A Fun Weekend and House News

I had a pretty good weekend! My poor husband was on call all weekend and ended up with about 25 hours of overtime though! He is so exhausted. Saturday afternoon I got a surprise! My Aunt and Uncle showed up to surprise me for my birthday! My Aunt had made her famous lasagna (pure heaven on a fork!) and brought garlic bread, salad and homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert! I stuffed myself like a Thanksgiving turkey! LOL!!! Of course I found it hard to move for a couple of hours but it was worth it! We had so much fun just talking and visiting with them. They didn't even leave until almost one o'clock in the morning and they had a two hour drive home!!! It was so wonderful to be able to spend time with them as I miss them and love them so much. This Aunt and Uncle have always been so special to me and we have always shared a wonderful relationship. In fact we are naming the new baby after my Aunt. They will share the same middle name of "Kay".
Sunday I decided I wanted to get out of the house for a bit so I took the kids and went to the flea market. We ran into some of our friends so we walked around together which was fun! I ended up buying some fabric from one of my favorite vendors. I couldn't believe the deal he gave me! I was getting spoiled! I needed fabric for living room curtains and throw pillows and I have had my eye on this fabric for awhile now.............


This gingham fabric will be the curtain panels and some throw pillows. It is very heavy duty fabric and is 65" wide!!! And at $3 a yard...... can we say BARGAIN??? This cute red and white fabric will be for more throw pillows............

And more pillows from the toile. This is not a cheap toile fabric but I got 4 yards for free!!! When I got home I noticed that all of the writing on the salvage edge of the fabric is written in French!! How fun is that? French toile fabric- literally!! he he he

So all 3 fabrics together........ I think they look good together. With some ball fringe and fun styles I should get that cottage look I want.

We were driving home from the flea market and the kids were quiet and content in the backseat sucking down their chocolate milkshakes when I saw a yard sale.................. and of course I stopped!!!!!! Glad I did too! I got some bargains. I picked up this mirror ($3) which will be painted either red or white..............

This little vintage white table cloth with six matching napkins ($2)............

Another vintage linen table cloth and 3 matching napkins that are hand embroidered ($2).....

A lamp, a vintage shade and a tall topiary (or ball tree as my husband calls them). Everything for $10!!!!!!! Jack-pot!! I love bargains!!

Now for the house news. The night I drove by my house and saw it was back on the market I called the realtor and left a message. Well, she called back and I talked to her today. She gave me the dreaded news. No- it has not been sold. I think that news may actually be a little easier to swallow at this point. She told me that the bank that has the house is wanting a short sale and is willing to accept any and all offers, and that this would be an opportunity to buy the house at half (or less) than it is valued at. Huh???? Oh my. I got off the phone and felt my heart sink. To think we could get the house for THAT??? I walked around in a funk again for a couple of hours and then sat down at my computer. I was reading an email and at the bottom was this quote by James Oppenheim: "The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet."

Talk about a sign! More like a smack in the face!! So I guess I need to do that thing of reevaluating my priorities and be happy being where I am and happy with what I have. I am a very blessed person- way more than I feel I deserve. Maybe I just need to forget about my house for now and count all of the blessings I do have- the ones that are right under my feet.

Enjoy your evening!

-Heather :)

My Master Bath

I thought I would share pictures of my master bathroom with you. Normally bathrooms are not my favorite place to decorate. They always seem cold no matter what I do to them. Well, I went to Wal-Mart one night to get a shower liner because I hadn't decided what I wanted to do in here yet. Turns out that I found a shower curtain that I absolutely fell in love with. Then I found the matching rings, soap holder, decorative towel and some red towels and a rug that went perfectly with the curtain! Normally I don't do the matchey- matchey stuff but this I could not pass up. I was most excited about the soap dispenser- I have never had a pretty soap dispenser before!
Here is a peak inside from the bedroom...........


This chimney cupboard is something we picked up last year at our favorite antique store. We don't have a lot of storage in this bathroom so this was the perfect piece for the space. It holds all of my lotions and potions- that stuff that every woman needs!

I left the piece as it was when we bought it because I fell in love with the chippy worn paint. My husband looked at me like I was nuts when I told him I wanted to take it home. He promised to build me a new one just like it but that would kind of be missing the point now wouldn't it? So many people who have come to visit have threatened that it would come up missing when they left!!! And of course the top is cluttered looking until I can find a way to accessorize it and make it look pretty! I am still on the hunt for some reallooking red poppies to fill the green pitcher.

And my shower curtain................ the flowers are so cheery that it makes me happy just walking in here.

This is the wall opposite the tub. I found the painting from a second hand store that I go to often. Picked this lady up for 5 bucks!! I loved the colors in the print and the lady's big hat. The little gold frames were my dollar bargain at the flea market a couple of weeks ago. I thought they were cute here. Not the best picture but what do you expect with generic hollywood lighting..........

My little master bathroom. Again- more red. I'm addicted, what can I say. This is a bathroom I actually like! It now feels warm and cozy- if a bathroom can actually feel warm and cozy. Now I need to get working on the other bathroom. I'll post pictures when I finish it! I know- you are on the edge of your seat, aren't you? he he he

Have a great day!

~Heather :)

Hubby Therapy

Last night we had a wonderful evening! Marc took the night off from his remodeling job and came straight home after work. I made a big dinner- balsamic chicken, garlic mashed potatoes and peas and corn. We had the candles lit, the music playing, and even used the fancy dishes! It was so fun!
After dinner we all helped water the flowers. The kids had a ball as this is one of their favorite things to do recently!

After all the plants were good and wet (and dripping and running over) we sat out on the balcony and watched the birds playing in the trees and the airplanes flying through the clouds. It was nice to sit out there as a family and just relax and enjoy each other................

After a full night of relaxing and playing we showered the kids and tucked them into bed with stories and singing and lots of hugs and kisses. Marc and I went back outside after the kids were asleep and sat on the balcony and just enjoyed the beautiful weather. We got to play "catch up" and it was so nice. We talked and talked. He caught me up to date on everything that is going on at work, we reminisced and talked about our little white house by the creek, I told him about all the funny things the kids have been saying and doing and our plans for the upcoming (crazy-busy) week. After awhile we came inside and played on the computer. Remember the bedding set I want for our bedroom?

This set! Well, I found out last night it is on sale for 33% OFF!!!!!!!!! And free shipping! Bonus! Marc told me to go ahead and order it and that will be my birthday present! I didn't hesitate to hit that "submit order" button, I was SO excited!! My birthday is on Monday so I am hoping I get it that day! But if it is a day or two late who cares! It is still on it's way so I couldn't be more thrilled!!

We both ended up falling asleep on the couch. We are so exciting I know! It was so nice to have him home with us last night. And although his phone rang off the hook all evening with manager type issues I didn't care- he was home. I enjoyed it and the kids enjoyed it. I felt so much better last night and today. It is amazing what a little time with my husband can do for my spirits. It's like Hubby Therapy!!

Wishing you all precious time with those you love! Hope you all have a great weekend!!

~Heather :)

Chinese Fortune

Ok, last night I was a mess! Fully admit it. Remember how part of my sadness was because of this house? My little white house by the creek that is back on the market but I know we can't buy it?

Remember that poor little Chinese food delivery man? And how he said maybe I would get a good fortune in my cookie and I would be happy again? Tonight I finally got around to eating my fortune cookie. Well, inside that crunchy little cookie was this message.........

Notice the first number? That was our original closing date for the house when we first purchased it. See the last number? That is the first 2 numbers in the house address! A sign perhaps?????????

Now I do not believe in fortune cookies or things like that. But I do believe in signs........ and blessings and miracles. It would take all three to get that house back but this little cookie sure lifted my spirits!!!

~Heather :)

Oh What A Night

First of all I wanted to thank everyone for their sweet comments on my last post regarding my little white house. I felt kind of silly after I posted it. Longing so strongly for a house that may or may never be for me again. It was so uplifting to hear from so many of you who have felt the same way that I do! Your thoughtful words were truly touching and they mean so much to me. Thank you for making me realize that my feelings are not only common but justified!

Last night was quite a night. I have a lot going on lately. I can not get my little white house out of my head. I am still amazed at the hold and effect it has had on me.
My husband has been working 7 days a week for a couple of months now. Days I can handle for the most part. But for the last few weeks he has been doing a remodeling job for a family member and has been getting home after 10pm every night. I love my husband- he is my best friend. He works very hard for our family and for that I am most grateful. But I miss him. I miss him a lot. Last night I talked to him and he told me he was once again going to get home late. He told me to treat myself and order take-out!
My daughter Bella's surgery for her ears is scheduled for this coming Wednesday, June 11th. It is a simple surgery but it is still a surgery and I am worried about it. I have been having nightmares where she doesn't wake up from the anesthesia and I wake up shaking and crying.
My sister has offered to take my son, Kyle, for a few days during the surgery. We have to be up and at the hospital very early the day of the surgery so it will be nice. We all agree that it will be best for us to be one-on-one for Bella and give her some special attention during this time. The problem is I have never been away from my kids for a full day or a night since they were born. Other than when I was in the hospital having Bella I have never missed a bedtime tuck-in with Kyle. I am not worried about my sister taking care of him- she is an amazing person and an incredible mother. If I could be half as wonderful as she is my children would benefit greatly. There is no one in this world I trust more with my children. His days will be busy and I think he will enjoy the adventure. So I do not worry about him being away from me- I worry about ME being away from him. My children are my life, my joy, my security. I miss them when I am away from the for an hour! So those few days are going to be difficult in a few ways. And he will be almost three hours away so if I miss him in the middle of the night it's not like I can drive down the street and get him!!
All afternoon yesterday my head was spinning with everything that is going on and coming up. I felt fears and stress invade me and suck the energy right from me. I felt like I was walking around in a funk all day. And then it happened.
I had ordered Chinese food from a new local place we haven't tried yet. When the delivery driver arrived he asked "How are you this evening?" And I completely fell apart. I started crying and mumbling "I miss my husband, I want my old house back, I am scared about my daughter's surgery and I already miss my son who is leaving for a few days."
The poor delivery driver stood at my door, mouth hanging open with a look of shock and disbelief on his face. Who could blame him. Then I felt really bad for venting to a complete stranger and started crying harder.
He tried his best to sooth me in his broken English "Ah, maybe you get good fortune in your cookie and you will be happy again!"
I shook my head and closed the door. Knowing that I will never again be able to order from that restaurant.......... because even if I did they wouldn't want to deliver to the crazy woman anyways.
I could not pull myself together. I cried harder and more hysterically than I have for as long as I could remember. I was letting my emotions and raging hormones go for a joy ride. I allowed them to completely consume and devour me. Now I am an emotional person anyway- but this was really obnoxious. I sat there crying and feeling self pity. I started breaking out in hives from head to toe. I was going into a full blown panic attack and felt short of breath because I was crying so hard, so I called my sister. She will be able to calm me down! She can always calm me down! And she did. And she understands sobby jibber which is good because I couldn't talk when she first answered the phone. We got to the root of the problem. I am pregnant. Hmmmm........... is that what that big bump is? My hormones are completely out of control and they are feeding off of stress. Hormones are a scary thing sometimes. Sneaky little boogers. I couldn't sleep last night and the apartment walls felt as though they were closing in on me. I went to my happy place. I poured a glass of milk and went outside to sit on my balcony. Just me, my glass of milk and my thoughts. It was a beautiful night- warm with a gentle breeze. I could heard the gentle flow of water from the waterfall, and smelled the faint scent of chlorine from the pool. I sat on my comfy wicker couch and gazed up at the sky. I sat out there for a long time just thinking and praying and sitting in silence. It was time I needed. I finally came inside around four a.m.! Feeling refreshed- not 100% better, but more calm than I have been in a few days. I don't think I realized until last night just how stressed I really have been. I tend to bottle things up and just go go go until things smack me in the face and knock me down. Last night was one of those nights. I was glad that I took some quiet time to myself last night- even if I was really tired this morning! Even though I am still worried about things I have a better hold on it and a better perspective of my emotions so I can try and keep them in tact. I have more peace today than I have for a while and all it took was some quiet time in prayer.
Tonight my husband will be home at a normal time and I am making a huge dinner, lighting candles, pulling out the good dishes and putting some music on. And the kids and Marc and I will all have a wonderful, romantic family dinner and a fun night of playing and relaxing. I can't think of a better way to spend an evening.
Wishing you all that peaceful feeling and a great evening.
~Heather :)

Busy Days & Unexpected Emotions

What a busy couple of days it has been! I got to pick up my van from the service center. Again- the dealership went above and beyond my expectations as I have never experienced a dealership as wonderful as them! They had to replace some sensors and fix our braking system and the van and brakes feel better than they did when we got it!! Best of all, everything was covered under our warranty so that was fantastic. Kyle did not want to leave the rental car there and insisted we bring it home with us! He liked it because it was red. After we picked up the van we drove to surprise Marc with a backyard picnic. He is still working on the bathroom remodel for a relative and we missed him so I thought this would be a fun thing. Well, he was at the painting phase of the project and let me tell you- my husband HATES to paint. Needless to say I got suckered into painting the bathroom for him and we got home after ten o'clock. Yesterday I had a prenatal visit which went really well. I got to hear Calista's strong little heartbeat and it always tears me up when I listen to that precious sound! And I found out that I had gained 14 pounds since my last visit 3 weeks ago! Oh my! Guess I better lay off those Doritos and ho ho's!
After we left the doctor's office we went back over to see Marc and take him dinner. Because if I don't take him food he will literally forget to eat. Well, I got suckered into helping him again on cosmetic details and installing the new sink and medicine cabinet. It is coming together so beautifully! By about 8pm the kids were starting to get a little tired so we took off headed home.

I decided to drive by "our" house again which I do every time we are in the area. It actually isn't our house anymore..........it was our first house. One decision that I regret the most is moving out of that house. The day we were moving out I watched the house become more and more empty and I felt like I wanted to change my mind. I knew I couldn't and even felt like maybe it was emotions driven by hormones or fear of making such a big change. Well, those emotions and feelings never did subside. I think about that little house all of the time. It was our first house! It was tiny- only 1,100 square feet, 3 bedrooms and one bath. Really small. The house sat on an uncommonly large lot for the area. It had a third of an acre and in the backyard there were tons of tall trees and a huge creek that ran through the property. We used to go back there and just watch the wildlife and listen to the water. And it wasn't just about the house....... it was the neighborhood. We had wonderful neighbors that quickly became our friends. We would sit out on our front porch with a pitcher of tea and they would come over with their drinks or snacks to share and shoot the breeze for hours at a time. We were remodeling a bedroom one time and some of the neighbors just showed up with tool belts and said "Where do you want us." It was an amazing little street full of the most wonderful people. You really had that small town feeling in the heart of a big city.
Last night as I was driving down our old road something caught the corner of my eye so I looked in the rear view mirror and slammed on my brakes! (and I wonder why I have brake issues?) What was that I saw? I backed up and parked in front of the house to see a For Sale sign planted in the front yard. My heart was beating so fast it hurt. I felt short of breath. I called my husband and left a message "I am sitting in front of our house and guess what I see!?! A for sale sign! Baby! Our house is back on the market!" I hung up and sat in front of the house and just stared. And then, for some reason, the flood gates opened. I started crying uncontrollably. I saw Kyle learning to walk in the living room and playing in the front yard chasing bubbles that the neighbor boy was blowing, I saw all our old neighbors sitting on the porch and steps at our July 4th party. I saw my curtains blowing in the breeze and smelled the fresh paint from my months of painting all the woodwork. I stared at the Christmas lights glowing in the freshly fallen snow as I watched carollers walking down the street. I saw my little boy's face peeking out the front window waiting for Marc to pull in from work. So many memories are held in that house.
In my mind that little white house by the creek will always be my home. I looked around at the house and it seemed so sad. The yard was overgrown, the flowers needed weeded, the blinds looked broken and the house was completely dark. I pulled myself together and called my sister and told her about the house. She talked me all the way home. I know there is no way we can buy our house back. Not now. It is a great price but it is too far from Marc's job and we still haven't sold our last house. With a baby due in three months it wouldn't be a good idea to make a move anyway. But that doesn't make me accept this any easier. My heart really aches for that little house. I came home and looked it up online and found that the woman who bought it from us lost it in foreclosure and she hadn't paid taxes for almost two years. My heart ached for her and her situation- whatever is may be. Because I know if she loved that house even half as much as I do then she must be hurting too. It may seem silly but I have been crying off and on since last night. Missing my house and knowing that it could be possible now for us to get it back because there is after all a sign in the yard.......... but it isn't possible. And that is a very tough pill to swallow. I wish now that I hadn't driven by the house last night, I wish I hadn't seen that sign. If it was sold and bought and I was none the wiser then I would have been okay. Knowing that it is at the tip of my fingers though...................... that is a completely different story.
Here is my little house...............

This is the picture from the realtor site. It was built in 1928 on an old wine vineyard. The vineyard had gotten some kind of wrath or disease that killed all of the crop and no future crops could ever be grown here. This house was the second house built in the subdivision. It was built by one of the less well-to-do families and you can tell by the cheaper pine flooring and woodwork through the house. There have been some updates through the years but fortunately most of the original character has been left in tact which is what attracted us to the house. This was the front room/living room that you entered from the front porch. This house has the most wonderful light! See all of that woodwork??? I painstakingly painted all of the woodwork throughout the house- every spare moment I could steal away for over four months. Normally I would not have painted it but it was cheap, soft pine that was in pretty bad shape and had an ebony stain on it! The white turned out gorgeous and actually highlighted the beauty of the details.

This was my son's first real room. This was the first room my husband and I did after we bought the house. Money was tight with a new baby and a new house so we bargain shopped and used a lot of creativity. We put a lot of love into this room and really liked how it turned out. To this day I still think it is my favorite decorating job ever!

The house had an amazing yard............especially the backyard. We would walk out to the back of the property and see deer and other animals every day. They were so fun to watch and knew we weren't going to hurt them as they just took their time and hung out. See the little bridge rails? The creek actually ran through the backyard and separated the lot so everyone built bridges across their lots!

And we had a lot of fun and relaxation time in our yard. What a great place to raise kids.

Someone told me once that a house is just a bunch of wood and some nails. But to me it's more than that......... especially if it has been your home or if you want it to be your home. This house would not be a dream home for most people but it was a dream when we bought it and we saw a lot of dreams come true while we lived there. I have fallen in love with houses that we have seen before and since this house but no other house has had my heart like this one. I have never been so broken hearted with any other house but this one. I think it hurts the most knowing that this house was mine and I let it go.

~Heather :)

I Hate Cars

OK, I don't really hate cars.......... I just get very annoyed with them. I actually love cars..... maybe too much! I have always been very into cars and the mechanics that go into them. I am a girly girl in every sense of the word but you can also catch me alongside any man in the garage wearing coveralls, covered from head to toe in grease and oil, climbing under the hood- or under the car- and loving every minute of it. Of course that was before when we actually had a place to work on our vehicle. Or should I say could work on our vehicles. We haven't had a lot of luck with our last three vehicles. Here's a little history:
We bought a used Cadillac STS a couple of years ago and it was my dream car! My Christmas gift from my husband! I called her the "Baby Caddy" and took care of her like a third child. My husband and I went out for our anniversary and the car was vandalized- badly! Never understood why someone would do that to a car just for the fun of it. So, I called around to several body shops and finally found one that would work on her for us. Apparently not every shop wants to work on vehicles that carry a certain stigma because they feel the owners are overly particular snobs. Whatever. So we had the work done and a few months later I popped the trunk to put something inside and literally freaked out. The entire trunk area was covered in mold! How did this happen? Well, apparently the body shop failed to put the seal back in around the tail light, water leaked in and since I never used my trunk I didn't realize until it was infested with this furry fungus ick. Called the insurance company and they sent someone out..... and after the man had completely taken the insides apart-literally- he determined that the mold was clear through the car and even in the HVAC system. He told me he hadn't seen a car that bad since hurricane Katrina and that the car was a total loss. BUT he was not going to total it because they couldn't prove that we didn't take the seal out ourselves. So, knowing that this car is not safe for my children to be in I did what any honest (and probably stupid) person would do. I called dealerships, explained the situation and asked if they would take it as a trade-in. Found one that said yes and drove down to see what they had. Pulled on the lot, fell in love with a Cadillac SRX crossover. Brought it home that night. A month later we started having weird things go wrong with this car but I didn't think anything about them. One day I was driving my daughter and son to a doctor's appointment, it was raining, a car merged in front of me and I went to hit the brakes but the brakes wouldn't work! Panic!!! Shortly after that other funky stuff started happening that made me think my car was possessed by an evil spirit of some sort. The moon roof would open and close whenever it wanted to, the stereo would change channels or volume whenever it wanted to, if you turned a corner while applying the brakes the whole back end would kick out and throw you into the wrong lane of traffic, the car would lock you inside after you shut the car off and then you couldn't turn the ignition back on- causing me to climb out of the moon roof on more than one occasion. Weird stuff. Stuff you don't expect after paying that much for a vehicle. We kept trying to contact the dealership we purchased it from for three months but they would not return our phone call. And we had since moved over 3 hours away. So I took it to the dealership we bought our first Cadillac from because I love them. After four days there they came back with the news..........the very bad news. We bought a lemon. The computer was bad. The entire computer- which operates every single component in our car- was bad. And since the computer had failed, many other systems had been damaged because of it. $10,000 for all repairs. HUH!!?!!??!!??!! OUCH! That's gotta hurt. We finally threatened the dealership we purchased it from within an inch of their reputation (This redneck woman came out in a BIG way) and got them to do an exchange of collateral as approved and suggested by our bank. Well, we ended up with a newer Chrysler Town and Country minivan that had less miles and a full factory warranty. Sounds perfect huh? He he he Yeah. No! We have had it in the shop quite a few times for numerous things. No biggie- we have a warranty! It's covered!
Which brings us to today. My husband is still remodeling a bathroom for a family member so I decided to pop in and see him and then go visit my friend Krissie. On the way to see him my ABS light comes on. Hmmm....... that's odd. Popped the hood when we reached our destination, look around, every thing appears fine. Go on my way............try and stop at a busy intersection and guess what! No brakes! And dead in front of me stopped at the light is a brand new Lexus SUV with temporary tags still on! AHHHHHHH! I slammed on the emergency brake and.........stop.........just...........in.......time. Phew! That was close. After this happening a few more times I drove it to my trusted dealership that was a loooooooooong mile away from where I was, pulled right into the garage, gave them my sob story and talked them into hooking it up to their little computer diagnostic machine even though they were officially closed. As I stood by the technician I kept seeing a blinking "FAILED" come up on the screen........... many times. I asked him what exactly that meant and when they told me the news, I knew I wouldn't be driving my babies home in the van. So I left the keys and headed home in the rental. So, you see, we don't have a lot of luck with vehicles. Especially not with breaks. My husband and I have always purchased used vehicles (preferred to) and never had a problem until recently. And with all of the computer technology in vehicles now- we can not work on them ourselves. I can't even change my own oil anymore which is actually very disappointing for me. I think I would rather have the Baby Caddy back moldy at this point. At least the brakes were good! All of these car troubles have been within the last 11 months............ I am starting to think Fred Flintstone was a very smart man.
I spent the entire afternoon frustrated and feeling sorry for myself because of my broken car and ruined plans. And then I had to remind myself of the silver lining. The kids and I are safe, we have a full warranty (Praise God! Because I doubt this work will be cheap) And I got a free rental out of the deal so I get to suck up someone else's gas for a week! Hey! This positive attitude thing is working!

~Heather :)

A Little Tour

I honestly did not know what to do for a post today. And for anyone who knows me- Me-Speechless never happens! I never shut up- whether I am talking out loud, writing, or even letting thoughts spin through my head. I have been talking about my to do list and everything I am accompishing. More items checked off today but now I am pooped, so I decided to take you on a little tour of my home. A snippits tour.......... no room is completely done- yet- so I will just show you little bits and pieces until the rooms are done.
!!!!!!!!!!!!CAUTION!!!!!!!! Approaching Visual Overload. The proceeding message contains a truck load of pictures.

First, my bedroom. Not one of my favorite places. In fact, at this point probably my least favorite. But I am working on that!
This chair came from my Grandmother. I have three. They have velvet seats on them now but at one time were cane. The dolls sitting on this chair were made by my incredibly talented sister A.K.A "O Sister Gorgeous One" Aren't they cute?

This picture frame came from an elderly tenant in one of my husband's apartment buildings. He was always doing little things to help her out so she gave it to him because she knew I would love it. She was right! It holds one of my favorite wedding pictures and sits on my dresser.............

This is my husband's dresser. I am debating whether or not to paint these dressers white. I am going for the cottage look remember! I am painting our 80's flashback headboard white so what do you think? Paint them or no?

This is my little hankie wreath. I made this out of part of my hankie collection that I got from Evelyn after she passed away. I really like how it turned out!

This is my dresser. I know! I need a shade for my little lamp! Forgot about that until I posted this picture. Oops! So- paint it or leave it??

This is my night table. It is actually a filing cabinet! Pretty and multifunctional! I love that!

Here is one of my favorite pieces. My dressing vanity. I also got this piece from Evelyn. If you remember Evelyn is the one that left me the beautiful red and white china in my china cabinet. See the little lamp on the left? That is the shade I am missing on the lamp on my dresser. I love it because it is so fru fru!

Here is a cute little dish I picked up at Wally World a couple weeks ago for $6! I filled it with some shells from my lifelong collection. Most were handpicked from the beaches of Florida where we would visit my Grandpa every year. The blue starfish was purchased. This is in my hall bathroom which I am decorating in a cottage/beachy theme..................

These wicker chairs I love! My husband worked as a chief engineer at a hotel for awhile and they were going to throw these in the trash!!! So he brought them home to me! He is the best husband!!! They are way oversized but very comfy! They sit in our living room across from our sofa.

Some of my vintage/antique book collection and our quilts from family..............

This artwork is hanging above our sofa but I need a better arrangement for them. I still have 3 more pieces to hang. All of these paintings were done by Marc's late Grandfather. Any suggestions on arrangement???

A little nook in our dining room...................

See that little white bowl with the candle in it? Yeah....... up until today that little bowl was full of shells but for some reason they have come up missing............. hmmm............. My kids do like to rearrange things from time to time.

And finally, my almost complete dining room. I still need little shades for the chandy and the perfect red rug for under the table. Light beige carpet under a dining room table with two small kids............ not a good idea.

Well, that completes our tour for today. Just some little "snippits" from around my house. It is coming along nicely and overall I am very please with how it looks. I just wish I could snap my fingers and have everything be done! But, that wouldn't really be all that fun now would it?

Have a Great Weekend!

~Heather :)

Prayer Request For Our Soldiers

I read an article from Yahoo this morning and it has been bothering me all day. The article is about the climbing rate of suicides amongst American soldiers. In an excerpt from the article it says :

"Since the beginning of the global war on terror, the Army has lost over 580 soldiers to suicide, an equivalent of an entire infantry battalion task force," the Army said in a suicide prevention guide to installations and units that was posted in mid-March on the site.

An "EQUIVALENT OF AN ENTIRE INFANTRY BATTALION TASK FORCE"!?!?!?!

The number of documented suicides for 2007, according to the article, is up from previous years with 115 suicides!

These are our men and women! The protectors of our freedoms. You often hear people asking for prayer or praying for our service men and women- for their safety, for their strength, for their skills and success in their missions, and of course- their safe return home.

Can you imagine what this war must be like for them? We are disturbed by pictures we see on the news- but our soldiers are there- in those pictures-seeing this violence first hand! I have family members who went off to previous wars and returned safely- but they were never the same. I can not imagine being away from family and friends, away from my country, my town-all the while fighting a war against terror in order to protect your own- even people you have never met. Some people who don't even agree with what you do! Our soldiers are taking their own lives as opposed to spending one more day living in the hell of fighting a war. Whether you believe in this war or not- these men and women are fighting for our freedoms and our country- our safety!!!!!!! They NEED our prayers.

I THINK WE ALL NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY'S MENTAL WELL-BEING AND EMOTIONAL STRENGTH!!!!!!!! I think that is the very least we can do.

If you would like to read the full article you can go to:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080529/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_suicides

~Heather

* the photo used for this post is from www.september11news.com

Bragging Rights- My Talented Family

I cherish every member of my family. We have always been very close knit. Every holiday and birthday is a huge celebration in which we all get together and celebrate with good fun and good food. Every person in my family has their own special talent. I am sure this is common in most every family- but I am proud of every one in our family. Some are talented in construction and carpentry, some are talented in art and sewing, some have special talents in decorating and painting, fixing cars, singing and playing an instrument- you name it- The LORD has blessed each and every one of them with a special gift.Today I want to introduce you to two of the most talented family members I have. My Uncle Dick is at every family get together with his camera attached to his hand. It's been so long since I have seen him without his camera that I am beginning to wonder if he hasn't had it surgically attached to his hand! He is the most amazing photographer that I know. He captures moments that most of us don't even think about taking a picture of. In fact, when we get pictures of a family get together afterwards we usually sit there saying "I didn't see that happen!" Uncle Dick has an eye for photography. It is like he has the ability to look through that lens and see things most people would not. He captures moments and beauty that most of us take for granted. He is also very talented in "fixing" pictures. He has taken so many old family pictures that may have been out of focus, torn or tattered and repaired them to like new. He is preserving and documenting our family history from decades ago, and for decades to come.My Aunt Debbie is a soul like no other. She has a spirit to her that makes you joyful just being around her. She has such a love for, and a strong belief in , God that makes you strive to be a better Christian yourself. As a child I remember being at her house playing with my cousins and she would just be working in the house or in her garden and humming away- she is always humming. She is a good, honest woman that will tell you like it is- and I adore that about her. Debbie, literally, has talent oozing from her fingertips........ there is nothing this woman doesn't touch that ends up looking anything but beautiful. She sews, she quilts, she knits, she paints, she decorates, she crafts- She amazes me. She can take scraps of fabric and turn them into beautiful pieces of art. Recently Dick and Deb have opened up an online Etsy store called FRUIT OF MY HANDS . It is full of their handmade items and photography. Dick now makes greeting cards from his pictures and they sell them in their store as well. Here is just a little sample of some of their items.......Some of Dick's greeting cards and photography.......

Debbie knits beautiful scarves/shaws......................

And ponchos.......................

She makes "wearable art" in the form of handbags and clothing...................

Check out this cool paper mosaic key holder...........................

Children's items................................ (my daughter has one of these and it is one of her favorite things!)....................

Mini quilts, wall hanging quilts........................

And my personal favorite- the wearable shoulder art- totes and handbags!!!!!!

These bags are well made, lined, unique, and beautiful- and they get a lot of attention out in public!!!

You can see how much time and love goes into each one of these items............

Dick and Deb are truly artists. Some of these items are made with recycled materials too which is great for the environment! They do accept custom orders (with certain stipulations). So, there you have it! I just had to brag. I was thrilled when I found out they were starting their own shop because they have so much talent and create such beautiful things that I am glad they are finally getting them out there to share! If you would like to visit Dick and Debbie's Etsy store you can go to:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5780138 or click here and go see all of the fantastic items in their store. They will be adding items regularly as well. You can also link to their store by their name on the sidebar "Fruit of My Hands" under Places I Love to Visit. Tell them I sent ya!

~Heather :)