Calypso In The Country

Domestically Speaking- Power of Paint Party

The Polohouse - Favorite on the First- Vignettes

Weekend Pupdate #4

2012-03-04T08:02:00.000-05:00

It was an enjoyable week with little Rosie.

She didn't have any major accidents

and she is getting back into a good sleep routine.

She actually slept 7 hours one night

and was averaging 5 to 6 hour stretches

most of the week!

She has been very sweet and snuggly all week.

She just gets into typical "puppy trouble".

I have gone from calling her "the beast"

to calling her "the bandit"

because she is always stealing things

when we let her roam around the house.

We also call her

"the ferocious dog"

when she gets in the crazy playful mood.

And she still sleeps through anything

when she is out in the noisy kitchen.

What a character.

How was your week?

Spring Vignettes

2012-03-01T08:32:00.000-05:00

Happy 1st Day of March!
Today, I thought I would highlight

some springy-looking vignettes from the past.

(You can click on the title of each one to see the actual post)

Afternoon Tea Vignette

Sure, this orchid is fake...but it looks springy!

Caribbean Colors and a Console

Spring Bakers Rack

This post was inspired by Alison's monthly party at the Polohouse:

Today I am also linking to:

No Minimalist Here~ Open House Party

Lighting in the Laundry

2012-02-29T16:37:00.002-05:00

Now that I am in the process of painting

my new beadboard ceiling in the laundry room,

I have started to think about

what kind of light fixture I would like in there.

Since the beadboard ceiling draws your eye up,

I just can't have this dinky little thing on the ceiling!

I have three totally different ideas for the new light...

A Schoolhouse Semi-flush mounted light:

World Imports Lighting via Amazon.com

A Norwich Small Foyer Pendant

Lumens.com/Kichler-Lighting

A "Mini Smokebell" Semi-flushmount:

Shades of Light

I love the look of the last one

but with the clear glass

and the clear bulbs,

I am afraid of having too much glare in there.

After all it is a "working" room.

The second one is adorable too.

I am just concerned it wouldn't be enough light,

plus the clear bulbs could cause some glare.

But it is cute, isn't it?

The Schoolhouse light would be the most practical.

The white glass covering would take care of the glare

and that light is the cheapest of the three.

I think it would probably give me

the best type of light in there.

Does anyone have any of the "Smokebell" types?

If so, does it cause a lot of glass-glare?

It really is my favorite of the three.

Which do you think would look best in the room?

Oh and by the way,

painting a beadboard ceiling is not fun...

my neck is killing me!

Linking to:
At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday
French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

Beadboard Ceiling

2012-02-27T13:33:00.008-05:00

Our beadboard ceiling

was installed in the laundry room on Saturday

and I couldn't be happier!

Well, I could be happier

if I didn't have to strain my neck painting it tomorrow,

but I am thrilled with how it turned out!

As you might recall,

I asked for advice about which way to run the boards.

Most of you agreed that that boards should run the length of the room.

So what did I do?

I ran them the width instead.

I know, how ungrateful for the advice I asked for...

But I had my reasons...

1. Apparently, the boards should run perpendicular to the joists so you can nail into solid wood. If you do it the opposite way, you have to add a layer of plywood.

2. The room is only 7' wide by 8' 2" long so I didn't think it made too much of a difference.

3. In my mind, I pictured the ceiling going the width and as we were deciding, I kept trying to convince myself that I "should" run it the long way. Whenever I try to convince myself of something, I usually end up regretting the decision.

4. As you can see by the picture below, the hallway runs along side of the laundry room and I liked the way the boards ran in the same direction of the hallway next to the room. I was also afraid of the laundry room feeling like too much of a hallway itself, if I ran the boards the length of the room.

Hallway/Laundry Room

So, here are the before and after shots.

Of course I still have to paint over the primer

AND

change that ridiculous little light!

BEFORE:

Sorry about the glare!

AFTER:

I am SO happy!

I have been finding any excuse to walk in here.

Does anyone need any laundry done?

Does anyone remember
what my laundry room looked like way back when?

This was way before the cabinets,
the new floor, the beadboard ceiling...scary!

I want to thank everyone who stopped by to give their advice.

I seriously took every comment into consideration

and I really appreciate your opinions!

Did you get any projects done this weekend?

Linking to:

Between Naps On The Porch~Metamorphosis Monday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesdays Treasures
Not Just a Housewife - Show Me What Ya Got
Diy by Design - Winter Blues Wednesday
Evolution of Style Blog - February Room Evolution Party
Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays
No Minimalist Here~Open House Party
Serenity Now - Weekend Bloggy Reading Link Up

Weekend Pupdate #3

2012-02-25T20:55:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe we have had our Rosie

for 3 weeks already!

So... here is your puppy fix for the week...

(Stay tuned at the end for all the "fun" details.)

This week she had a bath..

She enjoyed some great stretched out puppy sleep time!

She stole my son's backpack.

She got a little too comfortable on the couch...

We are going to stop this before it becomes a habit!

And she enjoyed lots of tail chasing!

But as to be expected, the week was not all fun and games..

We started off the week with my husband leaving for a trip so I knew I would have to handle things on my own for the whole week. Rosie had been sleeping 5-7 hour stretches by the end of last week so I figured this would not be a problem...Wrong! For some reason, she must have sensed he was leaving because all hell broke loose! She was having accidents constantly and the nightime was a nightMARE! She would only sleep 2-3 hours and then have an accident in her crate! I was losing it! I even suspected that she might have a bladder infection. I ran the idea by my neighbors but everyone seemed to agree that she is still young and "puppies will be puppies"...

After the second night of this nonsense though, I decided to call the vet. I told them I thought she might have a bladder infection so they had me come in that morning with a urine sample...which was not that hard to get since she was constantly going!

And sure enough...my baby had a bladder infection!

I was so glad I trusted my "mommy instincts"!

They had to give her an antibiotic shot and then gave me pills for the next 10 days. The little sweetie was so good for the doctor. Even while getting the shot, her tail was still wagging and she never seemed upset the whole time we were there. I felt like such a proud mother.

I think that is when the transformation took place.

And I don't mean her transformation,

I mean...mine.

Ever since we brought her home, I had been feeling resentful towards her for disrupting my life, for not letting me sleep...basically for everything. But suddenly I felt so protective of her. I felt like she was my little baby and I wanted her to feel better. The vet told me that the first night or two she would still be waking up more to pee while the medicine kicked in - plus she wanted me to make sure she kept drinking water to flush it out of her. So I ended up waking up every 2-3 hours with her but I wasn't angry like I had been. I just did what I had to do. Hopefully tonight she will sleep longer since she has been on the medicine for a couple days now.

I am really enjoying her so much more now. I feel much closer to her and I want to snuggle her even more. In fact I am kissing her all the time. I guess we'll keep her...LOL!

So that was our week...I hope you enjoyed the pictures of the fluffball. Hey, doesn't she look a little more "golden" now? I think she was whiter when we got her but her fur is getting darker and fluffier. And she has definitely gotten bigger!

Thanks for stopping by. I have to bring her out into the cold windy night when I am finished writing this. It is absolutely freezing here and the wind is so strong I think my house is going to blow away. Yeah, this going outside part has not gotten any more enjoyable....oh well!

How is your weather this weekend?

Advice Anyone?

2012-02-24T13:16:00.006-05:00

Just out of nowhere,

I am going to get a project done in my house...

Tomorrow!

Yay!

Let me explain...

About 6 months ago, I mentioned to my husband's friend that I wanted to put a beadboard ceiling and crown molding in my laundry/mudroom. He is my go-to guy when I need projects done around the house. He is rarely available on weekends because he does a lot of side jobs, but the other day he called and asked if I would like him to do my project on Saturday! Yes, please! Well, of course I had to run this by Mr. C. which I knew would not be to hard since he has been traveling all week - on a fun type of business trip of all things. I have been alone with the kids and a crazy, peeing puppy and I have had to babysit a friend's son all week. I have had basically no sleep so when our friend called, I knew this would not be a difficult negotiation with my husband! Oh, did I mention that our electricity was out most of this morning?!! Uggh..So, anyway, Mr. C. said yes (like he had a choice) and now I get my little project done!

You might recall,

I started on this room last year

when we put in this new tile floor.

See Laundry Room Reveal.

So, I know I want beadboard and crown molding but our friend asked me which direction I want the beadboard to go. So what do you think? From this angle, would you go left to right (cabinets to wall) or front to back (doorway to door)? He is coming to measure tonight so I have to come up with an answer asap. I am not sure if there is a right way to do it.

And maybe after I get this done I will come up with an idea for changing the stuff on top of the cabinets...oh and that light just has to go! I will show you some ideas next week for what I am thinking for the light!

Back to the beadboard...

So which way do you think it should run?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Linking to:
At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday
Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday
Remodelaholic - Remodelaholics Anonymous
French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday
Chic on a Shoestring - Flaunt it Friday

Paint Colors

2012-02-23T15:02:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I told you I tested a sample of

Benjamin Moore's Iced Slate

for my son's room.

He wanted a blue-ish gray but

after I painted the board,

I thought it looked a little lavender in certain light.

I waited to get his reaction before I said anything.

He took one look at it and said,

"I don't like it. It looks purple!"

So, it's back to the drawing board with that!

In the meantime, I thought I would show you the colors

that I have used in my house....

(All paints are Benjamin Moore)

Foyer: Bone White

Living Room: Bone White

Dining Room:
Custom Mix - similar to Sherwin Williams Red Bay
which I loved at my friend's house.

(I was trying to match the rug)

Kitchen: Monroe Bisque

Family Room: Monroe Bisque

Back Hallway: Monroe Bisque
(Although it looks quite yellow in this picture!)

Guest Bath: Saybrook Sage

Playroom/Dog-room/Future Office:
Philadelphia Cream

Laundry Room: Providence Olive

Conservatory: Providence Olive

(kind of a dark picture...sorry!)

Master Bedroom: Linen White

Master Bath: Amsterdam

Big Kid Room: Bright and Early

Little Kid Room: Linen White
You might wonder why "Little Kid" has a big bed
and "Big Kid" has a twin...
Well, "Little Kid" took over the guest room
and we just never switched them.
"Big Kid" has not let me forget this though...

Basement Man Cave: Dry Sage

Basement Man Cave Bathroom:
Linen White

Ok, so what's missing?
Husband's office...white but too messy right now,
Kids' bathroom...Hawthorne yellow, but changing some things...
Kids' basement playroom...Navajo White but WAY too messy to show!
(We have all the toys piled up from the upstairs playroom)
I have not been able to keep up
with certain things since our furball arrived.

So, as I said,
the next painting project will be my son's room....
as soon as he decides on a color that is!

What is your next paint project?

Linking to:
No Minimalist Here - Open House Party
At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday
Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday
Serenity Now - Weekend Bloggy Reading Link Up

I Don't Want a Baby Room

2012-02-21T15:13:00.001-05:00

My eight year old has been fed up
with the baby blue color of his room for some time now.

I keep promising him I will make his room more grown up.
(I did a post on this a few months ago - Choosing Colors.)

Today I took the first step.

I went to Benjamin Moore and picked out a sample of

"Iced Slate" (#2130-60) to test out in his room.

He thought the "Bright and Early" (#834) was

"Way too babyish!"

When we started looking at paint,
we liked "Silver Mist" and "Blue Heather." (on right)

But "Iced Slate" is kind of in between the two.
(shown on left)

He liked the idea of a blue/gray

so we will see what he thinks of the "Iced Slate."

Top left - Bright and Early (what he has now)

Right - Iced Slate (the sample I bought today)

I painted a poster board and when he gets home from school

he can help me evaluate how it will look in his room.

He is definitely getting some opinions nowadays.

My little baby is growing up!

So, that's what I am doing today
between running the puppy outside to pee.

What is your Monday like?

Weekend Pupdate #2

2012-02-18T20:40:00.001-05:00

We survived another week with Rosie.

She had fewer accidents in the house

and the sleeping got better!

The other night she actually slept 7 hours straight!

Seven hours!!!!

Of course it was from 10:00 p.m. till 5:00 a.m.,

but luckily I went to bed around the same time she did

so I had almost a full nights sleep!

It was so nice that she slept that one night

because my husband was traveling most of the week

so I had constant potty duty.

I asked my niece to babysit Wednesday night

because I was supposed to go to my book club.

Book Club ended up getting cancelled at the last minute

but I had my niece over anyway.

I just needed to get out of the house for a couple hours.

I felt so much better afterwards!

Rosie is still biting and chewing everything in sight.

My neighbor gave me some sour apple spray to spray on furniture legs

and other things we don't want her to chew on.

Of course that was after she started chewing the molding!

Lovely...

Rosie had her first check up at the vet.

I had a whole list of questions for her.

She told me to put habanero pepper

on the things we don't want her to chew.

Great, now my whole house will smell

like a Mexican restaurant!

But hey, if it works, I will try it!

She also told me to fill a can with coins and shake it at her

when she bites us while playing.

She also suggested that the kids roll her on her back

and hold her there to establish dominance

because right now she kind of treats them like her litter mates!

I thought I was so prepared for this!

I read so many books about dog training

over the past few months

and now I feel like I can't remember anything!

(Yes, I know it looks like I went a little overboard

but I just read the puppy parts in some of them!)

I found my first "tumbleweed" this week.

Yes, I am sure I will be finding

these clusters of hair around the house

for many years...ughh.

So, what are my feelings about having a puppy this week?

Well, let's just say if you were on the fence about getting a puppy or not....

My advice to you would be...

DON'T do it!!!!

Just kidding...
well, kind of...

Sure, I love her

and the kids are so happy.
In fact, my 8 year old is still setting his alarm
to help out with her in the morning!

And I do love it when she lays there

with her cute puppy legs behind her!

I just think I need to get used to this new life I have!

If you have a dog, how long did it take you to adjust?

10 Questions Tag

2012-02-17T15:00:00.000-05:00

About a month or so ago, a lovely blogger, Kirsty from Coral and Coast included me in her 10 questions tag. Kirsty, I apologize for taking so long to write my post!

I have to answer 10 questions and then pass it on to other bloggers...

1. Describe yourself in 7 words:

Honest
Funny
Loyal
Optimistic
Neurotic
Friendly
Intuitive

2. What keeps you up at night?

Well if you read my blog, you know the answer to that question is my Golden Retriever puppy!

3. Who would you like to be?

Probably just a better version of myself. I am happy with who I am but I could learn to be more patient, relaxed and not worry so much!

4. What are you wearing right now?

Since I am constantly running the furball of a puppy outside, I am wearing jeans and a long sleeved striped t-shirt. I have not been putting anything nice on until I am just ready to go out somewhere.

5. What scares you?

Anything bad happening to my kids! That is definitely my biggest fear!

6. What are the best/worst things about blogging?

Best - Sharing creative ideas, making blog-friends with so many amazing bloggers, getting motivated to work on projects in my home...
Worst - the amount of time I spend on my computer, feeling guilty if I don't respond to comments in a timely manner...

7. What was the last website you visited?

Savvy Southern Style - I think Kim's blog was the first one I started reading on a regular basis about 2 years ago and I have barely missed a day! I love her style and she is so talented with all her painting projects!

8. Slankets - yes or no?

No, I just don't get the appeal!

9. Tell us something about the person who tagged you.

Kirsty writes a beautiful blog, Coral and Coast and she is lucky enough to actually live near the beach - in New Zealand! How wonderful is that? Her home has great coastal style and she also has 2 dogs, one of which is a Golden Retriever named, Nala. Kirsty is one of the bloggers I have been swapping dog stories with and she gives me hope that my little puppy will be as wonderful as her Nala someday!

10. Now I get to tag a few blogs I have recently found so they can answer the same 10 questions. You are probably already familiar with some of them but they are fairly new to me over the past few months. But one thing they all have in common is they each have at least one dog! As you may have noticed, I have been in a desperate quest for as much information as possible to make my life a little easier with this puppy!

Deserae at Peeking thru the Sunflowers. Her blog is full of gorgeous inspiration photos and projects she and her husband have accomplished. You just have to check out the amazing distressed dining room table he just built. It looks like it came straight from a Restoration Hardware catalog! They also have 3 dogs.

Natasha at Schue Love has a beautiful blog with decorating ideas, fashion tips and she is also expecting her first baby! She manages to be extremely stylish while pregnant...something I don't think I quite pulled off! She happens to have a cat and a sweet Golden Retriever named, Wilson!

Kerry at House Talkn is hysterical. You must visit her not only for her great style but she will just crack you up! She has been a huge help answering puppy questions. I have gone back and forth in so many emails getting all kinds of tips from her. She has a precious Golden Retriever, George who is only a few months older than my little Rosie. She is an inspiration because she just recently survived the housebreaking phase. If she can do it, so can I!

Pam at Simple Details has amazing style. I drool every time she posts pictures of her home and she has so many great ideas! Oh, and did I mention that she has a Golden Retriever? If her house can look that beautiful with a dog, then I have hope for mine!

Shannon at Cozy Home Scenes is so sweet. She has a warm and cozy blog full of creative ideas and I was in love with her Christmas foyer! On Tuesdays, she hosts a "Cozy Home Party" so be sure to link up next week. Oh yes, and did I mention that she has a little dog? So she has also been helpful with my puppy comments and questions!

And ladies, please don't feel obligated to pass this on. You won't hurt my feelings if you don't want to participate! I know some people don't like to do the whole "tagging thing".

So there, you learned a little about me and you may find a blog or two that you haven't read before!

Have a wonderful weekend!

What are your plans?

Valentine Cheating

2012-02-14T11:12:00.002-05:00

Who would ever cheat on Valentine's Day?

Well, this year I am doing just that!

Instead of pulling out some festive decor to celebrate,

I am pulling out pictures from last year!

My blog was fairly new back then,

so the odds are

you haven't seen these anyway!

And if I crop a picture,

it will seem a little different.

Look familiar?

I love red and white together.

Then I found a few variations

that I didn't post last time!

One with the orchid on the right...

Some wheat and red berries...

Some more things moved around...

I guess it doesn't count as cheating if you haven't seen these, right?

(Just like a cheater...trying to justify things!)

Seriously, "it's not what it looks like..."

How did you decorate for Valentine's Day?

Linking to:

A Stroll thru Life - Table Top Tuesday

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesdays Treasures

Dusty and Dead

2012-02-13T16:36:00.002-05:00

Do you know how long

I have had these fake plants

above my kitchen cabinets?

Way, way too long!

This weekend I decided it was time

to remove these dust magnets!

It's amazing I didn't choke to death

from all the dust on those "plants"!

But now what?

I left this side empty to see how I liked it.

And I put a few things up on the other side to see how I felt.

Yeah, a little sparse

but much cleaner looking.

In a perfect world,

my cabinets would go up to the ceiling.

In a perfect world,

I would also have different cabinets!

Who knows what I will end up doing

but at least it looks better without those dust collectors!

Oh, and while I was at it,

I removed the dead plant in my bedroom.

Before:

After:

Yeah, I need to do something with that space now.

I haven't committed to a folding screen yet.

At least I feel better after clearing out

all the fake and the dead greenery.

I have been on a cleaning rampage since the dog arrived.

It's either a nesting instinct or I am fearing the dog hair!

It's so hard to decorate about cabinets, isn't it?

What is above your cabinets?

Linking to:

Between Naps On The Porch~Metamorphosis Monday

Cozy Home Scenes - Your Cozy Home Party

Weekend 'Pup'Date #1

2012-02-12T10:20:00.002-05:00

Well I survived week one with our new little puppy!

Little Rosie has been adapting to her new home...

and I have been adapting to little Rosie.

Obviously, she is quite relaxed in her new home.

She can sleep through anything.

But when she is awake,

she's a wild thing!

It was hard to get any good shots of her awake

because she was all over the place!

We had many visitors throughout the week

who brought her all kinds of presents.

I am sure the boys will just love walking her

on the pink leash!

And even I got a present!

I guess they are trying to tell me that my house will be stinky!

But seriously, this is one of the best smelling candles ever!

Two of the mornings this week

we woke up to snow.

And the little girl just LOVED jumping around in it!

She just loves her toys.

And when we let her roam around the kitchen

she chews on EVERYTHING!

I will have to direct her towards some things I want to replace!

She even got a hold of my sister-in-law's shoe.

And this morning,

my son brought her up to his room.

Not a good habit to start!

She even had a music lesson

while she was in there.

Don't get used to this, Rosie!

Up until now,

she has been forbidden from the second floor.

What did I get myself into?

I am not going to say this week has been easy!

I STILL have a bad cold

and the longest stretch of sleep I had was 5 hours.

But I will take 5 hours over

what I was dealing with at the beginning of the week!

For the first few days,

I referred to her as

"The Beast".

I was not happy with her or all the work!

I really felt like I had a newborn baby in the house!

I have been trying to establish some kind of routine with her.

I have been writing down every single thing:

like when she pees, poops, eats, has accidents...

Yeah, it's been really a lot of fun.

So, how do I feel about this new addition to our family? I can honestly say, I still have mixed feelings. While she is absolutely adorable and cuddly and sweet at times, I feel a lot of resentment towards her...

I don't like my house to have cages and fences all over.

Here is the kitchen pen.

And here is her crate in the old playroom.

She really needs to be in this more often.

At first I liked the idea of having an area in the kitchen

and one in the playroom

but I don't think I am following the "crate training rules"

by doing that and I am probably making it harder.

The dog hair is already annoying! Well, the puppy fur isn't really that bad in the house yet but if I am holding her, I get fur all over my shirt. I now have a separate "dog" jacket and a "leaving the house" coat because of the fur.

She bit and pulled one of my sweaters the other day. She is biting everything!

I hate having dog poop in my yard. When I take her out at night I don't bother to pick it up right away so the next morning I have to find it and pick it up. This week I am buying little flag markers to stick in the lawn so I know where to find all the poop. Everyone laughed at me months ago when I had that idea but I should have just ignored them and did it my way from the start!

But I shouldn't complain so much.

There have been so many good things too:

My 8 year old has been amazing! He sets his alarm for 6:15 every day to come down and help me with her. The one morning I came downstairs to find him in the kitchen getting her breakfast after he had just taken her outside to pee! He has been SO helpful!

My kids are absolutely in love with little Rosie! They are so sweet with her and I would love to show you pictures of their happy faces with her if I wasn't a paranoid mom who is afraid to post pictures of her kids!

I have had plenty of company so I haven't felt isolated by having to be home so much! One of my friends came on Tuesday and then dropped by later in the week just because she needed another "puppy fix"!

I have always said I think it is important for kids to grow up with a pet. Sure we have had fish and a hermet crab but I can't really count them as real pets! We always knew we would get a dog someday and the timing for getting a puppy is about as good as it will ever be. My younger son is in half day kindergarten so I have to be home by 11:45 every day. Once he is in school full time, I will be able to leave the house for longer stretches of time. I just have to get myself through these next few months! Luckily, it has not been a bad winter. We have only had a couple dustings of snow and the temperatures have been pretty mild overall.

And Rosie really is sweet. I have already starting talking to her in a stupid baby voice and I love snuggling her. I love it when she falls asleep on me! I have to keep reminding myself that she won't be little enough to do that for very long so I better enjoy it now!

So, that was basically my week.

I also want to thank Linda from

Sand and Sea

for her recent comment referring to my weekly dog recap as

"weekly 'pup'date".

I love calling it a "Pupdate"

so that's why my weekly report will be called

"Weekend 'Pup'date"!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures this week!

Hopefully by next week I can tell you she let me sleep longer!

How was your week?

Places to Sleep

2012-02-10T08:47:00.003-05:00

This first week with the puppy (and a cold)

has been more exhausting than I imagined.

I wish I could spend more time here...

But since I am downstairs

and outside more than in my bed,

I find myself dreaming of places I would like to sleep.

For instance,

this bed looks very inviting...

www.horchow.com

I would love to sink into these gorgeous pillows.

www.potterybarn.com

This bed would be like sleeping
on a cloud!

www.potterybarn.com

I would feel happy napping in this
cheerful Lilly Pulitzer bedding.

www.garnethill.com

Ahhh...the days when I could nap like this...

When I was pregnant,

I probably spent half of my vacation

napping on this bed in Jumby Bay, Antigua...

Oh, to be lounging on one of these beach chairs!...

Grace Bay Beach - Turks and Caicos

And my life would be complete

if I could sleep on the bed on this porch!

Pinterest via thingsthatinspire.net

Please wish me luck

with getting the puppy to sleep more than 4 hours at a time!

And stop by this weekend for my "Weekend Pupdate"

to see pictures and hear about all the "fun" we've been having!

What are your plans for the weekend?

Please don't make me jealous

by saying you are going to catch up on some sleep!

Linking to:

At the Picket Fence Inspiration Friday

Serenity Now - Weekend Bloggy Reading

Sunday Puppy Report

2012-02-05T09:16:00.002-05:00

Since I don't want this to turn into a dog blog,

I decided that I will just post a puppy update once a week,

probably on Sundays.

I will start today by showing some pictures from yesterday.

Picking her up from the breeder.

Her car ride home.

She was very playful when she got home.

(It really wasn't warm enough for shorts

but my son had basketball that morning)

She had plenty of bonding time.

And lots of play time.

She was exhausted by the end of the day.

Oh, but don't be fooled, my friends.

That little innocent face was not trouble-free.

She threw up 3 times in the car.

Pee'd two times in the playroom.

Pooped once in the playroom.

And I was bringing her outside probably every half hour.

Then bedtime came...

She fell asleep peacefully in her crate.

My husband took her outside around 11:00 p.m.

while I tried to sleep.

Oh, did I mention that Friday afternoon

I came down with a fever, chills, sore throat -

general flu-like symptoms.

My fever was gone yesterday but I still feel terrible.

Then around 2:00 a.m. the crying and howling began.

Apparently that downstairs playroom where she sleeps

is not far enough from our bedroom.

I read that you are supposed to let her cry

and when she is calm and quiet

then you can let her out.

I came downstairs and reclined on the couch in the family room

until she settled down...

I finally went to her

when she was nice and calm,

and discovered she pooped in her crate.

Just wonderful.

Apparently I got the whole crate training thing wrong.

I guess I should have just taken her outside when she started crying

and then if she cried when I put her back in the crate,

THEN I should have let her cry.

So I brought her directly outside

where she pee'd once

and then I put her in the fenced play-yard

in the kitchen while I

cleaned out the poop with this:

It really worked and got rid of the smell.

I then finally got her back to sleep at around 4:30 a.m.

and I went to bed.

When I heard her howling again around 6:30 a.m.

I ignored her a bit and then she abruptly stopped.

I was suspicious so I came down to find my 8 year old

comforting her and talking to her in the sweetest voice.

I wasn't thrilled that he went to her while she was crying

because I didn't want her to think she can cry to get attention,

but he thought he was doing a good thing.

And actually he was,

because she pee'd as soon as I took her out.

It really was wonderful watching him bond with her...

a real reminder of why we have this puppy.

But I can honestly say,

I am not thrilled yet.

Yes, I think she is adorable and snuggly,

but all this running outside and cleaning up accidents is not fun.

It's not like I didn't know what I was getting into.

I read tons of books and asked friends for advice.

It's just an adjustment for me.

I loved my life the way it was before

and I am not dealing well with the change.

We'll see how I feel in a few days though,

after my flu/cold goes away

and I get some SLEEP!

By the way, I am a couple days behind getting back to people.

I will try to catch up today!

Do you have any advice for housebreaking?

Do you have anything positive

to tell me to get me through these early weeks?

Thinking Pink

2012-02-03T09:15:00.000-05:00

With my little female puppy arriving tomorrow,

I have pink on my mind today...

Pink Hotels

Frangipani Hotel in Anguilla

(By the way, "Operation Caribbean Vacation"

was a failure in case you missed my mention of that recently)

Pink Sandy Beaches

Horseshoe Bay Beach, Bermuda

Pink Island Houses

Bermuda

But because of the puppy,

we won't be going away this spring.

So, I just have to enjoy some pink closer to home!

When I went shopping this week,

I picked up this darling pink and green collar.

It didn't have a matching leash

so I got a lime green one.

(I doubt my boys would touch a pink one anyway!)

This one had pink and black

but no way is my little girl

going to wear a skull and crossbones color!

Homegoods had a few cute pink things

that I don't need yet.

I am going to wait on this bedding

because I was told she will chew it up now anyway!

I should go back though

to pick up this mat for under her dishes.

I haven't gone overboard and painted

the playroom/dogroom pink or anything!

But I did have fun shopping for pink things!

One more day!

It's funny, I actually have a schedule

for all the people who are

coming to visit her within the next week!

It really is like we are having a baby!

What are your plans for the weekend?

Rosie, You're the One

2012-02-01T16:35:00.002-05:00

Not only is that a line

from my favorite Springsteen song, (Rosalita)

but Rosie will be the name of our new puppy!

For the next couple of weeks,

you may see a ridiculous number of puppy pictures!

Sorry, if you are not a dog person

but we pick up our little girl on Saturday

so I won't be able to help myself!

These pictures were taken 2 weeks ago.

I am not sure which one will be ours

but it will be one of them..

Now if you have read my recent dog posts,

you know that I have had mixed feelings about

this new addition to our family.

HERE and HERE.

I have enjoyed having somewhat of a clean house.

(Well, as clean as it can be with boys!)

But I always knew someday

those darling boys would talk me into getting a dog!

And not just any dog...

A Golden Retriever!

Since I would do anything for these sweet kids,

and since I think it is important to grow up with a pet,

I caved and said yes to the dog!

I must say though,

after the decision was made,

I was just as excited as they were!

I keep thinking about how cuddly she is going to be

and how much fun the boys will have with her.

(And how much vacuuming

and poop cleaning I will have to deal with - ughh!)

But I am very excited

and have spent the last couple of weeks

getting ready for her arrival!

And where did the name "Rosie"come from you ask?

www.amazon.com

Well, the kids love all those golden retriever "Buddies" movies

and there is a puppy named, "Rosebud" in the movies.

They were so set on that name!

And after they started referring to her as "Rosie"

the name started to make a little sense...

The sled in the movie, Citizen Kane

was called Rosebud - and she was born in December...

Ironically, the breeder chose "movies"

as the theme for the litter.

We have to reference a movie

in the dog's official registered name!

On top of that, Valentine's Day is just around the corner...

and what flower is known for that day? - Roses!

I know, those references are kind of stretching it

but it sealed the deal

the other day when I was in my car after

driving back from picking up all the puppy supplies.

I turned on the radio right to the line in the Springsteen song,

"Rosie you're the one!"

So, my dreams of calling the puppy, "Calypso"

and "Callie" for short

are not going to happen!

Oh well,

at least I get to have some pink in my house!

What are your pet's names?

Linking to:

The Polohouse - Its Favorites on the 1st-Pets

We Be Jammin' (and some drink recipes!)

2012-01-30T16:38:00.003-05:00

Saturday night,
while the kids and I were reminiscing about the Caribbean,
we found some great Apps on my IPhone!

I downloaded the
"tune in" App
which gives you access to radio stations all over the world!
We chose some Caribbean stations of course!

It was wild hearing Reggae

straight from the Caribbean

on a January night in New Jersey.

Then we went to the computer and
viewed some webcams from the Caribbean.
Since it was night, it was hard to see
but we found a great one to watch during the day:

Viceroyanguillaresidences.com
(Meads Bay in Anguilla is one of my favorite beaches!)

We even checked out this Disney Cam.

http://www.wdwlive.com/web-cam.html

It is actually a "simulated live web cam"
because it was previously recorded
but they change it from daytime to nighttime

so you can really imagine being there.
It was fun to see the castle all lit up!

All this virtual globe traveling
got me thinking
about one cold, snowy January night

back in - wow...probably 1995 or so.

I was at my boyfriend's (future husband's) condo

and we were wishing we were in the Caribbean.

We had traveled to St. Martin together
the previous year.

We then got the bright idea

to call St. Martin to find out how to make a

BBC (a banana drink we had there).

After much research, we were able to secure the phone number to the hotel where we stayed. The hotel was called La Belle Creole (and was completely destroyed years later in a hurricane and never rebuilt). Anyway, we got a hold of the bartender and we were practically jumping off the furniture with excitement. My boyfriend (future Mr. C.) told the bartender we were calling from New Jersey and would like the recipe for the BBC. The bartender then proceeded to announce to the guests at the bar that he had someone from New Jersey on the phone calling for a drink recipe. There were cheers and commotion in the background as the bartender read us the recipe:

One Banana
1 oz Bailey's Irish Cream

1 oz Cream de Coconut (Coco Lopez)

Mix in a blender with ice

photo from myrecipes.com

When we hung up we were so excited! We dashed out and purchased the ingredients, then stopped off at the video store and rented the video cassette of Cool Runnings. (The movie about the Jamaican Bobsled team). We rushed home, pulled out the blender, and with Bob Marley playing on the stereo, we mixed up some delicious BBCs! I think I even went overboard and wore sunglasses and shorts! We enjoyed the movie and laughed all evening about how funny it was to actually call the bar in St. Martin!

Cool Runnings via Amazon.com

Over the years, we have modified the BBC recipe
and have made it as follows:

1 oz Baileys
1 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Banana Liquor
1 Banana
3 oz Coco Lopez (Creme de Coconut)
1 cup of ice

Mix well in blender.
(This version is a bit stronger!)

But if the kids want to join in,
you can make a non-alcoholic version:

1 Banana
1 cup of Vanilla Ice Cream
3 oz Cream de Coconut
Splash of Pineapple juice
Blend with 1 cup ice and enjoy!

You can play around with the quantities to get the right taste.
I am sure there are also plenty of versions online
with and without alcohol.
And you won't even have to call a Caribbean Island for the recipe!
(Unless you want to!)

So the kids enjoyed scanning the globe for webcams and music

but the funny thing is,
this is almost normal for them.

In the days where we can go to their school's website

and watch a school assembly
from that afternoon,

or rewind a TV show as they are watching it,

or Skype friends who live far away...

Nothing is unbelievable to them!

I couldn't help think about when
we had to actually work to find out something.
We are so spoiled now,

with practically every single thing we want
on demand.

But I am not complaining.
After all, I wouldn't be blogging with you
if it were still 1995!
But sometimes I wish things were a little simpler.
(Yes, I am getting old!)

Anyway,
if you are in the mood for a little escape,
check out some of the Apps or island webcams...
or forget all your worries and throw together a fun tropical drink!
Of course, a frozen drink in the middle of winter
may not be the best idea in the world,
so you might want to turn up the heat!

How do you escape on a cold, winter night?
And if it is warm where you live - I am so jealous!

Linking to:
Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays
At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday

Exterior Shots

2012-01-26T14:02:00.003-05:00

We have had some recent robberies in our area.

As soon as I heard this I went into complete paranoid mode

making sure all the windows and doors
were locked,

setting the alarm every time I left the house

even when I walked out to get the mail...

well, not really - but practically!

I tend to jump to conclusions a bit.

So whenever I see a suspicious car

or something doesn't seem right,

I call the police.

I have no problem calling them.

Even if it ends up being nothing.

I would rather be safe than sorry.

The other day my friend mentioned how worried she has been since she heard about the robberies. She said one day she saw someone taking a picture of her house and she felt really uncomfortable. Now of course at that point I actually felt guilty. No, it wasn't me taking the picture of her house, but I thought about how many times I have taken pictures of people's houses. Not to stake them out for a future robbery, but because I liked the style of their home, or their front door, or the color of their house. I didn't tell her this,

because after all, no one really knows I have a blog. I think most people don't even know what a blog is!

But it got me thinking...

How would I feel if someone took a picture of my house?

Honestly, I think if I saw someone doing it, I might run out and ask if I could help them or something. I would be annoyed or worried that they were planning a robbery or something. Heck, I might even call the police! I don't even post a "full frontal" of my house on my blog because I am worried that some lunatic will figure out where I live from it!

Now, I do live in the country

and it just doesn't seem normal

to take a picture of a stranger's house.

Having said that,

I have taken my fair share of house pictures

over the years!

Vacation homes at the beach.

I guess it was ok, since I did stay there!

But I didn't stay here!

Oh I wish!

As you can see by the quality of this photo,

I have been taking pictures of strangers' homes for years!

Now, if they are in a city or town,

it seems ok to do for some reason!

And it's totally fine

if the house is a historic landmark.

Or if the owners are fictional characters!

Then there's the drive by shots.

Snap the picture and drive...

ensuring a quick getaway

so they don't shoot you!

But then there are some houses

that are just begging to be photographed!

(Do you think the president minds?)

Look at the green lawn...

Oh I wish it were summer!

Do you take pictures of stranger's houses?

Would it bother you if someone took a picture of your house?

Linking to:

Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday

A Roundabout Way To Get My Office Back

2012-01-24T09:18:00.009-05:00

We have a room off of our kitchen

which has been the playroom for the past 8 years.

Follow me...

Make a right at the open door.

Why is it almost empty you ask?

Because for the next year or so,

this will be the puppy's room!

(Wow, that sounds insane!)

As you can see,

there are still some remainders of the playroom.

The rest of this stuff still needs

to be brought down to the basement.

You see, when the kids were really little, it made sense to have a playroom right off the kitchen. Their toys could be in a defined area, yet while I was cooking, they could be close enough to supervise. It was convenient yet also annoying because the room was always a mess. I would constantly be closing the door when people would stop by because close friends and family usually come through the garage and would have to walk past the disaster. But we all loved this space. The boys would build train layouts on the floor, we would play games, read...I am tearing up thinking about it now. The only furniture in there was the bookshelf you see, a little table and chair set, a couple lamps, a toy box and at one point a chair and ottoman which we moved to the basement to make more floor space. It was such fun space to hang out. We had half of our basement finished a couple years after setting up this playroom so they had both spaces but I think they preferred this room. (I would too since there is not a glimpse of natural light in that basement!)

Back in the pre-child days, this room was my office. I had all my books in here, my computer, photo albums...basically all my "toys". My husband uses one of the bedrooms upstairs as his office because he likes to be tucked away from the household chaos. So, when my first son was born, I was happy to turn my room into a playroom and give up some of my space...(hence my messy, unorganized closets!)

This room has definitely taken a beating though! The carpet is pretty worn and there are probably several hundred nicks in the walls from the various toy throwing and horsing around.

So here's where my plan comes in...

Since I want a place a little out of the way to put that dreaded dog crate and little "play yard" for the puppy, I thought this room would be perfect...I know what you are thinking - White carpet? Is she crazy? Well, yes, but that is besides the point...I am putting down some kind of floor covering over the rug around the crate and in the little fenced in play yard. (Probably something hideous like a plastic mat or linoleum or something). Anyway, the puppy will use this room and an area in the kitchen for awhile until she gets full reign to destroy the rest of the house.

As she gets older

and doesn't need the crate anymore,

this room will make the transformation back into

MY OFFICE!

We have already discussed ripping out the carpet

and putting in hard wood floors at that point.

My husband is on board with that idea,

so now I have all this time to plan the room!

Hurray!

I am so excited because I can start from scratch.

The room is 11'4" X 12'10"

(not counting the little doorway area).

I am already starting to measure potential furniture!

Here are a couple ideas.

Pottery Barn

But at this point I have no real idea of what I want to do.

There is a lot of time to plan!

In the meantime,

the kids have already started getting used

to having all of their toys in the basement.

And the Wii is down there

so that is there main concern these days anyway!

But I must say, I am sad

that this room won't be their playroom anymore.

I actually cried about it Sunday night when we cleared it out.

It represents my kids getting older

and I am so not ready for that.

Sometimes I wish I could freeze time

because they are so sweet and precious now.

Sometimes I wish they were little forever!

Maybe I am the one who really needs this puppy!

Anyway, that is my long term plan for the room.

It will be awhile before you see any changes.

But I may have lots of planning posts to come!

Have you changed the purpose of any of your rooms?

Linking to:

Cozy Home Scenes - Your Cozy Home Party

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

Weekend Happenings

2012-01-22T16:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning we woke up to snow!

We ended up getting about 6 inches

and the kids were thrilled!

Apparently,

the slide is a lot of fun in the snow!

And today,

we visited the puppies!

How can you not fall in love with that face?!!

They were so much fun!

I have been getting mentally ready to bring the puppy home

around February 11th.

But today the breeder informed me

that the pick up date would be February 4th!

A whole week earlier!

Ahhh!

What have I gotten myself into?

What are you doing this weekend?

Blogger Annoyances

2012-01-20T09:23:00.000-05:00

This is just a quick post because I am running out the door

to meet some friends for breakfast.

I just wanted to know if anyone else

is having problems with leaving comments on other blogs?

For the past week or so,

my computer freezes when I try to leave a message.

It doesn't happen on all blogs,

just a few here and there but it is really annoying and I don't know if it is

my computer,

blogger

or something else?!!

Has anyone else been having this problem?

One blog recently mentioned it and said to download

Google Chrome - which I did.

But that didn't seem to help.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Or is it just me?

And

If anyone has problems leaving comments on my blog

please email me so I can try to figure out what is wrong!

Thanks!

Quick Change

2012-01-19T09:20:00.006-05:00

On New Year's Day

I tore through the house,

packing up every last speck of Christmas decor

so I could start out fresh for the new year.

Then several days later,

I noticed I still had this hanging in my bathroom.

But I left it

because I hadn't decided

what to put in the frame.

Now here we are in mid-January

and I cannot have this thing on my wall anymore!

As cute as it is,

it was time to go!

But rather than commit to a photo

or worse yet, attempt to do something crafty...

I decided to go simple

until I came up with a permanent solution.

Can you see it through the glare?

It's a quote from a song.

Not much better of a shot...

"Knee deep in the water somewhere

Got the blue sky breeze blowin wind thru my hair

Only worry in the world

Is the tide gonna reach my chair"

- Zac Brown Band

Yes, I thought a nice little beachy quote would work well in there.

Maybe that little subtle hint would have pushed my husband over the edge

and he would have agreed on a Caribbean vacation.

Which reminds me...

"Operation Caribbean Vacation"

is officially

A BUST!

It is not happening this year.

I guess my hints weren't obvious enough

(and neither was the begging and pleading - LOL)

Oh well.

He did make up for it

with those great Seinfeld seats last weekend!

Anyway,

I hope you enjoyed my masterpiece of a wall hanging.

I just blow myself away with creativity these days.

What amazing thing will I come up with next?

While you bloggers are out there

ripping out walls,

refinishing cabinets,

painting furniture...

I am typing up a quote and sticking it in a frame.

Brilliant, I tell you!

Have you made any subtle changes this week?

Linking to:

Kristens Creations - Share Your Creations

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Flaunt it Friday

Decision and Delay

2012-01-18T11:56:00.000-05:00

Last week, I discussed the possibility of

painting the door to my garage black.

Not only did you all agree it was a great idea,

but I also decided it was the right thing to do.

Thanks for your advice by the way!

My plan is to start with the garage side of the door.

I will leave the inside white and maybe decide on that later.

So today, I drove to the Benjamin Moore store

to pick up the paint and supplies.

I told the guy what I was planning to do

and he told me the paint to buy.

Which by the way, was not low VOC

but he said that would be the best paint for the job.

My door is metal so I guess the paint he suggested would adhere to it better.

Anyway he also told me

that I should wait until SPRING

to paint the door!

Apparently, the paint needs time to cure at above 50 degrees.

Unfortunately, we won't be seeing those temperatures

for quite some time now!

So, I guess this project will have to wait.

I must say though, I am so glad I went to Benjamin Moore

instead of one of the big retailers that sells paint.

I couldn't exactly picture them telling me to wait

or even knowing I should wait for that matter!

I love the fact that the Benjamin Moore guy was honest

and wasn't just concerned about making a sale!

I guess I will just work on one of the other million projects on my list.

But thanks for the advice on the black doors

and expect to see the change this spring!

Have you put any projects on hold recently?

What Happened?

2012-01-17T11:35:00.000-05:00

I have never claimed to have a green thumb.

In fact, I am quite terrible at taking care of plants.

Yet, I was amazed

at how long these plants in my bedroom have held up!
A miracle, huh?

Look at the palm back there...

how green and vibrant it is!

Oh, but things have changed!

Now look at it!

What happened?

It was doing so well

and now it has followed the footsteps

of so many plants in my home.

Now I could just replace it
with one of those palms I keep seeing
in every food store for $19.99 or so.
But the palm I had was a more expensive
Bamboo Palm
and could tolerate low light,
or so I thought.
What I need is a palm that can tolerate
ME!

So, rather than take a chance on another palm
which I am sure will be doomed from day one,
I was thinking of a different idea for the corner.

A screen...

What do you think of this one?
It's from Pier One.

It has that island shutter look.
And it's not alive!

I am just not sure how it will look behind that chair.
Or do I even need anything back there?
Any ideas?
I am open for suggestions!

Thanks!

Seinfeld in Philadelphia

2012-01-15T16:04:00.002-05:00

Some of you may know that I am a

HUGE Jerry Seinfeld fan!

HUGE!

I think he is the funniest person on the planet.

I still laugh hysterically when I watch a Seinfeld episode,

even if I have seen it many times.

And let me tell you,

I was laughing hysterically last night!

Mr. C. and I had a night out in Philadelphia

to use the Seinfeld tickets he bought me for my birthday.

Jerry was doing two shows at the Academy of Music

and we had tickets for the 9:30 show.

I had never been the Academy of Music before

but the inside was quite impressive!

It reminded me of a New York Broadway theatre.

I loved the gas lanterns outside too.

But what I loved most,

were our 2nd Row seats!

As you can see, I could barely contain my excitement!

We weren't supposed to take pictures during the show.

Although, I was laughing too hard the whole time

to even think of my camera anyway!

But at the very end,

I snapped a quick photo!

I had to..

Jerry, you are amazing!

I have seen him do a lot of interviews recently...

He also did some stand-up on Letterman

and guest co-hosted Live with Kelly a couple times,

so I was a little worried I would recognize too much of his routine.

But that didn't happen!

His material was fresh

and his observational humor was going strong!

I only recognized a few small remarks here and there.

But I can honestly say I enjoyed every single second!

I also had some great laughs from Seinfeld's warm-up comic,
Larry Miller,
who is best known for the movie, "Best in Show."

Since the show was at 9:30,

we had dinner beforehand at a restaurant called Time.

It was more of a late night bar type of place

but the food was good and they had a great jazz band.

They had this big crazy looking chandelier over the bar,

and of course clocks all over, hence the name, Time.

Not much of an entrance,

but I had to do a quick pose.

Later we stayed at the Westin

which is known for their "Heavenly Bed".

My husband was like,

"Why are you taking a picture of the bed?"

But we didn't get to spend much time in it

because at 1:30 a.m. the fire drill went off

and we had to evacuate the building!

So in our pajamas and coats,

we descended down the 15 flights of stairs

to the freezing outside.

At first, Mr. C. didn't think we needed to evacuate but I insisted.

I take fire alarms very seriously.

Above the floor number sign on each landing was the sign, "North Tower".

And if you are from the New York area,

you know that is a bit too reminiscent of a certain tower

where not enough people evacuated.

I didn't want to take any chances.

Luckily after a little while we were able to go back in

and take the elevator back up.

Of course, at that point, I couldn't sleep

and probably didn't fall back asleep till about 4:30 am.

But the weird thing about it was

right before I went to bed (the first time)

I pictured us evacuating the building

because of the fire alarm.

I swear to you I thought about this!

But then I figured I was just worried about

being away from the kids

so I forgot about it...until the alarm really did go off!

Strange huh?

These kind of things happen to me all the time.

I wrote a couple posts a while back:

Coincidence or Just In Sync

Serendipity and Number 13

where I list a few coincidental situations.

At least this time it ended up being nothing!

But overall,

even with the interrupted sleep,

we had an incredible night out.

I highly recommend you see Jerry Seinfeld if he comes to your town!

Do you have any Seinfeld stories?

How about any psychic stories?

Linking to:

Serenity Now - Weekend Bloggy Reading Link Up

Black Doors

2012-01-12T14:08:00.010-05:00

Lately, I have been loving the look of black doors.

But right now,
all the doors in my house are white

except the front door.

And I love the black there.
(No, my wreath is not on the door anymore,
I just didn't feel like going out in the rain to re-shoot!)

But as you can see,

the interior of the door is white.

But if I paint the front door.

I would probably have to paint the two closet doors

and that might be too much black.

So instead, I am thinking about the door

that leads to the garage.

Now there is no denying that this baby is in desperate need

of a good paint job (and cleaning!)

We use this door to come in from the garage everyday

and it has become one of those things that we don't even see anymore.

I guess it is so ugly that I pretend it is not there.

But it is.

And it will be changing!

I LOVE this interior garage door:

I love the numbers painted on it too.

If only my garage looked that good!
Pinterest.com via houzz.com

Or this gorgeous one.

I love this whole entryway!
Pinterest.com via http://www.nestegg.typepad.com/

So I am thinking, I might start there.

Oh, did you notice that our garage still has non-painted walls?

Disgraceful!

My silly husband thinks it makes the house look new.

Get over it dear!

We have lived her for 13 years.

We are not fooling anyone!
But I am sure after I open the can of worms and
paint the door black,
those walls won't be far behind!

I am also considering painting
the interior side of the door black.

It is at the end of the hall

and might look good in black.

But would I have to paint the surrounding doors black too?

Decisions, decisions...

What are your thoughts on black doors?

Linking to:
No Minimalist Here - Open House Party
At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday
2805 - Potpourri Friday
French Country Cott age - Feathered Nest Friday
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Flaunt it Friday
Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday
Serenity Now - Weekend Bloggy Reading Link Up

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

2012-01-11T22:06:00.000-05:00

So the other day I officially declared

a couple of small goals for January:

1. Change the baskets

on top of my laundry room cabinets to something black.

2. Find a solution for Mr. C's shoe mess

under the utility tub in the laundry room.

I figured I would either paint the baskets I had

and add new liners

or just buy new baskets.

Luckily, (or so I thought),

I was able to find baskets which I loved

in Marshall's today

so I took the easy way out and bought them!

But when I got them home and put them on top,

I was not happy.

First of all, I should have gone a size smaller

because they were kind of squished up there.

Second of all, I was not exactly thrilled with how they looked.

I thought I wanted black up there

but I think the black draws too much attention

to an area that I just wanted to just blend in.

Now you walk in and look up right away

because of the sharp contrast between the black and the white cabinets.

Before

After

First I thought the dust covered fake plant

was messing up the look.

So I threw a lantern up there.

That only made things worse...

So needless to say,

I took them down

and now plan on returning the baskets tomorrow.

But before I did,

I tried one of the baskets below the utility tub

to see how the shoes would look:

Well, it does neaten the area up a bit,

and I do like the basket

but realistically,

is my husband really going to neatly pile his shoes in this basket?

Yes, another solution is definitely needed there.

So I am back to square one,

but the worst part was that my mistakes caused me to face the facts

on something else in this room...

I hate the wall color.

The walls are Benjamin Moore, Providence Olive

which is a fine color but not the color I want in here.

I think I want to go really light or go more of a beachy tan color.

Am I insane or what?

So now I am obsessing over the color.

AND I have no idea what I am doing

on top of the cabinets

or below the sink.

Wow, that was a great update.

Aren't you glad you stopped by to check out absolutely nothing?

How are your projects coming?

Operation Caribbean Vacation

2012-01-09T16:03:00.000-05:00

In about 5 weeks we are bringing home our puppy.

But every spring (except last year),

we try to take a family vacation in the Caribbean.

We usually go in March or April.

Last time we went,

my older son was just in kindergarten

so it really wasn't a big deal taking him out of school.

Now that he is in 2nd

and my younger son in kindergarten,

it is probably a better idea

to try to plan the trip around school vacations.

But now we have another obstacle...

THE PUPPY!

Now, who in their right mind would agree to babysit a

rambunctious

NOT housebroken

little dog?

NO ONE I tell you!

I should have thought this out a little earlier

but this year has just flown by

and now I REALLY want to get away.

Basically,

I have the next few weeks to plan,

convince my husband

AND actually take the trip

before that puppy comes home!

Planning, no problem...

Problem? - My Husband!

For some odd reason,

he thinks I am totally insane for wanting to do this.

In fact I don't even think he is taking me seriously.

That is where "Operation Caribbean Vacation" comes in...

For the past week,

I have been leaving subliminal messages
around the house.

For instance,

when I cleared out the Christmas decor

I subtly rearranged my table in the foyer.

Now it has a bit of an island feel.

and I made sure I included a family photo

taken in the Caribbean.

Starfish, tropical leaves and a pineapple...

And an orchid give the island vibe.

(Yes, the orchid and leaves are fake - such a crime!)

I conveniently placed all his vacation t-shirts

on top of the piles in his drawers

so these will be the first he picks

when he works out.

How nice of me to organize them for him!

The "kids" wanted to watch some DVD's from our previous trips.

So we watched and made many comments.

What's wrong with a trip down memory lane?

I sprayed some island fragrances around the house

where he might come across a whiff here and there.

The house smells great now!

It also doesn't hurt

to scatter a few vacation photo books around!

They look so much better than the remote controls in this tray!

Am I being manipulative?

Well, maybe a little but who am I really hurting?

After all, I am the one who will be training this little puppy.

Shouldn't I get a little relaxation time to "prepare?"

Well I gotta go try out a pina colada recipe...
just for fun of course!

Honey, if you are reading this...
I am just trying to remind you
of how much we all love to take family vacations!

What's on your agenda this week?

Starting Out Small

2012-01-06T16:38:00.000-05:00

Here it is,

January 6th and I still haven't committed to a

New Year's Resolution List!

I just have so many things in mind that I would like to do

and I don't want to just make a list.

I want to make sure I actually accomplish the items on it!

So for now,

I thought I would start out small.

Lisa from Shine Your Light is having a party:

Shine Your Light - January Before Linky Party

and I thought it would be fun to write a quick post for it.

She wants us to post a "Before" today,

and at the end of the month

post the "After".

I am starting in my Laundry Room

since I seem to spend half my day in there anyway!

I have two projects I would like to accomplish this month.

Hopefully I will get both of them done!

Here is one "Before"

This is the area above my cabinets

in the laundry room.

I want to add some black up there...

either paint the baskets and change the liners or something.

Here is the other "Before"

(The scary one!)

This is my nightmare utility tub

which always has my husband's running shoes

scattered below.

I once thought about replacing the sink

with a cabinet of some sort,

but I do like having a deep sink in here.

(Even though it is usually filled with dirty laundry!)

Anyway,

I would like to make

some kind of sink skirt to hide the shoes

because realistically,

he is always going to throw them there!

Let's see if I can come up with a no-sew option!

So there you have it -

two projects to get done this month.

Wish me luck!

Have you started your list yet?

Linking to:

Shine Your Light - January Before Linky Party

In the Pink Again

2012-01-05T09:50:00.003-05:00

If you think that this is a decorating post,

you don't need to keep reading.

You might be bored...

You might not care..

But if you are a regular reader of my blog,

you might be happy for me

to read that...

We are getting a female puppy!!

You might recall,

when the puppies were born a few weeks ago,

the breeder asked me if I would take a male.

Feel free to read:

"Outnumbered Again!"

to refresh your memory.

We had our heart set on a female,

for more reasons than my need for some pink in this house!

I emailed her back and said I would prefer a female.

Well, we're getting one!

Yay!

We will get to go visit the puppies in a few weeks.

Here are a few pictures she sent me:

This was when they were two days old.

And about 10 days old.

Precious!

I will bore you with many more once we visit.

Then you will have to hear all about

the name dilemma!

Anyway,

I thought I would give you a quick update

before I dash out the door.

My son is feeling better

and back to school today!

And I have a million errands to run

(like to the store to buy something Pink!)

before my little one gets off that kindergarten bus

at 11:40 am.

Are you rushing anywhere today?

Linking to:
Twenty Eight 0 Five -Potpourri Friday
How Sweet the Sound - Pink Saturday

Winter Shelves

2012-01-03T10:43:00.011-05:00

I spent my ENTIRE New Year's Day

tearing down every single piece of Christmas decor.

We started with the outdoor lights,

then the tree

then the needles...then the needles....

Having a "fresh cut" tree helped a little

but I think the only way to avoid the needles is to go fake.

I put everything away.

Even though it took ALL day!

I had an early start

since it's not like I slept very late!

Our New Year's Eve consisted of an early dinner

out with friends and the kids.

The big excitement was letting the boys stay up until midnight

and then bang pots and pans on the front porch

like we did as kids!

I can't believe both of them made it until midnight!

Anyway,

since the holiday decorations were stored neatly

back in their boxes in the basement,

I had to fill up my baker's rack shelves again.

It was all red and Christmas-y before!

I went with wintery earth tones and some pine cones.

I was actually inspired by my

End of Winter Tablescape

from last year.

(I wish it were the end of winter now!)

I used some of the Royal Doulton china

that I have on my shelves in the dining room.

Along with some browns and a few cream candles.

Pine cones always work this time of year.

I know my little spider plant is a bit out of control

but I needed some green so the shelves wouldn't look too much

like the dead of winter!

I will probably keep things this way until spring.

I can't see myself

doing a Valentine's or St. Patrick's Day makeover!

Unless the kids beg me!

Oh, and speaking of kids,

today was the first day back to school for us.

And guess what?

My older son is home with a fever!

Oh, I just love this time of year :(

Have you cleared out all of your holiday decor yet?

Linking to:

A Stroll Thru Life - Table Top Tuesday

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesdays Treasures

DIY by Design - Winter Blues Wednesday

Kristens Creations - Share Your Creations Party

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Flaunt it Friday

Cozy Home Scenes - Cozy Home Party

Holiday Week Day Trip

2011-12-31T16:40:00.000-05:00

Our week between Christmas and New Year's

has been filled with all kinds of friend and family activities.

My dear friends who moved to South Carolina

were in town for the week.

And we made sure we got together with them as much as possible.

Yesterday, we had a mom and kids' day in the town of Lahaska, Pennsylvania.

There is a wonderful shopping village there called
Peddler's Village.

It was a perfect day - sunny and not too chilly.

We spent a good portion of the day

in Giggleberry Fair

which is an indoor kids area.

One of their favorite parts is the "Mountain".

It's a huge 4 story

climbing, sliding, ball throwing crazy place!

Here are some of the crazy contraptions

that shoot balls in the air.

The kids could have spent all day in there.

Well, they practically did!

There is also an indoor carousel.

And a great arcade area.

After hours of playing and eating in Giggleberry,

we headed over to the toy store.

Then we had to drag the kids out of there

after convincing them they had enough toys from Christmas!

But they were happy again when we stopped for ice cream!

We walked through the village.

And finished our ice cream in line for the gazebo.

Each year they enclose this gazebo

and fill it with a gingerbread house competition/display.

The entries were amazing!

Check out the scene from "A Christmas Story"!

And this adorable Disney World one!

How perfect is that?

Gotta love the beach theme!

And one of the kids' favorites!

And this week, we cannot forget Times Square!

(In fact, all the entries put our gingerbread train attempt to shame!

I don't think we will be entering any contests soon!)

The kids also had a great time running around the complex.

And checking out some of the outdoor animals.

I enjoyed checking out the holiday decorations.

Love the fruit.

And the flower shop always has some great decor!

I would have taken more pictures inside

but the kids were getting a bit rambunctious at that point!

As the sun set, lights were glowing everywhere.

Every building was lit up.

As we drove away,

we wished we had more time

to walk through to see more lights.

But since we had spent close to 9 hours there

playing and shopping and eating,

we decided we would leave on a positive note

before anyone started getting cranky!

(Including the adults!)

We all had a wonderful day

and can't wait to go back again!

Have you been to any charming outdoor shopping villages?

My Favorite Posts for 2011

2011-12-27T16:43:00.016-05:00

I had all kinds of grand plans for posting this week.

Well, maybe they weren't "grand" plans,

but I did plan on being creative.

Instead, I have been creative in different ways

while spending some quality time with the family.

We have been playing lots of board games, puzzles

(anything to keep them from staring at a Wii, DS or TV screen!)

and yesterday we put together the gingerbread train

my son received for Christmas.

Let me tell you,

the icing always looks so much neater on the box!

We were laughing so hard when we made it

because it was so sticky and messy

and it kept falling over.

My favorite quote of the day,

"Mom, you're not very good at this!"

Anyway,

I have a few minutes while they build another Lego kit.

I thought I would follow along with some other blogs and

post some of my favorite projects of 2011.

Are you on the edge of your seat?

Here we go.....

My Favorite Room Transformation of 2011:

My Guest Bathroom Project

which started with changing tiles and snowballed from there!

For details see:

Bathroom Reveal

My Favorite Tip Post of 2011:

Beach House Etiquette

Because sometimes we all need a little reminder!

My Favorite Table Setting of 2011:

End of Winter Tablescape

Who would have thought since I am such a summer person!

My Favorite Tabletop of 2011:

Fall Vignette

Because it only stayed this way

for half a day before the boys wrecked it!

My Favorite DIY Project of 2011:

Slipcover Dye Project

Because I was afraid and I didn't need to be!

My Favorite Paint Project of 2011:

Painting the $20 Chair

Because my son chose the color and we did it together.

My Favorite Recipe of 2011:

Mango Avocado Salsa

Because you can't go wrong with mangoes!

My Favorite Rearranging Project of 2011:

Because I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved it.

Re-Styling The Living Room

My Favorite Blast from the Past:

Jersey Shore Nostalgia

Because to quote Ferris Bueller,

"Life moves pretty fast,

if you don't stop and look around once in awhile,

you could miss it."

My Favorite New Jersey Town Visited in 2011:

Bayhead, New Jersey

Charming Beach Town

My Favorite Non-New Jersey Town

Visited in 2011:

Woodstock, Vermont

My Favorite Place I Posted About

but Didn't Visit in 2011,

But Plan to Visit Again Soon Before I Start Suffering From Caribbean Withdrawal:

Jumby Bay, Antigua

My Favorite Concert of 2011:

KEITH URBAN!

For more concert details, read:

Country in the City

And My Favorite Picture from my

"Soaking Up the Sun Saturday" Series:

My darlings sitting on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.

Click below to see all 14 weeks of my series:

Soaking Up the Sun Saturday

As I have said before,

I have enjoyed this year of blogging

as well as getting to know so many of you.

I am looking forward to more fun in 2012!

What did you enjoy posting about in 2011?

Linking to:

Diy by Design -Winter Blues Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style -Wow Us Wednesdays Favorites From 2011

Southern Hospitality - Top Projects of 2011 Party

Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday

Space46 - Best of 2011 Made Up Loved Linky Party

Merry Christmas and Our 2011 Tree Story

2011-12-22T17:54:00.002-05:00

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday

and get to spend it with people you love.

I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you this year.

I have learned so much from all of your beautiful blogs.

And I have enjoyed sharing my projects with you!

I am looking forward to more blogging adventures in 2012.

I will be around next week so I will try to post as much as I can.

I am sure the kids will give me some free time

while they are caught up playing with their new toys.

For now, I will give you a peak at my Christmas Tree.

We always get a real Christmas Tree.

My husband must have the real tree smell in the house.

And what would Christmas be without weeks of vacuuming up needles afterwards!

Normally, we go to a Christmas Tree nursery

and buy a pre-cut one off the lot.

This year my husband's best friend

recommended a place where you pick a tree

and they cut it down, pack it up and load it onto your car.

In the past we tried doing the cut-your-own-tree thing but

we had to actually cut it ourselves

and tie it on the car ourselves.

I remember driving home with my hand out the window

to make sure it didn't fly off the roof!

(Like I would be strong enough

to hold on to a 6 foot tree traveling at 55 miles per hour!)

Anyway, I liked the idea of a fresh cut tree.

Maybe the needle situation wouldn't be that bad.

Who knows how long the pre-cut ones are sitting there on the lots!

So we took the journey to this new tree place

which was out in the middle of nowhere!

It was cold out so we kind of ran through quickly

and when my almost 8 year old said, "How about this one?"

We said fine and ran to get the guys to cut it.

My son was quite thrilled that he was the one who chose the tree.

Of course, I didn't get a very good look at it.

Now apparently, when you buy a tree off a regular lot,

they are nicely trimmed and ready to take home.

Well, not when you cut one down.

As soon as we got home my husband started in with

"We can just spin it around so the good side shows."

(What good side?)

Of course we had to act all happy with it

so my son's feelings wouldn't be hurt.

But as the tree settled more,

branches seemed to come out of nowhere

and things were sticking in all directions.

We trimmed off some

but it didn't help the fact that the tree was crooked

and kind of lumpy looking on top!

Oh and did I mention
that I let my kids decorate it?

Have you ever seen more clusters of decorations before?!!

Check this section out.

This is a branch that should have been cut.

The weight of all the ornaments made it stick out more!

Usually,

after they go to bed.

I scramble to correct the ornament cluster areas.

But not this year.

They were so proud of their work

so I left everything exactly as they put it.

They even set up a train track below.

In previous years I have tried to put up two trees.

A family tree in the family room

and MY tree in the living room.

There wasn't enough time for my tree this year.

So, we have our family tree.

Even in the dark you can see how crooked it is!

But I must say,

the tree has character.

I am so proud of my boys.

And I wouldn't change a thing!

Who decorated your tree this year?

Linking to:

French Country Cottage -Feathered Nest Friday

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Flaunt It Friday

Burlap in the Window

2011-12-21T16:44:00.005-05:00

I wanted to keep my entertainment center

neat and simple for Christmas.

What was holding me back, you ask?

Well...

A couple boys, who shall remain nameless,

(Hey, that's funny since they are nameless on my blog!)

haven't been as neat as they should

when putting away movies and toys!

So this is what it looked like when the doors were closed.

No, I don't think that little decoration was hiding anything!

Sure, I could have them clean it,

but let's be realistic.

With all the Christmas movie-watching

and playing around these last few days,

we'd be back to the mess in no time.

And with all my present wrapping and running around

I will not have time to keep it neat either.

So, as a temporary solution

I decided to tape some burlap to the inside of the doors.

And if I had a better camera

and/or the glare wasn't so bad,

you could actually see how it turned out!

This shows it a little better.

You get the idea.

Here is the shelf above the door.

Yeah, these plates are everywhere this year!

And the area above the TV.

It's always fun decorating around the lovely cable box.

You might notice I moved the chairs around in here to accommodate the Christmas tree you see reflected in the TV. I will probably do a post on my tree. But let me warn you, I let the kids decorate it and for the first time ever, I did not edit a thing on it! It's our family tree and they were SO proud of themselves for decorating it that I didn't have the heart to move anything. It's actually pretty cute.

Anyway, that's my quick fix for the entertainment center.

What do you do to disguise things in your home?

Linking to:
Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays
Kristens Creations - Share Your Creations Party
No Minimalist Here - Open House Party
At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Flaunt It Friday
Beneath my Heart - Best DIY Projects of December Linky Party

Holiday Touches

2011-12-20T13:53:00.006-05:00

No room is off limits when it comes to Christmas decor!

I just added a couple things our guest bathroom

to make it feel a little like Christmas.

You have to look very closely to notice though!

A couple decorative towels.

Some fresh greens, pinecones & an ornament

to dress up the toilet!

See that picture on the wall?

This one used to be there.

But it was time to say goodbye.

I bought the white beadboard frame a few months ago.

After the holidays I plan on putting a nice photo in it.

But this holiday printout works fine for now.

Gotta love those free online printables!

Do you add holiday decor to every room?

Linking to:

My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia - Tuesdays Treasures

DIY by Design - Fall into Fall Party

Trump National Golf Course.

Red Rack

2011-12-19T11:26:00.001-05:00

The baker's rack in my kitchen

is always the perfect spot to

decorate for the holidays.

(I always complain that I end up taking pictures on cloudy days

but now the sun glare is causing problems!)

Every year I move decorations around the house

to keep things fresh year to year.

This year by the time I got to my baker's rack

I was running out of things.
The little wreaths in the back are from Ballard last year.
I bought six and meant to hang them
on the back of my dining room chairs.
But there were a little smaller than I wanted.

I still had some cranberries in the fridge

to fill a few hurricanes.

I wasn't sure about the plate though.

So I brought in my red vase.

Version 1 (with plate)

Version 2 (with vase)

I know, not that much of a difference

but I always have to change something!

I wanted to put in some nutcrackers.

I swear I had a couple last year

but I cannot find them anywhere!

But I think I found enough red

to scream Christmas in the kitchen.

Don't you think?

Linking today to:
Between Naps On The Porch - Metamorphosis Monday
Dittle Dattle~ Amaze Me Monday
A Stroll thru Life - Table Top Tuesday

Outnumbered Again

2011-12-17T23:16:00.005-05:00

Some of you may remember my posts about getting a dog.
HERE
and
HERE.

Or, I can just refresh your memory...

For the past few months we have been looking for a

Golden Retriever breeder.

Then a couple months ago,

we found one that was highly recommended

and we gave them a deposit.

When I filled out the questionnaire,

I said I prefer a girl but will take a boy.

Although over the past couple of months

we started leaning towards a girl.

The female goldens that I know

are calm, smaller than the males

and they don't do that annoying humping that the males do!

I know some that are fixed and still do it!

And after all,

I live in a house with 2 boys

(3 if you count my husband!).

There is no pink in my house.

Sports are very important here.

Things get broken from too much horsing around.

Not to mention I assumed
one of my children would be a girl!

It reminds me

of the first time we saw the ultrasound for my second son.

They said it was too early to tell but it looks like a girl.

That's all I needed to hear.

I started picking names,

Courtney,

Sydney,

Skylar.

I decided to use the room with the big closet for the baby.

Since after all, the "girl" would need a huge closet

for all of her cute little pink outfits.

And the next time we had an ultrasound

the technician says,

"It looks like your son will have a little brother!"

I was in shock for a minute

but suddenly I was overwhelmed with happiness.

I grew up with one sister

and we were very close.

The idea of having a sibling of the same sex seemed right.

They would be best friends,

they would protect each other,

they would play with each other,

I could pass down clothes...

And someday

when the boys and Dad are spending the day

wrapped up in sports of some sort...

I could shop.

Or get my nails done.

Or SHOP!

Suddenly this house full of boys was sounding better and better!

But seriously,

I wouldn't change a thing about our family!

I couldn't be happier with these 3 loves of my life!

But back to the dog situation...

Today the puppies were born!

I got the email from the breeder and she has 6 boys and 3 girls.

She told me on my questionnaire I stated I would take either

and is asking if I would take a boy...

I haven't emailed her back yet.

But I got tears in my eyes when I read the email.

I am happy that the puppies were born.

But I am sad that I might not be able to buy pink...again.

We only thought of girl names...
in fact, all signs kept pointing to the dog being named
"Rosebud".
That name wasn't my choice though.
I thought "Calypso" would be cute.
(Not surprising)
We could call her "Callie" for short.
Or even "Holly" because her birthday is close to Christmas.
Or one of my favorite girl names - "Sydney".

I thought the dog and I would have this female bond,

as we looked at each other and rolled our eyes

at the crazy boy antics around here.

Well, maybe she wouldn't be rolling her eyes...

But she would get it.

Anyway,

we don't want to wait for another litter.
We promised the kids we would get a puppy in February.
And we are.

It's just may be a boy.

It's not definite,
but it looks like I will have to
satisfy my pink cravings by
shopping at Janie and Jack for
one of my best friends who
has 3 little girls!

janieandjack.com

I will keep you posted.
The puppy will come home in about 8 weeks.
I am sure we will love a boy or a girl.

I guess for now I will just enjoy
my clean house for awhile...
until the tumbleweeds of fur arrive!

Are you outnumbered in your home?

Shopping in the Country

2011-12-13T21:06:00.004-05:00

Don't you hate it

when you are supposed to be Christmas shopping

but you only find things you want for yourself?

That happened to me the other day

when I visited a wonderful store called
The Lamington General Store.

This establishment is on a peaceful road,

in the middle of horse country,

just a mile or two from the

The Lamington General Store

sells antiques, home decor items

and local artwork.

I always love these old sleds!

I have been looking for a mirror

just like this for my mantel.

I had no idea this place had so many beautiful things!

The owners informed me that these mirrors are from old windows

and a local man restores them and inserts the mirrors.

I took measurements from a few.

If one doesn't fit over my mantel

I want to find a place somewhere in my house for one!

Besides the lovely mirrors,

the store had many pieces of pottery and items from local artists.

And while I shopped,

the friendly owner kept my son busy chatting...

while he explained to her how to play Angry Birds on my phone!

And although I didn't come home with a mirror,

I did buy a couple darling ornaments

and this cute pinecone made out of some kind of natural material.

It will go perfectly in one of my island-inspired vignettes.

After the holidays

when I can justify spending money on myself

I plan to head back to this charming store.

But for now,

it's back to the serious Christmas shopping.

That is, after I rest from my

morning-into-afternoon mimosa "sipping"

Cookie Exchange party!

(Luckily we were able to get the kindergarteners off the bus

and continue our gathering into the afternoon!)

I think I need a nap...

Do you have any charming country stores near you?

Linking to:

Diy by Design - Fall into Fall Party