Busy weekend....

of work!!

take a look at those pillows I made for the den....I just love that fabric!

did not get any painting or priming done on Saturday so I'm getting ready to work on it this morning. I'm just not going to worry whether I get it done on time!

cute pic of Maddox hugging his mommy......can we all say "awwwww"

later.....

I'm so tired....

I have a lot going on right now.
we are having a new furnace put in....or something! We currently have a gas furnace....which I love. Because gas heat....mmmm....keeps you some kind of warm in the winter. But it's 18 years old, we need a new one. So Johnny boy wants this heat pump thing with the gas back up heat. I guess the gas kicks in when it gets a certain temp outside....or something. I don't know. Everyone seems to recommend it so we'll see. All I know is I better stay warm this winter. Oh wait...I have hot flashes to keep me warm!

Anyway, they are installing that on Monday. So between right now and Monday, we have a section of the garage that needs to be cleaned out.

Then the following week we are having the hard wood floors re-finished......finally! But this also means a lot of work. We have to totally empty out the living room, dining room and foyer. I have already finished emptying the china cabinet.....and the bookshelves in the living room. But then I was thinking....I need to paint the living room and it's probably better to paint that before they do the floors. So yes, I am some sort of painting martyr and I'm going to try and get that done this weekend. BUT.......I had to strip the wallpaper border first. And that's the pic......I'm trying to strip wallpaper but Maddox is climbing up on the step stool with me and hanging onto my legs. whew.....I almost finished and my sweet son finished the rest for me. Oh wait........he did that because he wanted some money. Oh well, it got done!!

and on top of all of this chaos.......we are leaving for vacation in something like 10 days!
but just think how nice it's all going to look for the holidays!

later.......

what have I been doing...

I have been........

• sleeping, eating, cleaning
• painted a birdhouse
• stripped some wallpaper
• sat through a terrible storm
• laughed with my grandson
• missed my husband
• started counting days until the beach
• did some scrapbooking
• shopped
• took some pictures
• played on the computer

I've just been enjoying life....

later....

Maddox....

I have been keeping our grandson Maddox for 2 days as his sitter is on vacation. Our daughter will be taking the other 3 days.

I have mentioned here before how our grandson is delayed and doesn't talk. After having him here with me for the past 2 days has got me to thinking about some things. I always worry that my daughter is missing out on a lot of toddler things but really, people with fully developed toddlers are missing out on what my daughter experiences.

I remember my 3 as toddlers..........such angels, ummmm, some of the time! The words "no" and "mine" were 2 of their favorites. Bedtime...well, let's just say I dreaded it so much. Because they could talk, and talk they did. They had every excuse to get out of bed or to just yell for me....over and over and over. And going shopping, they could always "voice" what they wanted...and believe me, they wanted everything!

On Monday I took Maddox shopping at Target and Kohl's.........what a pleasure. He is just Mr Happy Go Lucky and goes with the flow. No fussing, no begging....no whining!

we came home and pulled weeds in the front flower bed.....I never had to get after him for anything...he was just happy helping me.

when I told him it was time for his nap, he crawled up on the sofa and just went to sleep..no big deal. Again, the same on Tuesday........asleep in 5 min.

You could not ever ask for a sweeter, well behaved child.

I always worried about him not being able to say I love you to Nicole.....hmpfff....the way he looks at her says it all. He truly speaks with his body and facial expressions.

While watching him...... he got up from playing, walked over to me and pointed and smiled at me. I wasn't too sure what he wanted but then he held out his arms. So I picked him up into my lap and he laid his head on my shoulder and cuddled with me for about 10 minutes. He was saying I love you in his way.....in Maddox's way.

My daughter is very blessed to have the privilege of raising such a special little guy.

later......

Bathroom re-do...

I've been working on Jake's bathroom for what feels like forever!!

The bathroom had those standard builder oak vanity, big ole mirror with gold tone lights above it. The room was painted a gold color with palm tree shower curtain...ummm, not sure what I was thinking but really, it looked good way back then!

So we started with Jake painting the vanity black and installing new silver hardware. Painted the bathroom white....took down the big mirror and bought 2 black mirrors for above each sink. I really liked the lighting but they were gold so we spray painted them with the "stainless steel" spray paint. They turned out great. I found some great fabric to go with the new navy shower curtain. Here's a pic of the shelf we put up to hold his towels.

All in all, it turned out great. I still have one more thing....I'm painting a navy blue stripe all the way around the room about 8 inches down from the ceiling. I'll post a pic of that if I ever get it done :)

later.......

I need help please...

anyone?

please....

I thnk I am doing it right but no....because when I pull up my pics on the computer full screen, they are good, crisp, sharp

but when I go in html edit and change the size that I think I'm supposed to being doing to get them large, it messes them up.

I just need to get someone to make me a photo template that is all fixed right...so that I don't need to change anything.....just upload.

anyone?
ya know anyone who does that?...please

later.......

another test..........

I don't know why my pics aren't working...well, one of them did. This is what happens when you really do not understand html codes.....ack!!

test...

birthday dinner for Nicole at the Outback....

Change.....

it is a comin.......

later....

More good finds...

remember my post from Saturday on the dishes that were 70% off....

well, I found more great deals last night at Lowe's!
Johnny boy and I went in there to pick up some cup hooks for a shelf he is doing for me and I spotted the "reduced" rack....you know, had to go check it out.

There was a lamp made from some kind of Italian wood, tall and sleek, black and it had a red lamp shade with embrodiaed flowers on it. It just yelled....YOUR KITCHEN! And the price.....$10 bucks! yep...10 bucks....lamp shade and all. So I grabbed that.

Then I saw a pair of white ceramic lamps.....for $6 bucks! yep....6 bucks each!!!

and it gets better......

Then saw a nice silver swing arm lamp for $6 bucks!! Then got a burgundy lamp shade for it for $2 bucks!
I just could not believe these deals....
I have to buy shades for the 2 white ceramic lamps and I think they will go perfect in my living room when I re-do it.

later.....

Finally....

I haven't been able to post anything.....something up with Blogger

and now, all of the blogs I follow are gone from my "following" list.....ughh

later..

**Update: I have all of my reading list back now...whew!!

Do you see this....

do you see this?

know what this is?

it's from my backyard

it's the first leaf turned

it's the first sign that fall is on the way

later......

A shopping we will go...

I was out and about today...no particular things in mind to buy but it was "tax free" weekend so I thought I would get out and see what was on sale.

I found a couple of cute shirts marked 70% off....you know I had to buy em.

then I was leaving the mall through JCPenny and went through the home department...never a good idea. And there they were......the dishes I had been drooling over ever since they came out. It's the American Heritage series that Penny's has. And they were 70% off!! yes...70% off. I had to get them....70% off. I mixed them up.......got 4 of the white plates, 4 of the blue, 4 red mugs, 4 blue...blue pitcher. I did not get bowls because I have so many but I am thinking of going back tomorrow...maybe.

Anyway, here's a pic. And also a pic of a bowl of oranges on my counter. The sunlight was hitting the oranges and making the color so bright and the way it hit m fav blue bowl....just had to snap a picture.

later.......

Thank goodness....

later......

it's just a test.....

no need to adjust....just a test

Check this out.....

a fabulous giveaway here.... http://mommypastrami.blogspot.com/2009/07/giveaway.html#comment-form

Mid week....

and there's not much going on.....here are some of my current thoughts..........

• I am going to my 35 year high school reunion. whew....every time I say it or type it, I feel really old. I am looking forward to it but wonder if people will remember me or will I remember them.


• It is hot now....we have had a wonderful summer with very mild temps for Virginia so can't complain too much but damn, it's hot now!


• I think we traded in the wrong cash for clunkers vehicle.......took the 97 Expedition to be inspected and it's going to cost us $900. yes...I said $900. We traded in Johnny's old pick up and we will keep the Expedition in case we need to haul things or whatever. It's always nice to have that 3rd vehicle around in case you need it.


• My mom's family reunion is this weekend and we're not going. I'm sad we're not but Johnny and I have already been on 3 vacations and we have another beach trip in September....and did I tell you the Expedition is costing $900!


• I love our little grandson Maddox so much that I can't even put it into words....and when I watch him, I get tears in my eyes because I love him so much. I pray for him every night to continue to improve in his development...he works so hard.


• I'm having lunch this Saturday with one of my very, very dear friends. We have been friends for just over 30 years and I just love her. Often times we lose touch but then we re-connect.


• My nephew is getting married in October and they have asked me to do their engagement photo shoot. I'm excited and nervous.


• The Expedition is costing $900........damn it!


• We are under a thunderstorm watch right now. I love a good thunderstorm and I hope it hits before I go to bed so it doesn't keep me awake tonight.


• My daughter Jacquelyn and Bucky have told us they have set a wedding date........even though they are not officially engaged yet. But my goodness, they have been together over 5 year now. But the wedding will be May 14, 2011......and I can't wait to plan it with her.


• One of our good friends, which is Johnny's best friend, came over last Sat night for dinner and brought with him his girlfriend Susan......who we love. They had broken up and are now back together and we are just so happy about that!!
  

and that's all.......that's my thoughts

later.......

The weekend......

has been fun!

friends came over Sat evening for a cookout....fun

and then I went out searching for a chair

a chair that I am going to paint purple........and I'll tell about that later

and I found one, for $8....I think that's a pretty good deal. here's a pic of Maddox sitting in the chair I bought.

and a pic of Johnny boy........just because he's so cute

later.......