New Kids and showing my age...

The New Kids on the Block were on the Today show this morning, announcing that they've reunited, and are going on tour this fall. Well, I hope I'm not the only one who has been waiting for this for like 15 years!(tongue definitely in cheek)

They have aged rather well, Donnie was always my favorite.( I always had a thing for the"bad boy") How about you?

"My Favorite Things" Friday

I thought I'd show off some of my favorite things on fridays, so here they are...

Fresh Daffodils...

Pretty New Easter Clothes...

My Spring Piano Top Display....

My Favorite "Airline" Cookies...

So, there you have it, have a great weekend!

First Day of Spring Tea Party...

My sister and best friend since high school came over to help me celebrate the first day of spring. It was such a nice day that I was able to set up my tea party on my back deck. With everyone busy getting ready for the easter holiday I decided to make the party a tea "brunch".

In addition to the traditional cucumber sammies, I served my special recipe deviled eggs, and "make your own" yogurt parfaits, with home made granola, and fresh strawberries. I also made some yummy vanilla orange cupcakes, cuz I cannot have a tea party without some kind of cake! (Cake is my favorite food group, ever!)

I placed a darling and very scrumptious dark chocolate bunny at each place setting.(Lindt!) Here they are naked!

We had a great time, very calm and relaxing, a lot of sun and soft breeze, perfectly first day of spring weather!

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Spring!

Fallen Soldier

This past friday, the small community that I live in mourned the loss of one of our own. A young Sargent in the Army, killed in Afghanistan, was laid to rest.

A motorcycle group of Veterans led the procession, down the main street of town. Hundreds, including myself,came out to pay tribute.

Later, the children of this soldiers former elementary school lined the street as the procession moved to the cemetery.





thank you and rest in peace.

Bed Buddies and Banner Frustrations...

I tried to do something a little different with my banner, just some little adjustments, and I ended up screwing up the whole thing! In my defense, up until 3 years ago, I couldn't even use a computer. No kidding, I literally couldn't even turn one on. So I have come a long way. And I came to a conclusion this week. This little blog of mine is a learning project, and one day I hope it will be as beautiful, entertaining and inspiring as the blogs I look at every day. See how I was experimenting with the font? yeah, I have to let go of wanting this space to be so pretty, yet. But if you hang in there I assure you it will get better.

I love how a lot of blog-ladies have cute names for their spouses and kids, I don't want to writing "my husband" this and that, so I will hearby dub him "the Boss". Because his ringtone on my phone is the theme song from the Sopranos. And cuz I let him be the boss. So, the boss is away at an academy for his job, promotion kind of a thing,(law enforcement) 10 weeks, and he's only home on the weekends. The babies have been sleeping with me, but they that do even when he is here. I guess we're those "family bed" kinda people. The thing is I have a 16 year old daughter(from a previous marriage) so I know how fast they grow. I do appreciate the extra room in the bed, during the week. If I won the lottery, I would have a huge ( I mean like really big) bed custom made for all of us.

Bumpy Start...

Ever have one of those days? Well, today started out looking like it was gonna be one of those. And, yes, it is only 9:27 am as I am writing this. I got up butt early because thursdays are the only days that I am required too. My 3 year old son has preschool just this one day a week, and I have a pilates class on this and tuesdays at 9. I have to take my 2 year old daughter to daycare/preschool at my Mom's (she runs an in home daycare/preschool, where I work one day a week). I also pick up my niece Jillian (college age) to go to pilates with me. So, here I am actually running on time for the first time in forever, and I've got the babies in the car and buckled up, lunches and backpacks all accounted for, my pilates mat in the back (cuz I always forget that) and I jump in the drivers seat and go to start the car and.... nothing. Won't start, battery dead. Husband gone. No jumper cables in sight. I ran around the garage for about 10 minutes looking for a set of cables before giving up. I was so frustrated, pissy, ect. then I decided to think of reasons why I'd like to stay home..... 1) it's a rainy day, perfect for snuggling up on the couch with my coffee and computer 2) I really am not feeling good, coming down with something
3) Baby Girl has got the pink eye, again. 4) I really didn't feel like exercising anyways.
So, there you have it. Not such a bad start, just a little bumpy....

I love tax time...

Every year when we get our tax return, it always gets split up into three basic catagories- the largest amount going to pay off bills or fund a home improvement project, the next largest amount goes to Costco (where I get to go hog wild!) and smallest amounts to my husband and I, to do whatever with. My favorite day is Costco day. The kids go to my Moms, and I get to take my time with my super-long list that starts months in advance. We usually fill at least 2 of those flat bed carts and I can't explain how satisfying it is to stock up on all those things that are so annoying to run out of. It is literally on of my favorite shopping trips. I also have to decide what I am gonna splurge on for me. Does anyone out there know where I could get some extra time???

Ugg! As in what a mess!

I just looked at my last post, and you can plainly see that, truthfully, I suck at this! I guess it's a learning curve, only my second go around, so have pity on me and excuse the layout and the many typo's, please. I swear I'll do better next time.

Three Little Princesses came to Play...

On Sunday I hosted Miss Malia Sunshine's 1st annual Valentine Tea Party. We had two of her little friends, Miss Kaylee Ann and Miss Moriah Grace along with their mommies and my sister and my cousin. Of course I didn't take any pictures of us grown up princesses.(we were, in fact, wearing our tiaras) but the girls were soooo stinking cute! I set up a "glitter station"where the girls primped and put on heart bead necklaces and bracelets.

I set up this little "glitter station" for the girls when they came in. They primped, and glittered themselves(and us) up and put on heart bead necklaces and bracelets.

The girls menu was heart shaped PB& Jam, with strawberries, Hot Cocoa to drink with really cute pink and white heart shaped marshmellows. (BTW, after the party I had like 3 minutes to stick my nose into the new Romantic Homes magazine and what did I spy but my pretty little marshmellows from the Dollar Tree and my gorgeous black tea set from Rosanna! I love that!) I also made them red velvet cupcakes with my secret fluffy frosting.Those were definately a fave. I also made a pretty red punch, and gave the girls red licorice straws to drink from.

On the menu for the mommies- I served 3 different tea sammies ( ham salad, egg with dill and cucumber on rye), I made a salad of mixed greens with toasted pecans and dried cranberries and some mini quiche lorraines. I also put together a chocolate fondue with strawberries, bananas, pound cake and more pink heart marshmellows. I also made a cake(red velvet) using one of those Tiara Dessert pans. Anyone remember those? I mad a triple berry filling and more of my secret fluffy frosting on top. I love when an experiment turns out good.

I have to say, I have thrown a whole mess of parties and this one was one of the best. I think everyone had a good time, it was the right group of people, which is sometimes hard to plan for. Up next- Girls Night Out's Ocsar Party.

whew, i need a drink!

Look At My Booty!

I love thrift stores, sorta grew up in them. In high school, I shopped at thrift stores because I was broke and wanted to be different. Now I shop for the thrill of the hunt. Nothing better than finding treasures that others can't seem to see. Especially when it's cheap! Of course, my husband calls it all junk, he only likes new stuff with big price tags(the cretin). Opposites really do attract! So back to my booty, this picture is just a fraction of what I found this week(it was a good week). The three metal cannisters were only $1.50, the books were .25 a piece(a music book, a beautiful cookbook and a book of miniture art) the tidbit dish was $2.50 and the very recent copy of County Living was only .10! Whoo-hoo! I'll try to post more pictures of my treasures later... but for now I need to work on setting up my new Blackberry. (An early Valentine gift) It is a very pretty red, with a lot of technology- and I am not very technical!