Poppy's Creative Play

Poppy created a treasure map with "bounty" to be found.

  First the letter in "Morse Code" had to be deciphered to find the map. Map found ... on to find the loot!
Kyle helped ;)

Clayton shared the bounty with his "matey"

Chest With the "WOW" Factor!

Is this thing awesome or what?
It's for sale at my favorite store, The Secret Village,which as some of you might know, I'm an employee of now. Woo  hoo!!
Hardest part is to be surrounded by all of this "candy" and not be able to have some. It's like being on a strict diet of bread and water, a diabetic in this "house of sweets".
Oh the agony!
Thanks for listening to me whine ;)

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?

Have I told you lately that I love you?
Have I told you there' no one else above you?
Fill my heart with gladness
Take away all my sadness
Ease my trouble, that's what you do
For the morning sun in all it's glory,
Greets the day with hope and comfort too
You fill my life with laughter
And somehow you make it better
Ease my troubles, that's what you do
There's a love that's divine
And it's yours and it's mine like the sun
And at the end of the day
We should give thanks and pray
To The One, To The One....

xoxoxo

Burlap Wreath

This was fun and easy to do.

Here's all you need:

1 wreath (I  used a grapevine one but you can use styro too)

Burlap, guessing 1 yard will do. I used a coffee bean bag

Glue gun and glue sticks

Scissors

Tape Measure

Screw driver

Cut burlap into 4" squares

and use screw driver to make a point in the middle. Put hot glue on the tip and push into center of wreath.

Work your way around to make 3 rows from outside center, inside center and outer edge center keeping the back or the wreath open so it will hang flat on the wall.

Voila!

Now I want to put a finishing touch on it but don't know what, just not a bow!  Have any suggestions?

I like This

Vintage Luggage Love

"Pan Am Bags"

I want one!!

You can find them at "The Secret Village" 2601 E. Indian School

in Phoenix!

3 Years. No Words. Just Tears.

ABA All Stars Tournament...Tommy Takes First!

Tommy and his fishing partner Josh took 1st place this weekend at the American Bass Association All Stars Tournament.
I'm a proud mama so humor me?
( I stole most of these photos from my daughter-in-law cause I didn't bring my camera. What? I didn't bring my other appendage? Anyway, she'll forgive me for this I hope ;))



We're all just a little teeny, tiny, itsy bit proud!





Kyle & GT examining the bass ;)




 
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Tommy & Josh hold up their "Winning Bass"

Tommy's "Pigs"

 

We taught him everything he knows ! Wink, wink !!

Gorgeous view of Roosevelt Lake as we leave just before the storm hits.  (Taken in a moving car, scared I would drop my iphone, kind of picture)



Local Wearables

I'm addicted to "The Secret Village". I have to go once or twice a week, even if I don't buy anything. It's eye candy. Sort of like therapy for me. I go in, look around chat with the owner, Bonnie and her side kick Sheri.  It's hard not to whip out the old credit card and tell my hubby it's cheaper than a real therapist!
I went in the other day and looky, looky!

(For the boys)

(For the girls)

I've mentioned how I love to support the local "Mom & Pops", well, this is one of those shops that everytime you walk in there is something new and fabulous!

I don't live in "Arcadia" but I have friends that do and would love to have something like this.

Hmm... What's next Bonnie?

Generations

My Mama's the 3rd pretty girl
from the left.

My Dad's the handsome guy first from the left.


Put 2 & 2 together.....

Aren't they beautiful?

So they put in their order ,

6 kids (yes, craziness is in the genes)

3 boys, 3 girls!

They got their hearts desire.

This is a precious memory for me.  My big Sissy's wedding day.

Thanks for reminiscing with me ;)

My Fisherman

My oldest son Tommy is a Professional Bass Fisherman.  He is a businessman too but his heart and mind are always on the lake, it's in the blood.
I was raised on boats and lakes and always feel at home there.

Tommy invited me out to pre-fish for a tournament the other day, I had such a nice relaxing time. We had fun too, see....

Silly Boy ;)

Who I love so much!

Here's to Ya!.. All You Hard Working Americans!

I admire the hardworking American. Men, women, teens, kids.
You don't have to be "blue collar" to know what it means to sweat at your job, to feel some situations are "life threatening" , which is where this holiday came from. I love this holiday! It's just another weekend that I feel patriotic and proud to be an American!Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer.
A day for parties and rest (that's an oxymoron).
In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white. What!?! Not me, it's still 110 and I'm going to wear my white linen pants till it's December!

Empty Nesters

I've been thinking. It's been almost 5 months since I started to blog. That's not very long compared to the rest of "blog-land".  But I just wanted to say that it has helped me feel connected to other wives,  moms, homemakers(domestic engineers), grandmas, sisters, aunties etc....
My life is far from boring but when you hear the term "Empty Nesters" people think "one foot in the grave",
"headed for Sun City" & "Retirement".  I'm far from any of those. Especially the dying part, I hope. My home is often busy but often quiet.
So blogging has helped to get me back on track with the things that I like to do and had forgotten. Like crafts, some creative cooking and just getting back into the creative world.
I have been encouraged by so many of you, my fellow bloggers, thank you. I hope that I have been an encouragement to you too. That was one of the reasons I started this thing. I appreciate your blogs so very much. You bring a lot of joy to me!

(Graphics Fairy provided this cutie)

"Wildflower Neighborhood Nights"

Join us Thursday, Sept. 1st at Wildflower for "Neighborhood Nights"!
They are donating 15% to our Team as we "bus" tables and hold a raffle for some of our famous "goodies".
All to help in the fight against Breast Cancer.
Thanks for looking and as always, your support.
Hope to see you there!

Do I "Smell Fall" ?

When you want it to rain you wash your car right?
Well, I thought that after numerous days of 112 degrees... I would bake something "pumkin~ish" to help usher in a little bit of fall.
The forecast is still HOT but next week is hopeful!
So, come on... Let's get cookin'!
Bake & share some of your favorite fall recipes and see what happens ;)
Here's my pumpkin bread/muffin recipe:

Pumpkin Bread

1 C. dark brown sugar
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 C. canned pumpkin
1/2 C. vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4  C. water
1 C. Craisins
Beat sugars eggs and oil together then mix dry ingredients in . Add water and Craisins and mix until well blended. Pour into greased cupcake tin.

Bake in 350 degree oven about 18 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cool
Frost with following:

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz. pkg cream cheese
1/2 C. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 & 1/2 C. of  powdered sugar or until desired thickness.
 Let me know if you make these & if you like them ;)

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

More Notebooks

So here are my other notebooks that I did. They were easy peasy. Just a little time consuming and not much room for error once you start cutting.9You can see the bit of green on the bottom of this one.  I'm going to touch it up with a little grey acrylic paint ;) 
Use Royal Coat Decoupage, craft paper & your favorite picture to use as the cover.
This is from a picture of me and my hubby that Heather took ;)

Thanks to Graphics Fairy and Domestic Anarchy for their inspiration on this one

Oh Marilyn!

Summer Sleep Over Part 3

GT's turn!  Ok, so we eeeked over into the school year.  And, a school night even!! Sacrilege! That's ok, it's pre-school!

Poppy read one of his & GT's fav's.
A much loved (bet ya can't tell by looking at it!) Green Eggs and Ham. It's on it's 2nd generation now.

Oh that Sam I am!

MMMM.....Love those kisses

Good morning!
Can't get any "Bed-Head" out this guy ;/

Ready for school ;)
Check out the "Cool Dude Hair-Do"