FINALLY the weather has decided to cooperate.  We've been seeing high 80's, and 90's for the last couple of weeks.  Makes for watching and playing games, not very fun. 

I'm ready for fall...crisp weather, long sleeves, football games. 

Bring it on!