Where I Blog

I'm joining in Kate's party over at Centsational Girl.  I think it's fun to see where everyone is doing all their great blogging from!

This is it - this is where I blog - except that ugly silver lamp thankfully unfortunately broke and could not be fixed.  I have a new cute little lamp there that replaced him.  

As well as a new black laser printer!  
 

It's a mess of papers right now..I'm working on that today actually.  I can't believe the papers that pile up and how quickly they overtake everything!

Long Week

 I hope Dan doesn't hate me for putting this picture up - he's still learning how to smile without hurting his cheeks in pictures.  It cracks me up. I am freaking out about the wrinkles around my eyes...what the...? When did THOSE get there? 

I'm not sure where the last week went - but when I was in it it was dragggggging. 

Dan put on a fantastic Rain gutter regatta for Cub Scout Pack Meeting.

Soccer practices started, we had two games on Saturday, I've been going through the boys clothes since Graham seems to have grown like a weed and Saturday night Dan and I went on our first date in weeks...months?  Not sure.  

We saw The Switch (*cute) and then went to Wal-mart together. 

We are so dang romantic I can't stand it.

The great news is that I finally got a hair appointment and I can get rid of this trashy blonde that I've had.  I HATE it.  My hair has been a frizzy gross colored mess and I need to back to brunette fast.

How was your weekend? 

Makin' SALSA!!

Our garden has done really well for us first timers!  I primarily grew it so the kids would have a fun little project and so I could make salsa!  I've been waiting very patiently all.summer.long.

(hurrygrowhurrygrow!)

Last Saturday (and again today) were the days!

I first stopped by this super cuteness of a farm stand with the boys to get a few more tomatoes.  I had a good variety of Celebrities, Big Boys and Romas, but needed to add a few more to the mix.  Also picked up some fresh jalapeno and green peppers as well as onions.

Sort of filling in the recipe I guess.

Listen to me talking garden talk like I know anything....

Then I just sat back and admired how yummy everything looked. 

Then I admired my new metal basket I picked up at a yard sale that morning. It's cute, no?

And then magically 14 bottles of this deliciousness appeared on my counter ready for cute labels! 

My new 50's housewife name is now "Betty."

Thankyouverymuch.

I'm posting the salsa recipe I used over on my recipe site tomorrow if at all interested.  It was really easy and it tastes SO good!

Thrifty Treasures Monday!

I wasn't planning on hitting any sales this weekend, but the boys talked me into it. 

I actually picked this up two weekends ago and forgot to post about it.  It's going to turn Heirloom White pretty darn soon.  I'm all for olive green but this is a no go.

$2.00

A little topiary for my front flower bed 

.50 cents

Large metal and wire antique bucket 

$3.00

I love it.  I just have to decide where to put it.

Funny story when we made out last stop and I was down to $3.00 cash and that was it.  I saw a birdhouse I wanted and the boys saw an army tank and dune buggy.  Guess who is the coolest mom ever and made the sacrifice?

They wanted $5.00 for just the tank.

I asked "Will you take $3.00?"

The lady says to the man loud enough for me to HEAR...

"OH....just give it to her, they OBVIOUSLY don't have any money!

 Here, honey (to the boys) take the dune buggy too."

Um...so I guess we *did* just roll out of bed and off we went, but I left a tad shocked, embarrassed and then thoughtful of a new shopping tactic...looking poor to get a deal!

Linking up to:
My Dear Trash
Coastal Charm

 

 Southern Hospitality

and

DebbieDoos

And the Winner IS.......

The winner of the $40 gift certificate to any CSN store is....

 

True Random Number Generator  

Result: 3  

Kj from My Three Sons  

Whoo hooo!  

Congrats! 

Info on how to redeem it is coming your way!

I'm a Sucker for Packaging

No...I really mean that.

It could be a brick or stick of gum (which I hate btw,) but if it was marketed cute, all dolled up, I would WANT it!

 Darling name for a business, right?

 Ohh....doesn't that sound delish?

Who wants to be "kissed with summer flavor?"

Um...that would be ME!

 Pretty colors in cute little jars.

I loved them so much I stole them right off my own mother's counter top.  

They were halfway out the door when she said I could have them.

Thanks mom.

Last chance workout (oh, wait, no...that's not on tv yet)

Last chance to enter the giveaway for a $40 gift card to CSN!

Think Christmas gifts friends!

Another Giveaway!

This one I guess is to celebrate...well, how about we say that it's Monday?  

It's been a SUPER busy week and I have PLENTY to blog about...but I have mostly been spending lots of time in home furnishing stores lately looking for carpet.  But to get to the carpet you have to pass all the darling dining room furniture sets!  There is nothing I would like more than a pretty dining room set.  Without mac and cheese stuck to a seat. 

CSN has better sets than I've seen in most of these stores.

 I thought this one was cute!

I'm just going to have to say it, CSN has everything.  They also have generously allowed me to offer a $40 gift card to ANY store on their website (that's over 200 stores to choose from!)

As always, I hate rules so all you have to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment to enter!  

Good Luck!  

I will announce the winner Wednesday afternoon!

Carpet Diem!!

Blah blah carpet blah blah. 

It's all starting to look the same to me...think this as my entertainment center...Dan is building as I type.  

Should be done the day of my funeral in 2089.

With white cabinets and the same color brown hardwood floors in the kitchen area. 

Now pick a carpet for me so I can hurry up to the paint...por favor. 

Muchos gracias.

(That's Spanish for "I hate carpet shopping.")

Strightened Out or Not Thinking Straight

I can't quite decide which I've become of the two.

But somehow I have found myself couponing with a vengeance and loving that new hobby (it's addicting, trust me)  garage saleing and loving that just as much (the thrill of the hunt!) and now I am growing a garden and envious of those with large, flat yards that get lots of sun.  

I haven't been to a Nordstrom an undisclosed amount of time and have kept a zero balance on my card for over three years now.  

Who have I become?!

The garden part has been very effortless and lots of fun for the minis, just what I had hoped for!

This is the first of what we brought in from our little garden.  We brought in (or as the boys like to call it, harvested) another batch just a tad bigger tonight.

I need to make a small batch of salsa, pronto.  I'm wondering if I can freeze it or does it have to be full on hot water bathed?

Anyone with any salsa canning experience out there?  

Help!

First Day of Kindergarten!

Today was the big day!  Greg woke up with a grin and was excited to get to school!

If only his parents would stop taking pictures so he could go!

I was able to go into class with him and we did a few activities like hand prints.  Nothing like paint in new school clothes, right? 

 Greg was somewhat  nonchalant about the whole experience.  After we did everything I knelt down by his desk and told him I would be back get him soon.  He gave me the biggest little five year old boy hug I have ever gotten.  His chin was just quivering and I had to keep myself from losing it right there. 

I made it until I walked in the front door and then I cried like a baby for my baby. He loved preschool but I knew he was nervous about a new school, making new friends.  

He came out happy and he was excited to play with a church friend and some soccer friends at recess - success!!

Raising Chickens

We went to see my nephew baptized on Saturday and afterward had a lovely lunch at my brother and sister-in-law's home. 

A few months ago,  Mindy had mentioned that she wanted to raise chickens.  

Gulp. (for me) 

But this is so Mindy, she is always up for crazy, fun things like this. 

I was surprised to hear that they had already gotten four chickens...

Maggie, Nina, Freckles and Peep

Isn't that cute that her minis named them?  I love it.  Peep might be my favorite.  Or Freckles.  I can't decide.

Their chicken coop is so fancy I thought it would be way fun to have one -  for about 3.9 seconds.  

Which is longer than I ever thought I would think about having a chicken coop!

We had such a nice time in their lovely backyard and it's so fun to watch all the cousins play together. 

Here is a sneak peak of the rest of our weekend...

Drywall is being sanded today.  Which means I have NO air conditioning.

Ohhhh...hot.

I'm off to look for carpet and paint.  With Greg and LuLu in tow.  I'm hoping not to pick something that is going to be out of style by next year.