The Guest Bath

It took me 3 entire months to pick a color for this bathroom! We have an open floor plan, and every room, but the bonus room, can be seen from everywhere else! So, I want things to flow! I ended up picking out Sherwin Williams "driftwood blue." (This is also the paint I am using in the laundry room.) It is a VERY soothing color, and works well with the other colors that will be going on the walls of our home that we purchased in June. I will eventually get around to showing the entire house here... bear with me!
Here are the BEFORES:


VERY BLAH, uninspiring beige colored, sterile room! YUCK! Silver fixtures.YUCK!







Here are the AFTERS: I was really inspired by a picture my oldest painted for me when was about 10. I LOVE that picture, so I framed it and put it over the bath. Along with shells the kids have collected along the SC coast in a fishbowl, a picture of them making sandcastles with their dad, and a starfish I bought at one of those surf shoppes. I changed the knobs to a satin nickle, and spray painted the light fixture (Because it is bolted it the wall, and would make a HUGE mess to take it down!!!) I am waiting on my monogrammed shower curtain. I chose to do a green for my towels, and rug, as well as the monogram on the curtain. I also have a towel bar left to hang, and a SC plate that I bought at the greatest little gift store in town. BUT, for the most part it is finished!!! OH, and I am looking on ebay for a Longaberger tall tissue.

Pumpkin Party!!

OK let me just get this COMPLETELY out of my system for this week...... GO TIGERS!!! They played some REALLY good ball yesterday!! AND... I am Proud to be a fan!



We went to a very fun gathering last night, and I am thinking now of how I can take the idea and run with it for next year... I have decided that once I get my house all set up, and looking like I want for the most part, we are going to do some heavy entertaining! Our Sunday School class had a social that was a Pumpkin Carving/ Chili Cook off. It was a family social and the kids could wear their costumes, mine just wore their Halloween shirts. (We have not got everyone to stay decided on their costumes!!) We had kid friendly foods, then about 15 crockpots FULL of chili, one of my friends makes a really good chili and puts chocolate and cinnamon in hers. There were hayrides for the kids, and since a majority of us were Clemson fans, the last minutes of overtime played through the loud speakers where we were at. Oh, and their was a HUGE table full of sweet treats! :)

We also carved pumpkins. I decided to do something I had NEVER done..... we always to your traditional Jack-O-lantern face, but I have been really admiring all those pumpkins carved on the Southern Living website. I went there and printed off a template, and then free handed from it. Tell me what you think! I have put it on our hearth for us to enjoy, since we live out in the country and no one would see it.

I am hoping to post the transformation of my bathroom for Met Monday tomorrow.

THE L-O-N-G-E-S-T Week!

Sorry I have not posted since last week! This has been the longest week I have had in a while! I have had AT LEAST 1 doctor's appointment everyday! Then there are some things going on that I cannot speak of, that have just made this week SO Long, and horrible! I have wished many times it was just a REALLY bad dream, but it is not!!! On Monday we will begin to feel our way through something that is VERY unsure.... and I DO NOT deal well with not being able to plan or not knowing what is going to happen, especially if I have VERY LITTLE control! This is the case here!!!


We were suppose to have a bonfire with the kids last Friday night.... do you know the rain held off until I got the fire logs and got in the car on the way home!! Then it would not stop! Well, being bound and determined, also having 1 VERY upset little girl.... we made do. For dinner I cooked the weinnies in the oven, we then fixed the hot dogs, and turned out all the lights in our house and ate with a BIG candle in the middle of our table. The kids all had glow bracelets and it was GREAT FUN! The rain tapered off a LITTLE and hubby went out and got a fire going. We all put on our rain coats and made S'mores in the rain!! YES!!! (AND NO ONE GOT SICK!) We also roasted marshmallows and let them throw things in the fire and run around.... they were SO muddy when we came in!!! But I have the BEST memories, and we had a great time!



I did work some this week on the guest/ children's bathroom. All the painting is finished, and last night I went and got my towels and such. Now to just get the shower curtain monogrammed!
I looked last night at Christmas towels for that bathroom. With all the stress, getting this room done has made me feel VERY good! I stood last night and smiled as I looked at it!

BRRRR!!!

Well, I think we skipped fall and went straight to winter! It is 50 and has been raining most of the day today. I am planning Chili for dinner and cornbread.

I have to say, I have not done a lot to blog about this week! I am busy cleaning out and purging. We are hoping to have a family bonfire tomorrow night with the kids, they LOVE to cook weenies and marshmallows, and make s'mores. I also hope to do some more work on the guest bath and laundry room and get them finished.... the mess REALLY gets on my nerves!

I hope all are having a good week! I should have LOTS to blog about after the weekend!!! :)

I LOVE Rainy Fall Days!!!

It has rained ALL day here! I LOVE days like this....yes dreary, but I get a LOT done! So far I have went through left over clothes from a consignment sale I participated in, and got them ready to ether be listed on ebay, or taken to a shoppe. I have taken pictures of all the stuff to list on ebay, Listed on craigslist, and baked a little. The baking has to be my favorite!! Though all the purging of stuff I have been doing lately feels VERY good!


The princess and I went in the grocery store on our way from an outing Saturday morning. Right as we walked in the door was a buggy FULL of bags of bananas too ripe to sale at full price. My brain started whirling, and I decided to get some!!! I got about 15+ bananas for $1.49!! I fed some to the kids, and today decided that I would make banana bread using Paula Deen's recipe for it. I quadurpled the recipe to make 4 loaves! I am going to share a loaf with my oldest son's teachers, take one to hubby's work in a bit, send 1/2 a loaf with the oldest for he and his friends to share at lunch tomorrow. (You know... those poor boys don't EVER get to eat!) Then keep the rest.... in fact, my 3 boys have already eat 1/2 a loaf.... well, MAYBE I had a piece, as well! If you would like the recipe it is below! I hope everyone has had a great day, I am getting ready to grill chicken, roast veggies, and steam some quoina for dinner. (the grilling done INDOORS!!)

Banana Bread

1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, at room temp.
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 ripe bananas, mashed (I put in a ziploc and let the kids help!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar; mix well. Add the salt, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and bananas, and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes.

My 1st Met Monday!!!

BUSY weekend here! LOTS to use in Met Monday over at Between Naps on the Porch, in the future! Friday night we decided on a wild whim to start taking apart our laundry room.... I have been really wanting to organize it, make it more usable, etc. since we moved in our home in July. We ripped out, went and bought the first cabinet, and started painting. I still have to paint the trim, and we need the bottom cabinet and counter top. We also painted the guest bath and started working on it.

Today I want to show you what I have done to a corner in our bedroom.....

This is Before: We have a HUGE bedroom, and even with the tv armoire, King bed, dresser, office armoire, and nightstands... it was still lacking!

So I found a chair on Craigslist for $30..... that's right.... $30! It matches our room PERFECTLY! I then shopped the house in some of the rooms I am not working on and added to the corner... and here is it AFTER:

Cleaning day!

Well... as taught by my mother and grandmothers, one of the BEST ways to keep your family well is to keep your house clean. SO, in honor of them... we are having a germ "exorcism" today! For the most part we are all well. Only 4 of us ended up with "piggy flu", which is a blessing! I have had worse flu, but I still feel rotten! Moms just don't have the luxury to be sick and get well!!

I started about 11am, and have thrown all the windows open, gotten out every bit of clorox and lysol we have, and have SCRUBBED!! All the bedding is also going through the sanitize cycle in the wash. I want "Ms Piggy germ" to know she is NOT welcome here, and she needs to leave at ONCE!

We have canceled the family birthday celebration this weekend, but that is ok... I really don't want to pass this on! Especially to my elderly grandparents, my sweet nephew, or my pregnant sister-in-law!!

Can ya tell I HATE being sick????

PIGGY FLU!!!

GUESS WHAT! For my daughters 6th birthday she has got the "piggy flu!" Yep!!! Seems it is going around in her kindergarten class, and lucky us! (NOT!) Seems as of now she has given it to dear old mom.... THANKS Sweetheart!! All 6 of us are on Tamiflu.

I did have a somewhat productive day, though! (Before I started feeling BLAH about 2 hours ago, and running a fever!) I made a HUGE crock pot full of vegetable soup, which we ate on at 2 meals... and there is still PLENTY to have another meal. I also made 2 loaves of Amish Friendship bread... they both made the house smell SO YUMMY, and with the weather outside here today, it officially was FALL!!!!

It might be a few days before I post again.... this little piggy germ has 6 of us to run through. Just say a prayer!!

Oh, that is a pig my dear baby is trying to feed! Thought I would make and attempt to be funny!!

The BEST Birthday party!

My sweet princess will turn 6 tomorrow, and yes I remember what I was doing when I went into labor. (I vividly remember the entire day!!) She has never had a big party, so I decided that I would go ALL out and throw her one.

We reserved a local stable for 3 hours. This included horseback rides, a hayride, and a petting zoo.. complete with an adorable bunny! I invited 20 children, and went from there planning. We had 17 show up! In addition to the activities provided by the park, I planned games. I planned "guess how many horses," "pin the tail on the donkey," and "prizes in the hay stack." We had a BALL!! I found horse themed puzzles, and toy horses as prizes, along with the usual candy. For food we served hot dogs, popcorn, campfire trail mix, carrots and dip, and fruit kabobs. As the kids were leaving they each got a caramel apple with a "thank you" note attached. We also had pink cupcakes! (per request of the birthday girl!) Every one had a great time, and even though I was exhausted.... I did too!!

I am now in the process of planning our "tween" son's fall scavenger hunt and bonfire party! I LOVE to entertain, and I am having the most fun doing it for my kids!

This is my first time posting pics.. so bear with me!

JUST Life!

This has been a VERY busy week for us, and is not looking like it will calm down... WHEW! Our oldest son is playing football for the first time, and that consumes MUCH of my afternoon time! Then our only daughter turns 6 next Monday, and her birthday party is this weekend at a local Equestrian Center.

I have spent almost a month planning for this big birthday bash, and I am hoping that it is a hit! I am going tomorrow while 3 of mine are at school to get favors, and prizes for games, and decorations, and such. OH, and I am making the cupcakes! (Ever try to find allergen free pre-made?)She picked this party "theme" and is VERY excited about it!!! (I am too!)

I have got a few projects done around the house, and I am going in a bit to buy the paint for our guest bathroom. I am going to Sherwin Williams to get Dockside Blue, you have NO IDEA how much of an ordeal this has been for me to pick a paint color! We moved in this house in July, and it has taken me THAT LONG to pick a dinning room paint color as well as a color for the bathroom. I am trying for my rooms to flow with one color scheme, and since this is the last house we will ever live in, and our dream house, these walls will be this color for a while.... so I want them to look good!!! As soon as I figure out how to post pics, I will do so..... anyone in blog land want to send me a tutorial??? (IF hubby and I were ever home long enough at the same time, then I am sure he would show me!!)

Off to the races I go..... :)

Well, my mom and I picked "Princess Priss" up at school on Friday, and headed north! When we got to the orchard, it was drizzling and you could see more rain coming over the mountains... really pretty! The temperature was already starting to change and it felt like fall!!

The kids were SO excited! Ben wanted to pick cookies, go figure, he is 2! We visited Sky Top in Hendersonville, NC. It is an orchard that sits on the top of a small mountain, and has been there a while. It has breathtaking views! There is a small "store" that you enter the orchard thru that sells already picked apples, jams, jellies, honey, cider, and doughnuts.... YES doughnuts! (THEY WILL MAKE YOU SMACK YOUR GRANDMA!!!)

The 2 older ones got a peck basket each for my mother and I, and Ben just joined us in his stroller taking it all in. We picked apples, and yes, ate some. (My mother wants to taste before she picks, and the kids just follow along!) I picked a whole peck, and my mom about 1/2 that. We then went over to area where some sheep and goats were and the kids picked apples off the ground and fed them.

Before we left the kids played on a swing set, and had an apple cider slushy. We then met my dad at Cracker Barrel for dinner, and came home

On Saturday it was COOL and RAINING! It REALLY felt like fall, and I LOVED IT! We made apple bread... SUPER EASY... applesauce, and I cooked come soup for dinner. Today the apple theme cooking theme continues with our lunch. I am fixing pork chops, sauerkraut, sweet potatoes, and more apple sauce for us.

This REALLY is my time of year! The house just feels SO welcoming, and smells so nice! I am also making memories with my kids that will linger in my heart forever!!

OH, as soon as I can figure out how, I will post some pictures! :)

Fall

Well, it seems that the weather around here...MAY be changing a bit! YAY! I am SO tired of this hot weather, and so ready for bonfires, hot cider, and a fire in our fireplace at night. This is my FAVORITE season, the colors that paint the landscape around here are usually BEAUTIFUL.

Today, we are doing a usual fall "field trip" for us. THE APPLE ORCHARD!! I am SO excited! Hubby is not going, as he and our oldest will be on their way to the youth fall retreat with the church youth group. SO, my mom is going to brave it with me and the 3 "little kids." We are going to pick some apples, take a hayride, drink some cold cider, and maybe eat an apple doughnut! I am looking forward to coming home and making all sorts of fall treats with the apples, I have "googled" and got TONS of ideas. I talked it up on the way to preschool this morning, and the little ones are excited, too!

I will figure out how to post pictures and write all about them tomorrow!

The Beginning

Well, I NEED some place to but all this creativity in my head... make some friends, and show off my house, and all I do........ SO here goes!

I have been wanting to do this for a while, but just thought I did not have the time. I read others blogs, and enjoy them.... some keep me enthralled for HOURS once the kids are in bed and hubby is working. I would like to be able to post in them, and I follow them. I idolize what they do.... and why can't I do it! I can, and I will!

I will use this blog to show my kids, my ideas, and show my life in the south! Please check back, I am SURE this will be interesting and fun!