Thursday, June 28, 2012

Are y'all in the witness protection program? Inquiring minds want to know. ~

I stalk a lot of blogs.

And I've always wondered why... some of you... refer to your spouse and children as "Mr {insert blog name here}" or "Thing 1, 2, 3...".


What's up with that?!?!

Are ya'll concerned about your privacy?  Uhm, you are putting yourselves out there on the internets. Sometimes on a daily basis.   Posting pictures of yourselves, family and your home. You do realize this, right??

Maybe I'm completely oblivious. 

Fill me in so I can understand.

It keeps me up at night.

XO

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

All Star Block Party #4 ~

Howdy friends.

Sorry, I'm late with this.  Not been a great night at our house and I needed to breathe a little bit.

First, when I got home... my adorable chippy window had come crashing to the floor, taking out my mason jar/hose clamp holder that Drew had made for me.  Took it out and broke it into 3 pieces.  I suppose it could have been worse.  My chippy window only lost a little chippiness.  It didn't break.

I was desperate.  So, I re-attached the pieces to the wall:


So, I'm a loser.

Then, another picture had come down and my super brittle boxwood wreath had come down.  WTF??  Was there some kind of earthquake??  I dunno.  But, the window was a definite fail.
It's nice and secured tonight.  :-(

Alrighty - let's get to the features. Seems like most are food related this week.  I must be hungry!


Mandy at Mandy's Money made these to die for Blow Pop Martini's.  My mouth is watering just looking at them! 


Linda at With a Blast {she was my lucky 200th reader!!} shared this so yummy Coconut bread with cream cheese frosting.  Oh Mah Gah!


Alyssa at What's Cooking, love?  shared these delicious looking chicken crescent bundles.  I'm seriously making these.

If you were featured, be sure to snag ya a button!!








So, let's move onto this weeks party!

Remember, there are some rules:

Keep your links family friendly and only link up projects made by YOU.
No business pages, giveaways or link parties allowed.
Follow your hosts (listed above) and please link back to the host's blog that you linked up to.
                      We reserve the right to delete any link that does not abide by these rules.
You keep amazing us every week! 
Have fun!!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Doors and windows and chalk... oh my!! ~

Wow.  Is it hot... or what?!?!  It's close to 100 and WINDY here!  I've never liked the wind.  And with the events of the past few days, I like it even less.

Only 128 days until Halloween!!  OMG that is an eternity away!

I'm excited to say, I did a little project.  :-)

I signed up for the Bloggy Olympics - Paint category.




HatingMartha



I was looking around the house on Sunday, wondering what the heck I was going to do a paint post about.  Then I looked at these beauties that have been leaning against the end of my kitchen cabinets for at least 6 months.  Just waiting for me to paint them and make them useful again.



These are 2, small, unused cabinet doors from my used to be buffet now entertainment center. 

I thought they would be cute painted and hung on the wall to hang stuff on. 

I took the old hardware off, painted the centers with chalkboard paint then painted the rest {along with the raised fru fru's} Mourning Dove grey. 

A couple days before the big fire, I purchased a cute, old, chippy window with the glass intact. 
Purchased some vinyl tree limbs with birdies and added them.  I also got some of those nifty chalk pens to use on my chalkboards.  So much easier to write with!  I've always had issues using chalk.  Kinda makes my skin crawl.  Ya know?? 

So, the kitchen looks a little different, but I'm loving the change:





Only as I was hanging the doors did I realize that they aren't quite the same size.  Hm.  Oh well. 


I think these turned out so cute. 

I adore my old, chippy window.    



I'm liking the change.  Soon I will show you where the signs ended up. 



Oh, please say some prayers for our baby boy, Maxwell.  

The fire/smoke stirred up some gnarly allergies and while at the vet she heard a substantial heart murmur that he didn't have at his last checkup.  He is having an echo cardiogram on Wednesday.  I'm praying it's just an expensive nothing.  


His Momma worries. 

Love ya's!  

XOXO

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Things I am grateful for ~

Hi guys! 

Happy Sunday!

Yes, it's happy.

We are home. 

We have our home to come back to thanks to these folks:


         They slept on the streets and on our lawns to protect our homes.  God bless them!!


Now, we all feel like we have colds.  Super sore throats, coughing... but we are home and safe!

I'm beyond thankful to the firefighters that protected our community!  THANK YOU!!! 
My community is amazing.  Everyone helping everyone.  Strangers opening their homes to others and PETS!  So many people and businesses stepped up to donate food, comfort and shelter for displaced people and pets.  Not one single life or structure was lost.   It's amazing to me after what we saw when we left in a hurry Friday morning.

I'm grateful, also, for my crock pot today.  Since we all feel pretty crummy, it was nice to be able to throw this recipe in the crock pot, rest and sleep all day and still have a yummy supper tonight.

We are really tired of fast food and sandwiches.  :-P

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken


  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained with juice reserved
 Just throw everything (except pineapple chunks) into the crock pot.  Put the lid on, turn the heat on low and just forget about it for 6-8 hours. 

Cook up some plain white rice. Shred the chicken. Then throw in the pineapple pieces and let them warm through.  Serve over rice!  If it's too saucy (mine never is) you can add some cornstarch mixed with a little water to thicken it up.  This is so easy and very tasty!



Sweet, salty, tangy... very, very yummy!  Tonight I even added a good deal of hot sauce for even more zip.




Thank you, everyone for all your prayers.  They worked!!  We feel very blessed tonight!!

XOXO

Friday, June 22, 2012

Not so fun ~

Hi.

What are you guys doing today?

We are spending the day/night in 2 lovely executive suites at Holiday Inn Express. 

This is why:



All the Card's and the furry Card's are all safe and comfortable. 

It started yesterday on the other side of the mountain. 

Last night, it looked like this:



This morning:




As we were leaving:



Overnight they did a great job knocking it back.

Then the wind kicked up again.

It's 100 degrees and windy as hell.  This thing is moving fast.

Scary stuff!  They say it wont be contained for a couple days. 

We're safe and sound. 

Please pray for our neighbors and all the firefighters.

It's going to be

a

very

long

summer.

XOXO


Thursday, June 21, 2012

Summer Fun ~

Happy almost weekend babies!



I'm sure you have all noticed that I'm an 80's rocker chick.  I admit.  I was a little crazy groupie back in the day.  Went to every show, met tons of rock stars... it was fun.  The list of 80's hair bands that I met back in the day is long... very long.   Some fun and scary stories.  Mostly awesome memories.

I'm over it. 

There are only 2 bands that Drew and I will not miss if they come to town.  

RUSH & Def Leppard.  

I have loved Def Lep since I was 14 years old.  They have been my BFF's for eternity.   I have even tweeted with Rick Allen.  I know, I'm too cool.  :-) 

Anyway, the boyz were in town last night.  It's the highlight of my summer.  They were playing with Lita Ford & Poison.


My GF Rachel called me out of the blue, here is how the convo went:

"Hello?"

"Hey Meg, you know I wouldn't call unless it was REALLY important, right?"

{worried}

"Mkay, what's wrong?"

"Do you want to meet Bret Michaels with me?"

"What?  What are you talking about??"

"Do you want to meet Bret Michaels with me?"

{both laughing}

"Heck yeah!"


SUPER bad pics of me and my new BFF, Bret Michaels.


He reminded me of Santa Claus.  

"Come here little girl and tell Santa Bret what you would like for Christmas!  Ho. Ho. HO!!!"

He asked me to be on his new reality show.  

No.

Not really. 

He really was fun and made everyone feel like his BFF.  He took time and focused on each person.  
So charismatic and he had impeccable manners.  Good manners are important people.  

Oh, and the hair... it's extensions.  :-P

He smelled nice.   

We had a blast!  Thanks Rach!! 

XOXO

Hope you guys are making some awesome summer memories too!




Tuesday, June 19, 2012

All Star Block Party #3 ~

Well heya friends!!

I'm beyond excited.

Look over on your left... it's ok...  I will wait.




I hit 200 GFC friends today.  I refuse to type followers {wait...} because none of us are followers.  We are friends!  For me, this is huge!  I know.  Some of y'all have gazillions of readers so, 200 seems like small beans.  But, for me... this is AMAZING!!  I'm SO honored some of you hang out... and you keep coming back!  My cup runeth over... XOXO

So, is it like a million degrees where you live?!?!?  It's been SO hot here this week!!!   It's only June for crying out loud!  I'm not a huge fan of summer.  I really, really dislike the heat. It zaps all my creative mojo.  I feel like doing... nothing.

Except sitting around sipping an ice coffee.

Is it Fall yet???

Enough whining... 

So, now onto this weeks party!!


Mimi at Blue Roof Cabin made this GORGEOUS trellis with salvaged wood.  She made this in a day.  Mad skillz y'all... and yes, I'm wicked jealous!!  



April at April's Country Life Blog shared this scrumptious strawberry butter fluff desert.  I don't know about you... but in the summer I like light deserts and this one looks perfect!



Phaedra from Phaedra's Adventures shared a tutorial on how to make these SUPER FUN sponge balls.  How fun would these be for summer?!?!  I'm not at all partial to how cute her Nephew Sean is, either.  :-) 


I can't get over this.  It's a CAKE.  Yep. Bebsy at Craftmates shared this with us.   Is this just spectacular?!?!  Look at the controller... really just amazing.  







Ready for this week's party??!?!?!  First... a few words from our sponsor {or not}:

Keep your links family friendly and only link up projects made by YOU.
No business pages, giveaways or link parties allowed.
Follow your hosts (listed above) and please link back to the host's blog that you linked up to.
                      We reserve the right to delete any link that does not abide by these rules.

If you were featured, be sure to snag ya a button!!





Alrighty spritey... let's get this party started!!


Friday, June 15, 2012

Happiness list #18 ~

Dear Friday,

What took you so long?!?!

XOXO,

Me.

Heya!!  Happy weekend babies!!

What you got planned?  I know lots of you are going to Haven.  I will miss you and I hope you have a BLAST!!

I will be home.  Hopefully working on the loft project.  I think I will really get on Drew's nerves about the stairs... so he will give in to ripping up the carpet on the stairs.  I'm bad... bad to the bone.  Wish me luck!

Haven't done a happiness list for awhile.

I hate harping back to Kita and her illness, but honestly, for the past 3-4 years our lives revolved around her and taking care of her.  My greatest fear, was losing her.  It consumed me. 

We've lost pets in the past.  It's always devastating.  Those illnesses came on so quickly and were not treatable.  That's always such a horrible shock.  But, thanks to some amazing friends and veterinarians, we learned that Kita's illness was certainly treatable, and we were going to give it our best shot, damnit.  So, now that chapter in our lives is over.  The anxiety is starting to ease a bit.  I'm not having to constantly remind myself that life is good and to see the little things and the little blessings.  Things are getting better.  Don't get me wrong.  I would give anything to have her back in good health... anything.  Sometimes God has to tell us "No, not this time."

But, I do think these lists are vital.  So, even though they may be fewer and further between, I'm going to continue with them.  I hope you guys get a little kick out of them too.  :-)


My new picture wall.  Filled with the people I love. Makes me smile. 


The updated entry way.  Loving all the character these touches add.  Breaking up the sea of beige is good!  If you follow me on Facebook, you know that the chalkboard fell on my foot and broke last night.  Not my foot {felt like it though!} but it broke into pieces.  Now, I need something else to put there.  Working on that.


Drew scored this entire, brand new, Bodum set at a neighbors yard sale for $5.  SCORE!!!  



Maxwell.  He is an endless supply of love and laughter.  He is our comic relief and we feel so blessed that he found us.  His new hairdo rocks all our worlds.  He's been trying to tell us for years that he is King of our jungle... and now he finally looks worthy of the title.  Yes Max, you are the King. 


Rock on Baby boy.


How we love this big teddy bear.


Again, if you follow me on Facebook, you know I planted these hydrangea's a couple months ago.  See where it says "Guaranteed to grow"?  Yeah, no.  
I went out to water a couple days ago and there were green leaves on the pink one!  Keeping my fingers crossed!!  Wish me luck! 



Whatever you guys do this weekend, enjoy!  

XOXO



Thursday, June 14, 2012

More of Max the wonderful ~

We have this powder.  It was given to us by a friend.  She got it from some clients that got it in Japan.  It's not available here in the States.

It's like catnip, but it's a stick.  

This is what just a tiny bit of it does to Max:
atamagaokashii neko {insane cat}







I adore him.

XOXO

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Maxwell ~ best cat on the planet




Max had his first spa visit ever tonight. 

Cutest.  Thing.  Ever.  

That is all. 

XO

P.S. We didn't do this just so we could giggle and poke fun at him {although, we are}, we did this because it's summer and the furballs are out of control.  Even though we brush and furminate him, he has been having major issues with furballs.  We are trying to make him more comfortable. We did this cause we love the boy.  :-) 

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Am I blue? And keeping it real ~

Ok, alright... if you're getting sick of seeing this project... just don't tell me.

Our house looks so different from this time last year, I'm amazed.  And in a good way!

I like it.  Lots.

So, I showed you the B&B I did over the weekend and how I jazzed up the area by moving tables and chotshkies around.  Shared my thoughts on painting the inside of the front door Wythe Blue.  A couple lovely people {Anne & Shasta} said "OH YES!!  And make it BOTH doors"... well then, okie dokie!!

Tonight, it looks like this:



Wythe Blue has got to be the most delicious, luscious shade of blue/green I've ever seen.  It's just so... purty!

I picked up 4 of these at Ikea:



Took out the plastic cup and took off the hook, screwed them to my B&B and added the darling lacy pots also sold at Ikea.  Threw in some pretty flowers.  I love it.  






Aren't they precious??  Those lacy little pots are coated metal and only $2.99.


I backed up so you can see a larger shot of the front room.   I coulda vacuumed.  I shoulda vacuumed.



And then, I backed up more so you can see my blogging station.   


And then, to keep it real... I turned around...


Don't laugh.  I have a love/hate relationship with these chairs.  They are SO sturdy & comfy, but they are SO dang ugly!!  I'm patiently {Hah, me... patient!} waiting for slipcovers that will do them justice. Someday, I will tell you the story of these chairs.  Another time. 

If you turn again, you look straight ahead into the living room: 



If you then turn left, you look ahead into the dining room:  


Turn left again {feel dizzy yet} and then you are in the kitchen.  My favorite part of our home. 



And there you have it.  The main floor of our house!  Wow, last time I showed you that all the pictures were taken with my cell phone.  *blushing* I've learned since then!

Alright, so I love the main floor and now I need to move upstairs.  So many ideas, so little time & money!


I got this cute set of nesting tables at a local yard sale on Saturday for $5.  They are next to get the Nutmeg touch.   Love that mirror... makes me look so skinny!!!  :-P




Still trying to talk Drew into the paper bag stairs.  Yeah, working on that. 

XOXO

See ya soon!!



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