harris happiness

laundry helper

2012-02-16T21:36:00.001-05:00

My little furry best friend was helping me with chores this afternoon.

If only he had thumbs and could actually fold all the clean clothes he was sitting on....

Hmm...thanks for the help! Stinker.

happy valentine's day

2012-02-14T07:30:00.001-05:00

to my love....

So thankful for a husband who loves me with his whole heart and treats me with kindness, respect, and appreciation.

Love you, Ryan!

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12

girl's night

2012-02-13T07:52:00.002-05:00

Another great weekend where I'm reminded of how many wonderful people I have in my life.

I feel so blessed!

Friday night a group of girls came over from church to watch this....

I had seen it in the theater with Ryan {in the very front row--gah!} and had been wanting to see it again! Many of them read the book and it was their first time watching the movie. So fun!

Of course, I made a pinterest goodie :) Chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars -- they were divine!

Saturday, Ryan and I just hung out and ran a bunch of errands. It's so good to have him home for the whole day! In the evening, we took dinner to our friend's who just had their first baby and then met up with other friends to have dessert at my favorite place....Hershey Pantry! Yum!

Have you noticed a dessert theme yet?

Sunday was another day of getting things done :) Love it! I got a ton more done around the house and then watched the Grammy's from bed while Ryan had some of the church youth boys over.

It was all topped off by a very dramatic episode of Downton Abbey. I can't believe next week is the last one of this series....I won't be able to wait until the fall!!

Nothin' New

2012-02-10T22:52:00.001-05:00

Hey!

I've been really slacking recently, haven't I?

I'm working. Ryan's working. And that's about it....boring!

I had a stomach bug last week which put me out for about a week, then we traveled down to NC for a wedding over the weekend, and now I feel caught up around the house :) I can't believe how much I don't get down when I'm sick...it's the worst!

I felt like I was still recovering up to the beginning of this week! Oh! And we went to a super bowl party :)

Boring, but busy I guess!

Have a great Weekend!

wedding hair

2012-02-06T07:48:00.002-05:00

Ryan and I made a whirlwind trip to NC this weekend so I could be in my cousin, Michele's, wedding!

It was a lot of time in the car, but well worth it :0)

Unfortunately...Ryan brought the camera, but left it in his suitcase the entire time! Stink! I only have 2 pictures from the entire weekend. SO lame! My sister took these with her iPhone. She's looking for some hair ideas for a wedding she's in this May and liked my do ;0)

I LOVED it! The girl who did my hair, did everyone's hair. All 8 heads in like 5 hours...it was amazing.

Side view:

Back view:

I'm hoping to get some more pictures over the next couple days as people post them on facebook and send them my way!!

iPad take over

2012-01-31T11:47:00.001-05:00

If you notice anything funny or unusual going on here at the blog...

Or receive a suspicious email or iPhone message...

We both know who's to blame. Phinley....

pinterest and home decor

2012-01-29T19:45:00.001-05:00

I saw this idea on pinterest the other night and just had to try it!!

It's so simple -- a curtain rod with a wreath hanging in middle....really? That easy? Yes.!

I found this rod at wal-mart for $15!

I still need some items for either side, I just threw some stuff up there for the picture :)

I also found a picture for our dining room! I thought it was a lost cause.....I had absolutely no idea what to do on this one wall! Every picture I found was either just slightly the wrong color OR super pricy.

Big art = big price.

Ryan and I were shopping at Ollie's (of all places!!) and I found this! The color is perfect :) A little blue to match the wall with some reds and oranges which we have around the house.

pinterest french dip crescents

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Pinterest version can be found right......here.

My version can be found right.....

HERE!

Like my bowl and plate? Ha! We have fun when we eat around here!

A little less cheese and a little more water in the onion soup and we'll be good to go next time!!

buddies

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Buddies.....

For life.

Even if Ryan won't openly admit it. :0)

Love those two!

have your cake and blue lips too

2012-01-22T18:45:00.001-05:00

Over the holiday, we celebrated Ryan's birthday with one of his favorites....ice cream cake!

One little man in particular really wanted some. He waited SO nicely...

and boy was it worth it

Blue lips and all :)

classroom keyboard

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

A little over a month and a half ago I started a new job as a computer room teacher. I'd been a substitute for several years and really liked it, but wanted something more regular. I knew I didn't want to teach full-time, so this was a nice alternative. I get to get to work with all the students in the school {K-5}, but don't do lesson planning and all the other time consuming stuff that teachers have to do :-)

I honestly don't know how they do it!

Anyways, I started mid-year and the computer lab was looking run down and a little drab. I had seen this large keyboard idea online and knew it would be perfect for this large empty wall space!

I used sandwich size take-out boxes for the 3D effect and printed the letters on colored paper.

It was so.simple. A little time consuming, but well worth it! The kids love it!

I glued the "keys" on with rubber cement and so far they've been staying on well!

After I take some more pictures, I'll show you a few more other projects from around the room...

let there be light

2012-01-18T07:47:00.001-05:00

And circulating air :0)

We finally have ceiling fans up in 2 of the spare bedrooms! Ryan has been working on his days off to get the light boxes installed and ceiling fans up!

If you didn't know, we chose not to pay extra for the ceiling light rough-ins when we initially purchased our home, so Ryan had to crawl up into the attic and run all the wiring. He's so handy!

It's so nice to have real lights in these rooms.

Office...

After he installed a bronze colored fan and then took it down because we decided it was too dark. hehe

Guest bedroom

This room was definitely the darkest -- not any more!

Another big project to check off the list!

meeting baby alayna - with pictures!

2012-01-16T10:10:00.000-05:00

Welcome Baby Alayna!

Kasie went into labor Wednesday night and into the hospital Thursday morning. Thursday night around 6pm we got word that the head was within view and I started jumping around and screaming like a crazy person....2hrs from all the activity. It was like torture -- I wanted to be there so.badly.

I thought that if the head was within view then within a few minutes she'd be an official Harris, right??

Ummm -- wrong!

Two hours later {and a whole lot of pushing from Kasie -- you go girl!} we found out that Alayna was breathing, beautiful, and in the arms of a loved family member. Phew!

And then 2 days after that we got to hold our new niece :0)

She is just precious.

Aunt Erin loved Alayna immediately. What can I say, it was love at first sight :0)

Proud Grandma

Another close up, because she's the star of the show today!

Uncle Ryan did such a great job! He's really progressing in his baby holding skills! Seriously, almost pro now :0)

Aunt Shannon

A big yawn after her dinner {or lunch or breakfast...she eats a little a lot!}

And another just because, well, aren't they the cutest!

We are so happy for the new family of 3! I'm sorry I don't have a picture of the new family all together. They were working so hard getting settled and resting I just let them be and we all spoiled Alayna with love {and pictures!!}.

Meeting baby Alayna

2012-01-15T07:33:00.001-05:00

Meeting Darren (Ryan's twin brother) and Kasie's baby girl Alayna this weekend!!

No, I haven't been purposefully neglecting this space, just busy that's all :)

Lots of precious newborns to keep my arms full!!

I'll update with pictures tonight.....Be warned: she's a doll. :)

hungry?

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

I bet you don't know anyone who got a ginormous fork in their Christmas stocking...

Now you do :0)

Spoon was waiting for me at home -- in case we ever get really hungry for a big bowl of Rice Krispies

close up

2012-01-07T11:41:00.001-05:00

Because he's cute.

And has good ideas...lying in the sun.

And just in case those others weren't close enough.

frigidaire

2012-01-04T16:00:00.000-05:00

Just peeked in our fridge and noticed....

1 large container of lettuce

2 bottles of New Year's Eve beverages

6 bottles of water

and

1 plate of cheesecake

christmas in nj

2012-01-03T20:40:00.001-05:00

NJ for Christmas round #2!

It's always a blessing to spend the holidays with both sides of the family, but this might be the last year. It's just so.much.driving. in a week. Guess we'll just wait and see what happens next year...

More presents this time around :0) We're so blessed!

Ryan got more tools....

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! haha

And I got this great bench for our mudroom. No more sitting on the dirty floor to put our shoes on :0)

Andrew was so fun the whole time! It's so good to have kids around!

He loved his new laptop from Grandma and Grandpa -- this boy LOVES electronics!

And, apparently, everything Elmo! haha! Who knew?!? Aunt Shannon came through big time with this ride on Elmo bus{??} It had big buttons to push and Elmo would sing...Andrew clapped everytime :0)

Speaking of Shannon....

Isn't she gorgeous!? This is more of a profile shot, but still.

After opening presents we did a little shopping...

Seriously, Target has great after Christmas deals, went to the movies, and ate ate ate :0) It was lovely!

christmas in nc

2012-01-01T18:16:00.000-05:00

We're back!

What a fun and busy holiday for us :0) We went from NC --> NJ --> Home --> Lancaster --> Home!

Christmas is always peek memory making season, but for now I'm going to be short on words and lengthy with pictures...that's all anyone really cares about anyways!

8 adults + 1 child = a lot of presents!

It was so special to have a little one around for Christmas morning this year.

They bring back all the excitement and wonder that's sometimes lost among adults....

And they know how to play with their toys right.away! Each gift is like THE BEST!

Emily takes cues from the best {see above} -- trying on her new necklace :0)

Ryan is completely outfitted with a new garage full of tools...this ping pong set was just about the only thing NOT tool related!

That and 2lbs of Sunkist Fruit Gems :0)

Mom's snuggi was a big hit. Asher loved her new "wild" side!

We had such a fun morning....

The absolute best part was getting dressed up and going to church!

I think that we should have church service every Christmas morning -- worshiping our King just seems like an obvious must on His birthday! We wouldn't even have Christmas if it wasn't for Him!

Happy birthday Ryan

2011-12-27T10:10:00.001-05:00

Happy birthday to my most favorite man! I love you with my whole heart!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T15:41:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas! Ryan and I have been enjoying our vacation and busy relaxing :)

We're with family throughout the whole break -- much needed quality time! I was blessed with so many wonderful and unexpected presents this year...sewing machine machine, a purse I fell in love with several months ago, and an iPad! What fun surprises!

The best part of this Christmas was being able to have church service in the morning! I feel like its so easy to lose sight of the real reason we celebrate. Without Jesus none of us would have the chance to experience grace and the freedom Christ gives to us. What an amazing gift!

"But the angel assured her, Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.' The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob's house forever-no end, ever, to his kingdom?" Luke 1:30-33

phinley's gotcha day!

2011-12-22T07:23:00.000-05:00

It feels like just yesterday I was winding through the hills of northern PA going to pick up my pup!

We're celebrating his 2 year gotcha day today!

We kinda missed his birthday {oops!}, but if we're being honest here.... he really started living once he came home with us :0)

I bet he never dreamed his life would go from sleeping on piles of hay to piles of pillows...or in the middle of piles of pillows!

Such a lucky little fuzz head :0)

Even the big guy has grown to love him....

They really have a good time together {regardless of what Ryan says}!

Unless of course Phinley is being naughty

Then we banish him to the outside, where he obviously just works on his tan.

I feel so blessed to have such great, fuzzy company! I truly believe God knew this little dog would make my heart grow a bit more and bring me tons of joy!

Happy Gotcha Day Phinley!!

work, then VACATION!

2011-12-21T07:25:00.000-05:00

Last day of work until vacation!! Yay!

Can't wait to spend the next week with family :0)

why Jesus is better than santa

2011-12-18T09:04:00.002-05:00

I came across this {here} and thought it was so good!

Christmas is only 1 week away! Who's excited?!?

WHY JESUS IS BETTER THAN SANTA CLAUS

(Author Unknown)

Santa lives at the North Pole ~ JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh ~ JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water

Santa comes but once a year ~ JESUS is an ever present help

Santa fills your stockings with goodies ~ JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited ~ JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and enters your heart.

You have to wait in line to see Santa ~ JESUS is as close as the mention of his name. Santa lets you sit on his lap ~ JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?" ~ JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jell ~ JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO ~ JESUS says, "Cast your cares on me for I care for you."

Santa's little helpers make toys ~ JESUS makes a new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but ~ JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree ~ JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no comparison. We need to put CHRIST back in Christmas, JESUS is still the reason for the season. Yes, JESUS is better, he is even better than Santa Claus.

Merry CHRISTmas!

merry and bright

2011-12-16T07:30:00.000-05:00

We hope that your holidays are Merry & Bright!

Enjoy each moment!

christmas story

2011-12-14T07:32:00.003-05:00

I can't wait to have our party next week! Love that twinkling star at then end :0)

happy birthday asher

2011-12-13T07:36:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday Sweet Asher!

It feels like just yesterday I was driving out to Cleveland to meet you for the first time!

Has it really been 2 years already? But you just turned ONE!

Many fun memories over the past year....

We love you so much!

Can't wait to see you at Christmas!!

look what I made!

2011-12-11T20:00:00.004-05:00

Over the last few months I've been sewing up a storm, but have kept it all very hush hush because they were all surprises! We're good at throwing surprise parties around here!!

Well, the parties are over and I wanted to share some of the things I've been making :0)

For Baby Micah.....

For Baby Jonah....

Micah also got a tie onesie :0)

This one is my favorite!

For Baby Girl Harris....

This shirt is for when she's older -- I added the hearts and made the headband to match.

For Andrew...

For Asher....

Asher's is a little more plain than Andrew's :0( I was on a time crunch! Still cute though and made with lots of love!

Can't wait to try more things!

christmas is here

2011-12-10T20:53:00.004-05:00

Christmas has been in full swing at our house for the last couple of weeks! I was so anxious to change out our fall decorations, so as soon as our Thanksgiving company left I was right at it!

I have pictures of Ry and I combing through hundreds of trees looking for the perfect one, but my computer won't let me upload them onto blogger {ugh!}....so we'll just jump ahead to the finished product!

Cue the Hallelujah chorus!

No folks, it's not fake. I just picked it out ;0)

Even though Ryan argues he cut it down, set it up, and decorated it, I still take full responsibility for it's perfect symmetry.

Isn't the apple swag {not sure what else to call it} beautiful? My Mom made it!

Growing up, the village used to be my favorite thing to help Mom put out under our "fancy" tree

Now I get to create a little village in my own home :0)

Christmas isn't Christmas without the Nativity! Love you Jesus!

Candle holders full of tinsel....a little sparkle for the b-fast nook!

And something more traditional for the dining room.

Merry Christmas!

Keep Christ in Christmas this year!

blog make over

2011-12-08T20:52:00.003-05:00

I'm in the middle of a blog make over.

It's driving me nuts that it's not done, but I'm ready for bed!

Here's to hoping I can figure it out tomorrow!!

baby harris coming this january

2011-12-06T17:35:00.005-05:00

Not a Baby Harris from me, but my SIL Kasie!

Surprise! Another baby shower this weekend!

Kasie and Darren are expecting their little girl in January.

Her mom threw her a beautiful shower to celebrate Baby H's upcoming arrival. Her mom's house is beautiful and located right on a gorgeous lake -- the perfect spot for a baby shower.

There was so much pink! Strawberry chocolate covered pretzels and cherry cream soda :0) Yum!

What's a party without some empty bags...

And TONS of candy to fill them with! Pink and white, of course ;-)

Dessert table -- my personal favorite were the cannolis!

Everything was decorated so nicely. Pink chair for the mother-to-be....

Pink ruffles on all the baby clothes...

Fresh pink flowers and Bible verses made each table special.

There were tons of guests! But it was the best to see Darren's side of the family there -- Aunt Gayle, Aunt Faye, and Grandma Lee :0) {too bad no one was looking at the camera} And not pictured Aunt Tracey and Cousin Olivia.

Darren {dad-to-be} and his Mom

Mindy, Kasie's SIL, shared some special Bible verses and said a lot of wonderful, encouraging words to Kasie.

They they prayed over her. It was very special.

We spent the rest of the afternoon watching Kasie open presents....

And more presents.....

And more presents! Hehe! I know she appreciated every.single.thing.

Especially this diaper cake made by SIL Shannon :0) So cute!

Now that Darren and Kasie have everything they need for Baby H, she can bake for a few more weeks then come anytime!

surprise sprinkle

2011-12-05T07:30:00.005-05:00

Friday night we celebrated the upcoming arrival of Baby Micah!

There are a lot of new babies arriving this winter at our church and Micah is scheduled to make his appearance first!

Micah is Jess' 2nd child, so we decided to lightened things up and throw a sprinkle {opposed to a full blown shower} for her! She was so surprised :0)

"Sprinkled with Love" sign

Beverage area

We wrote special notes to Jess and Evan on diapers -- a little surprise for those midnight changes :0)

Guess how many sour patch kids?! This was something fun guests could do anytime throughout the night. Anita won with a guess of 184 -- the actual number is 185!!

A woman from small group made this great diaper cake! We had 2 cakes, the other was used on the food table!

We had lots of goodies!

Micah's lollipop tree {loved this idea from pinterest}!

It was a lovely night to celebrate Jess & Micah and hang out with the girls...

These 2 little girls were so well behaved and just hung out with all the grown ups throughout the night.

Hehe...too cute!

I had such a fun time planning and hosting! We all can't wait to meet Baby Clay #2 in January!!

exhausted

2011-12-04T20:23:00.002-05:00

Two baby showers....

Company in from out of town....

And a getting a new job has worn us out!

Be back soon with tons of pictures and details of all the fun!! Hope you had a great weekend!

the perfect tree

2011-11-30T20:49:00.003-05:00

Just a little preview of our Christmas tree!!

I picked it out :0)

More pictures of holiday decorations to come!!

thanksgiving at our house

2011-11-28T12:16:00.004-05:00

This year we were blessed to have the whole Harris clan over to our house for Thanksgiving!

I failed big time getting enough pictures {not even one of the whole family}, but between the cooking and hosting I was able to snap a few!

Everyone arrived on Thanksgiving day and things didn't stop until Sunday afternoon when Jason and Marissa {brother and SIL} headed back to NY!

This little man stole the show :0) He was on the move 95% of the time, so I have a ton of blurry photos...not many still ones though! Isn't that how it's suppose to be at this age?!? :0)

He's just the cutest!

The only time you can get him to sit and be still is when he's watching the computer or cell phone. This boy LOVES any computer, cell phone, camera, etc. He knows right where they're all kept throughout the house. He stands in front of you with his arms up and a look on his face that reads "I'm ready. Take me to the computer!"

Next year we'll have another little one -- Darren and Kasie are due in January! Haha! Well, just Kasie, but by this picture you wouldn't know! Kasie looks so small next to Darren's big basketball belly!

Can't wait to meet her in January!

Phinley was a such a good trooper. We kept him in our bedroom anytime Andrew wasn't napping, because although he's super friendly and loves kids, he tends to jump....right. at.their. face. It was easier to keep them separated than try and watch both all the time!

Andrew loves dogs or "woof woof" as he says, so we let them say hello in passing :0)

Saturday night after everyone left we got to babysit Andrew while his parents were at a wedding. It was so fun!!

Half way through the weekend I remembered this nylon tube we had bought Phinley {which he doesn't play wit} and thought it would be perfect entertainment! Andrew really had fun with it!

Moving around so much I couldn't get a picture!

Fun weekend! We hope your Thanksgiving was just as blessed! Just a few weeks until Christmas :0)

tiny steps to finding the perfect Christmas card

2011-11-25T19:10:00.002-05:00

I have been slacking big time in choosing and ordering our Christmas cards!

The last few years I've had my cards ordered and addressed by Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving people!

It's the day after and I'm just now really narrowing down my search. Does anyone else find it impossible to chose a card....the perfect card??

I like to take little steps: first, I chose where to order my cards from.

When I started looking at the cards on Tiny Prints there was really no other option....have you seen there selection? I instantly spotted a few that I would love to use this year.

At first, I was a little overwhelmed, but the filters on the left hand side made it really easy for me to narrow it down and make my selection!

I haven't made my final decision, but check out the ones I'm most interest in :0)

I like that these are a little different with the yellow color.

LOVE the back of these cards :0)

I don't see red and brown that often. This is pretty :0)

These are a great traditional one for us and I can see what the "H" would already look like!

Round cards are something that I never would have thought about! Isn't this a great idea to use as an ornament! Love these!!

I'm already 1 day behind with my cards -- hopefully narrowing down and choosing soon!!

Good luck! Can't wait to see what you all have picked for your dear families!

thankful: so many things

2011-11-24T11:04:00.003-05:00

Nov. 24: So Many Things

I'm thankful for so many things! How can I pick just one on the day!

So...instead I'll just list a few :0)

I'm thankful for/that....

God

Ryan

Harris family traveling in from our of town

Phinley {cutest little dog in the whole wide world!}

Cowell family all throughout the east coast

Sunshine today

Getting all the side dishes done before anyone got here

Having Ryan help prep for the big dinner

Not needing stitches after cutting my finger last night

Going to see Twilight last night

Having time to paint my finger nails before going to see Twilight

Our neighbor doesn't mind if Phinley runs up to their front door and scratches to get in

Not having to prepare desserts -- they taste extra good that way

Working out this AM

Finishing a shirt project for Andrew before they come {can you say last minute?}

Getting to watch the Macy's day parade

Coupons!

Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD

FOR HE IS GOOD

HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.

PSALM 107:1

thankful: surprise from ryan

2011-11-23T06:50:00.004-05:00

Nov. 23: Surprise from Ryan

A few weeks ago I spotted this Vera Bradley purse when I was shopping with Ryan. I fell in love!

I wanted to buy it right then, but VB is kind of expensive and not something you just pick up on a whim!

Remember how yesterday was the last day of the outage?? Well....Ryan came home with this surprise....

Eek! The bag I loved! Isn't he the sweetest??

I'm so thankful for a husband who thinks about me! I know it's just a purse, but it's more than that to me! It shows me he pays attention and takes time to make stops after his 12 hour work day just for me!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving? Everyone have their turkeys thawing out? :0)

thankful: outage is over!

2011-11-22T17:40:00.003-05:00

Nov. 22: Outage is Over!

I'm thankful that the outage is over!

My husband works for a nuclear power company that goes off line {stops making power} every other year in order to do repairs and maintenance work throughout the plant.

During those times {outages} everyone is required to work extensive hours. So he's been working 6-12hr days with 1 day off. It might not sound like a lot, but we rarely spent any time together and I was alone a lot.

I'm so grateful that it's over just in time for the holidays to begin!!

thankful: nephews

2011-11-21T07:25:00.003-05:00

Nov. 21: Nephews

I'm thankful for 3 handsome and healthy nephews!

From youngest to oldest.....

Andrew

Asher

Owen

They are such sweet little boys!

And sneaky, don't let them fool you here...they are ready to start jumping any moment!!

Love you guys!

Can't wait to meet my newest niece in January!! It's about time I got to shop for a little girl :0D

thankful: safe drive

2011-11-20T19:22:00.003-05:00

Nov. 20: Safe Drive

I'm thankful that I made it home safely today!

A 7.5hr drive alone felt long, but so worth it! Little dog is great company :-)

I'm SO tired! And another post with no pictures...sorry!!

thankful: time at home

2011-11-19T19:37:00.003-05:00

Nov. 19: Time at Home

I'm thankful for some time at home {in NC} before the busyness of the holidays start.

I feel so blessed that I was able to make the trip down and enjoy these last few days with my parents!

Can't wait for Thanksgiving and Christmas :0)

thankful: surprises!

2011-11-18T07:00:00.004-05:00

Nov. 18: Surprises!

I'm thankful that my surprise worked!

Tonight my Mom, Dad, and I are going to DPAC to see this...

Featuring the.....

I started to plan this birthday/Christmas surprise for my Mom a few months back. I wanted to take her to a show as part of her Christmas gift and with the busyness of multiple schedules this weekend {so close to her bday} worked out perfectly!

I secretly drove down yesterday {it's about an 8hr drive} and was waiting for her when she got back from town. It was a big fat secret that I didn't tell anyone, except Dad! I never keep secrets from everyone...so I felt like super sneaky!

Can't wait to see the show tonight!

thankful: a husband who cares

2011-11-17T07:40:00.001-05:00

Nov. 17: A husband who cares.

I'm thankful for a husband who cares.

The other day I caught him cleaning the toilet...

Without prompting.

When I asked him why he was doing it, he said that he noticed it getting a little dirty so he freshened up!

Whaaa?!?

I didn't say anything after that. A bit speechless.

thank: mom

2011-11-16T15:31:00.004-05:00

Nov. 16: Mom

I'm thankful for my Mom.

Mama was my greatest teacher,

A teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness.

If love is sweet as a flower,

Then my mother is that sweet flower of love. -Stevie Wonder

She truly does have the sweetest heart and best intentions.

Happy Birthday Mom!

thankful: coupons & good kids

2011-11-15T10:01:00.002-05:00

Nov. 14 & 15: Coupons and Good Kids

I'm thankful for printable coupons I find online all.the.time. to my favorite places! Jo-Ann Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, JcPenny....!

There's nothing better than buying something you want 50% off! Woohoo!

I'm also thankful for how gracious the store clerk was when I accidentally dropped a glass pot and it shattered on the floor. She replied with a very calm "that's okay, I'll clean it up" and I gasped and covered my mouth {I kinda hurt my throat I gasped so hard! ha!} -- then just stared at it.

Yesterday I subbed for the very best 4th grade class ever. I'm thankful that I didn't need to raise my voice and was able to joke around with them a bit. It's rare that I can joke around with a class and they don't lose control -- it was a joy!

thankful: church family

2011-11-13T18:34:00.003-05:00

Nov. 13: Church Family

I'm so thankful for my church family today!

Seriously, Devonshire Church is one of the best things that has every happened to me!

I just know that God placed Ryan and I at this church for a reason.

I've been having a hard time with Ryan being away so much and working like 72hrs a week, so it was so nice to have lunch out today with church friends! Otherwise I would have just came home to be alone...and that's not very exciting :0p

I'm also thankful for Hong Kong Ruby's. Yummy garlic chicken with fried rice! :0D

thankful: family

2011-11-12T17:17:00.003-05:00

Nov. 12: Family

I'm so grateful for my family!

They are my support system and motivators.

They are also super stealth and like to plan surprise birthday retreats!

Love you all!

thankful: sunshine

2011-11-11T07:41:00.001-05:00

Nov. 11: Sunshine!

I'm thankful that we're having our 4th day of sunshine this week!

It was rainy yesterday, but today the sun is out and it looks like it will be a gorgeous day!

I love how the sun can boost my spirit :0)

thankful: jess

2011-11-10T09:26:00.005-05:00

Nov. 10: My Sweet Friend, Jess

I'm thankful for Jess and today is her birthday!

She is such a dear friend -- I'm so blessed to have her in my life!

I feel like over these past few years we've grown a lot closer, thanks to church and our small group!

She's a great road trip partner....

Visiting Cherie in Indiana

DC for the day!

Supporter...

Being there for me throughout the wedding planning and celebration!

Partier....

She knows how to have a good time :0)

World traveler...

You can't tell here, but we traveled to England together for 3 weeks!

{Sorry Jess -- this was the only England picture of you I could find!!}

Mother...

A wonderful Mom to the cutest little guy.

Who will soon be a big brother! Hold on Elias....Micah will be here soon....

Happy Birthday!

thankful: wednesday

2011-11-09T13:46:00.003-05:00

Nov. 9: Wednesday

I'm thankful that today is Wednesday and Ryan's day off!

He gets to cuddle with Phinley :0)

And do nothing....with me!

thankful: understanding

2011-11-08T07:32:00.001-05:00

Nov. 8: Understanding

Take a look at these pictures and you will start to get the idea....

I'm thankful that Ryan understands when I change my mind.

Thanks Honey :0)

thankful: baby shower

2011-11-07T06:48:00.000-05:00

Nov. 7: Celebrating Erin and Baby Jonah!

I'm thankful that I got to help throw my friend, Erin, a baby shower yesterday afternoon!

She and her hubby {standing behind her} love the outdoors, so they have a camping/woodsy animal theme in their nursery. We continued it for her shower :0)

I think she was surprised!

The decorations were so fun to make! I loved putting these banners together! They were so easy!

Can you believe these mushroom cupcakes?!? Crystal {in the picture above wearing tan} put them together! They are so stinkin' cute!

Diaper cake -- the owl is so precious!

The food was a variety of soups and salad...perfect for a chilly afternoon!

I LOVED the table decorations!

Everything came together so perfectly!

Smore's favors :0) Yumm!

Felt hedgie for table decoration -- teehee

We put all her gifts inside this tent {remember they love to camp}!

Poor Crystal kept having to crawl in and out to get them...haha!

Erin was showered with so many wonderful presents.

Lamby blanket for Jonah :0) There is so.much. cute stuff out for babies....it's too much sometimes!!

It was also Erin's birthday -- so of course we sang :0) And she took 2 blows to blow out 2 candles -- baby Jonah is taking up her lung space!

Thankful for such a wonderful afternoon that turned out great for Erin! I can't wait to meet Jonah in January!!

thankful: dad

2011-11-06T09:22:00.002-05:00

Nov. 6: Happy Birthday Dad!

I'm thankful for my Dad!

He's a great father...

Pop-pop....

And husband to my mom!

I'm so grateful to have him in my life!

Love you Dad! Happy Birthday!

thankful: friend's wedding

2011-11-05T20:49:00.003-04:00

Nov. 5: Erika & Scott's Wedding

I'm thankful that I got to spend this afternoon and evening celebrating a special couple from my church -- Erika and Scott!

They are such a cute pair :0)

I felt so blessed to share in their special day and enjoy dinner and dancing with friends from church....we have a fun bunch that likes to get their groove on!

Including Ryan and I :0)

Congrats Scott and Erika!!

thankful: little dog

2011-11-04T07:05:00.000-04:00

Nov. 4: Little Dog

I'm thankful for my little dog, Phinley!

Seriously...how cute?!!?

He keeps me company when I do crafts {no I'm not sitting on him...he's hogging the chair :0) }

I'm thankful he keeps track of things in the neighborhood.

And uses the homework nook -- someone has to!

He's a good companion.

Love this little dog!

thankful: painting DONE

2011-11-03T07:43:00.002-04:00

Nov 3: Painting is done in 2 more rooms!

I'm thankful that I had time this week to paint 2 more rooms in our house! I love that we have so much space, but ohmyword it's a lot to paint!

My painting skills are more than lacking, so I do rooms that are easy and not all out in the open for everyone to see :0) I spend just as much time scraping it off the floor than I do actually painting!

Mudroom!

Color: Valspar - Jungle Chameleon

Master bathroom!

Color: Valspar {waverly}; Beach House

With each angle the color looks a little bit different....

I love it!

Just 5 more rooms and an entry way! Oy ve.....

thankful: ryan

2011-11-02T11:00:00.002-04:00

Nov 2: Ryan

Thankful today for my hubby, Ryan :0)

His company is in the middle of an outtage {to hard to explain} right now, so he's been working 6-12hr days with 1 off. It's temporary, but still hard on both of us. He gets no sleep and I get no Ryan Time! Today is his 1 day off -- yay!

I'm thankful that Ryan is so patient with me. I've had my "girl" moments more than a few times since we've gotten married and even though he might feel like this.....

On the inside, he's always very patient and loving to me.

I'm thankful that he's so handy. He's my Handy Manny. Thank goodness because I'm helpless when it comes to home repairs.

I'm thankful that he supports all my good ideas for around the house and provides the ~~cold hard cash~~ resources to make 'em happen!

I'm thankful that he wants a family and prays that we will be blessed with kids one day. He's such a good role model!

thankful: Jesus

2011-11-01T16:23:00.003-04:00

November 1: Jesus

I have so much to be thankful for, so I'm dedicating another November to sharing some :0)

First up -- Jesus! Of course!

I have nothing else without Him.

"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life."-John 3:16

my warrior and his submarine

2011-10-28T15:03:00.003-04:00

Last night was trick or treat!

We had a total of about 10 kids {including 4 teens}, but that didn't stop my warrior from getting into the spirit of trick or treat!!

He originally started with a clown wig, but then rediscovered this little gem :0) Here he is with our little yellow submarine...

Another one, just because :0)

I offered Phinley to several kids, but no takers. All they wanted was candy, can you believe it?!?!

P.S. Phin ran away today -- up the street and into our brand new neighbor's house. I think my sister was right...he thought it was time for his trick or treat!

Bad dog.

paint picks....help!

2011-10-27T09:32:00.003-04:00

Welcome to my worst nightmare -- picking paint colors.

Since I HATE to paint, getting the color perfect the first time is a must.

I really hated the color {bright mango!} in the 1/2 bath in our townhouse, but repainting it wasn't even in my realm of thinking. Once and done.

So...here's where you come in {all 5 of you!!}. Help a girl out and give me your honest opinion :0)

Spare bedroom/office - gray on left or right?

I know it's a little hard to see and since there is such a difference it makes the choice that much easier :0)

Now into master bedroom. I'm looking for something to match our shower curtain and create a cool, spa like feel :0)

I'm wrestling between the top far right and bottom far left.

Again, a little hard to see. Sorry!

Thanks!

yawn

2011-10-26T17:37:00.001-04:00

A...

Little.... {paper dot flew off nose during yawn :0)}

Sleepy....

Cute :)

chair railing

2011-10-25T07:50:00.002-04:00

The chair rail is up!

Ryan's goal was to have all the molding up before Thanksgiving and he's 1/2 way there! All that's left is the baseboard and wainscoting -- we don't want him to get everything done too soon ;0)

Prep painting in the garage. Little dog is always right.there. to ~~get in the way~~ help.

Ryan in the middle of construction....

First wall = success :0D

Second wall = success!

Finished product -- love it!

We painted the bottom a semi-gloss white to make it pop more. It was my Mom's idea to make it semi-gloss...I really like it!

View from dining room into kitchen. I really like how you can see the crown molding here -- with a darker color paint on the top both moldings will really pop.

Any paint color suggestions?

The bottom half is already painted semi-gloss white...

View from front entrance

I'm so grateful and proud of my hubby :0) He is amazing for doing such great work! I feel so blessed to have a man who is so handy!!

chasing the pumpkin

2011-10-24T07:09:00.003-04:00

Remember last year's chase?

I just reread and...wow. Intense! HA!

I had no idea I had created goals for my first serious short distance race.

My how things change :0)

Last year I trained hard with Ryan as my running partner and coach. This year I casually ran {if it wasn't too cold}....alone.

Regardless, I had a great time and did pretty well! Ryan had to work that morning so it really stunk not to have him around, but I have a great group of friends and they were super supportive!

Here I am after the race :0) Yes, I'm wearing the exact same thing as last year -- they're my lucky running shorts....I wear them for almost every race!

Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of Mr. Pumpkin this year. There was even a brand new Junior Pumpkin, but with all the post-race excitement and snacking I completely missed him :0(

I did, however, spot this pumpkin! Ahaha! So great Erin! She's my dear friend and walked her little pumpkin through the 5k!

Lots of people turned out for the race -- here's our table! Yay friends!

So blessed!

Part of the reason we all stick around is because they do a raffle with all kinds of cool prizes and then announce the top 3 runners in each age category.

So guess what?!?

Even though I ran a whole whopping minute slower this year, I still got 3rd place in my age category!!

I couldn't believe it! Did everyone get slower?? :0P

It was so neat to hear my name called and walk up to get my little trophy man! Who knew?!

surprise bridal shower

2011-10-20T07:16:00.004-04:00

My camera disgusts me.

I helped throw a baby shower this past week for a bride in my small group and have about 5 semi-good pictures to show for it. My camera officially hit the curb...kicked the can...fritzed out...

I'll be using my phone camera until Christmas when {fingers crossed} I get a new one :0)!!

A big hit at the shower were marshmallow pops I made as favors. They were so simple!

Three large marshmallows on a popsicle stick...

Covered in melted chocolate pieces. These were pink, but you can't tell with this high quality photo ;0) Mine didn't dip that great into the chocolate -- they really needed to be coated with the spatula. It worked out better, because I could smooth it out before dipping it into the white beady sprinkles!

A few hrs to chill and voila! They looked great wrapped up with a piece of matching ribbon. The one on the left was kind of a dud, most looked much better. I ate that one :0)

The shower was held in our church fellowship hall. It's a big space, but I think the decorations came out well.

Lots of delicious foods...can't go wrong there.

Pink and black were Erika's colors...can you tell?

The towel cake I made was used on the gift table :0)

And some of the lovely ladies that helped surprise Erika!

She was so deserving of a special afternoon! Her wedding is in a few weeks and I can't wait!

bless our mess

2011-10-16T18:05:00.003-04:00

We're on project overload around here.

Ryan and I spent all day Thursday, most of Friday, AND all day Saturday working together to get some major projects done.

I don't know about anyone else, but 3 straight days of working with my hubby was plenty for a while :0) I love him, but oh my! I did manage to escape Friday night and hang out with my friend Jess -- I needed it so badly!

We tackled the office/craft room Thursday. Our good friends lent us this long white table, which I'm going to use for some of my most recent craft ideas. What started as putting the table together, ended in hours of sorting through papers and cleaning out the closet.

Ugh!

Before:

High blood pressure here....

After

Who's ready to craft?!?!

I LOVE it! I already whipped out a few cute things I'll show you all later :0)

crowned

2011-10-13T08:09:00.002-04:00

The crown molding is up!

Last weekend my dad and Ryan installed it throughout the dining room, in the foyer and down the hallway. We went a little crown crazy!

Ryan is still in the finishing stage.

Filling joint gaps and painting touch ups.

I think it looks great! It will pop out so much more in the hallway once we paint!

Next up is the chair rail!

I just love molding! It adds so much more character to a space :0)

weekend visitors

2011-10-11T08:20:00.003-04:00

We had lots of family visiting this weekend and guess what?!?!

I only took ONE picture! Ugh! So pitiful!

Regardless, we had a wonderful time :0)

Especially Phinley! He loves having company over!

i did it!

2011-10-06T15:27:00.002-04:00

Check out my new fall blog!!

I can't believe I figured it out!

It's the little things in life :0)

blogger help!

2011-10-06T11:31:00.001-04:00

As you can see I did a little fall blog re-do, however, I can't figure out how to move the header to become center!

Ohmyword it's frustrating!

I've spent forever and tried so many different things....

HELP!!

quick devotional

2011-10-05T07:44:00.003-04:00

Loved this really quick devotional today.

Good reminder on what's really important!

Investing time in this guy.....

weekend

2011-10-03T08:26:00.002-04:00

Oh my word....we are SO boring!

I haven't done anything really interesting at all this weekend!

The most exciting thing that happened was the youth group guys night at our house, which I wasn't allowed at!!

I heard it all, but {thankfully} didn't see anything. Boys are SO LOUD! haha They were all in the basement and I stayed waaaaay upstairs with Phinley :0) We watched Felicity and ate ice cream.

I'm so glad that Ryan has been called to work with the youth. He's so genuine and dedicated. I'm so blessed to have married such a good man!

Today I'm getting things around the house ready for a family visit and attempting a few more crafts :0) Gotta love pinterest!!

making changes

2011-10-01T14:06:00.003-04:00

Last time I was "making progress," this time I'm making changes.

I just wasn't 100% satisfied with the valances in the dining room. I LOVED them online, but once they were hung it just wasn't exactly what I was looking for. The quality was a little...lacking

UGH! I just never know what to do with window treatments! It's so frustrating.

Any ideas? Suggestions? HELP!

I do like the ones I decided on for in the breakfast nook. I knew I wanted something plan to go with the rug -- that really narrowed it down!

Pretty :0)

Other than windows, we're pretty boring these days. A guys weekend for Ryan with the church youth group {here} tonight and watching Felicity {not at the same time!} is about all the excitement happening around here!

making progress

2011-09-28T15:14:00.003-04:00

We've been in our house for a few months now and I see some obvious progress. It's one thing to unpack all the boxes, it's another to tackle painting, furniture arranging, organizing, and decorating.

I have been trying hard to take it slow and remember I have plenty of time to paint, decorate, etc. but I enjoy it SO much and our house is basically a clean slate!

Here's the progress we've made so far in the dining room.....

Dinner anyone?

pinterest ideas

2011-09-27T07:19:00.000-04:00

I attempted my first round of pinterest ideas these last couple of weeks!

Let me tell you...it's a job finding and buying all the supplies you need to make crafts. I know once I start crafting more and have a mini-stock pile it won't seem so bad, but I felt like I was living in Hobby Lobby and Jo-Anne fabrics!

Here are just a few of things I've attempted so far.....

Cute scrap paper pumpkin {I have scrap paper to make more too -- this was my first attempt!}:

Jewelry organization using dessert dishes from Target

Cinnamon stick candles {took me forever to find cinnamon sticks!}:

These could use a little something else...maybe the hemp in the picture! ha!

It's nothing fancy, but a start at doing some of the great ideas I've seen!

delicious recipe!

2011-09-25T19:51:00.002-04:00

Just tried THIS new recipe tonight and it was delish!

I KNOW....I can't believe it came from the Sister Wive's website either, but it did.

It's just a few ingredients, takes like 30mins total, and is really yummy!!

fall decor

2011-09-23T08:54:00.003-04:00

It's officially fall, right?!?

Great!

Here are a few of my fall decorations this year! It's fun to be in a new house and find a spot for everything! I did manage to hit up Jo-Anne Fabrics for their 50% off all fall decor :0)

Front entryway -- I'm thinking something over the door would be nice. Maybe next year...I've capped off on my fall decorating budget!

Dining room table. Waiting for gourds and little pumpkins to start selling, we've had a hard time finding them around here due to the rain.

Fireplace mantle. First time having a mantle to decorate -- love it!

There's other things here and there, but this is about it! I'm slowly building a collection of holiday decor. Can't wait for some after season sales!!

first attempt

2011-09-22T14:19:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I made my first attempt at personalizing a shirt for Lily, she's brand new to the Winter family. You can read all about her, here.

I was going to make a onesie, but I spotted this cute little rainbow number and thought it would be perfect with her name! I also thought it would be something her Mom could look forward to getting out next year :0)

Between my sister and you tube videos I was able to finish it! It was my first time doing anything like this, so it's not as perfect as I would have liked, but I hope it at least holds up through a few wears!

With practice I know I'll only get better! So many new babies coming into my circle of friends...can't wait to make more!

painted house

2011-09-20T07:29:00.001-04:00

We've painted! I was going to say we finally painted, but really we haven't been in the house that long! Go us!

The colors we chose aren't too loud, but enough to add a little warmth to the spaces :0)

In the dining room we only needed to paint the upper half -- Ryan is going to be putting up a chair rail, wainscoting, and crown molding within the next few weeks!! Can't wait to see the entire room finished with molding!!

Behr - Shale Gray

The family room, kitchen, and breakfast nook are all the same color. With everything being so open we decided to go with a neutral. Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to mix up the color in these spaces!

Behr - Gobi Dessert

The color is subtle, but it definitely takes the cold edge off!

In these pictures, the powder room looks just like the color we chose for the family room....it's really several shades darker. I swear, pictures never give the genuine color!

Glidden - Warm Caramel

We're making progress! I know the color we're going to paint our master bedroom and I have some ideas for the spare bedroom/office!

birthday secrets

2011-09-18T20:57:00.006-04:00

The whole Harris family has been keeping one big fat secret for the last few months....

But first, a little background.

Each year {in the middle of winter} as Ryan and his sibs were growing up, his parents would very secretly and stealthy pack all their bags and "steal" them for a 2-3 day mini vacation to Willow Valley. No one ever knew when they were going. Ever.

If you've never been to Willow Valley, imagine a HUGE hotel for exploring, indoor water pool and play area, arcade, ping pong, shuffle board, all you can buffet......a kid's dream come true :0)

When Ryan and I first got married I heard SO much about these trips...still do!

It only made sense that when we were thinking of a place to surprise Larry for his big 6-0 birthday, the idea of a night at Willow Valley came up!

I thought this was a brilliant idea! All Larry ever wants is to be with all of his kids -- this would be the perfect place to make that happen!

Everyone made it -- even the Harris' all the way from NY!

Ryan, Andrew, and Jason just standing around {such a guy thing to do :0)} waiting for everyone else to come...

Andrew kept us all well entertained as we waited. Isn't he the cutest with his overalls?!

I love this picture -- a big smile for Aunt Shannon!

Once all the sibs were reunited we headed over to the infamous Willow Valley buffet and surprised Larry with song in the lobby!

He was SURPRISED....and very touched.

Hugs for everyone.

After dinner it was time to swim! in the coolest indoor pool I've ever seen.

Lovin' the shootin' water!

Then some shuffle board, ping pong, and Trivia Pursuit....

The next day we all had breakfast together and cruised the grounds.

Then finished up with a trip to the arcade -- yes, the sibs were all still very excited to get quarters again from their Mom {this was also part of the yearly tradition}! It was extra fun for me, because this was the first year I was in on the action!

Happy Birthday Larry! We love you!

Looking forward to many more fun filled trips to Willow Valley!!

groupie

2011-09-14T09:21:00.003-04:00

Ryan has a groupie.

It's just 1, but still :0)

He goes to every performance. Front row and center.

I'm sure Ryan's guitar skills aren't the only thing that draws the crowds, those athletic shorts and long black socks are sure to bring the masses.

Maybe next time. Get the word out Phin!

deliciousness

2011-09-13T06:16:00.000-04:00

Thank you Pinterest for helping me find this recipe!

Oh.my.goodness...it is delicious!

Here's what you'll need:

First butter and crushed Oreos for the base.

Then a layer of PB, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, & whipped topping mixed together {this combination made me giggle inside}

Crush up some of these guys and sprinkle for a mid-layer surprise.....

Then add another layer of chocolate fudge pudding, whipped topping, confectioners' sugar, and milk all mixed together + crushed Oreos for the very top!

I tested it at my small group last night and it was a success :0)

body pump kicked my butt

2011-09-11T19:43:00.004-04:00

And then hung it out to dry.

Seriously....every heard of Body Pump?

It's ridiculous.

I thought I'd try to change up my work out a little and take some classes offered at my gym -- still not sure if it was a good idea or not :0P

It's an hour long class of intense weight training.

Three days later....I can still barely put my hair behind my ears because my triceps are so sore.

I didn't think I was that out of shape, muscle wise, but apparently I AM. I have never.ever. been that sore after a work out before! Even after the marathon I don't remember popping pills every 2 hrs so I could go up and down the stairs!

It didn't help that Ryan and I decided to paint half of our entire downstairs this weekend either. I tried not to complain, but youch! every time I moved my whole body hurt!

Note to self: Do not take a body pump class and plan to do anything besides sit and watch tv for the next 2 days.

painting party

2011-09-08T19:21:00.003-04:00

Well not exactly a party, but still lots of fun painting this weekend!

We Ryan started taping and getting the rooms ready.....

We're tackling the kitchen, breakfast nook, and family room starting tomorrow....wish us luck...if I work my magic just right I'll be supervising with Phinley and encouraging Ryan to continue doing such an AWESOME JOB because I'm terrible at painting and oops keep getting it on the floor and baseboards ;0)

choosing a paint color

2011-09-05T08:13:00.003-04:00

The time has come folks, we're choosing paint colors!!!

Ryan already bought 5 gallons {on sale} of Gobi Dessert for the family room, kitchen, and bfast nook area, but the dining room is all mine!!

We have a large rug in the room now, so I'd like a color that kind of matches with that. Without seeing the rug, here are the 2 colors I'm choosing between:

Bleached Denim

OR.....

Gray Shale
Each shade is a little darker than what I would normally pick out, but I think that will be okay because we're only painting the top half of the room -- Ryan is putting up a chair rail and trim on the bottom half that will stay white.

Stay tuned to find out what we choose......

one man's junk is another man's treasure

2011-09-05T07:56:00.002-04:00

Thankfully with a little love, care, and cleaner....

It became my treasure!

I found it on craigslist for $10, bought new door handles, and VOILA!

It fits perfectly in our master bathroom!

happy birthday Anita

2011-09-04T07:23:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Anita!

She is a dear friend from college.

Always a good listener...

Always willing to be there when you really need someone.

She's empathetic and genuine.

A true friend who would do anything for anyone!

Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day!

nightstand diy

2011-09-02T07:46:00.000-04:00

The office/spare bedroom #2 is going through a make-over {gray and yellow style}.

I needed a good bedside table, but didn't want to spend a lot of money.

Enter: Ryan's old nightstand.

It looked like this......ugh Phinley move!

Early this morning

And then became this....

And finally this!

I LOVE it! It just needs to little screw holes painted white on the bottom and it will be 100% done!

I'm not the best spray painter, but I'll take this re-do for around 10bucks!

operation dogwood

2011-08-31T18:19:00.002-04:00

The morning after Hurricane Irene blew through out neighborhood Ryan went into "operation dogwood."

See it flopped over?

It was planted a few weeks ago and Ryan didn't think it needed tied down -- who knew hurricane winds would breeze threw.

It wasn't easy.

But even in the rain and wind....

Ryan got her back up!

Way to go Ry!

Lets hope she lives through the winter. If not...Ryan said we can return it up to a year after purchasing.... seriously? Okay!

hershey park happy

2011-08-30T21:27:00.003-04:00

To celebrate the first day of school, Ryan and I went to Hershey Park!

We only live about 15 mins from the park -- if you listen very carefully and the air is just right, you might be able to hear roller coaster screams from our front porch :0P

Measuring up is a priority before you enter the park. We're lucky because we're both Jolly Ranchers.....we can ride any ride.

Although the Reese's Cup is definitely my favorite!

Ryan led the way....we rode every roller coaster one right after the other as soon as we got there. Go figure!! At one point I looked at Ryan and said, "I feel dizzy and like I don't want to ride any more for a while....I feel old." To which he responded, "We ARE old!"

Haha!

Well, not that old, but I seriously can't ride for hours straight. I was happy to take the 8min ski lift ride which went very slow :0)

If the lap bar hadn't been pressing so firmly against my thighs I might have been a little more nervous. I was actually more nervous of not being able to get out -- I think Ryan even had more room than me!! :0)

For those of you who don't know -- Ryan proposed to me under a very loud roller coaster 4 years ago at Hershey Park :0) He proposed right in front of this plant {which has gotten very big!}

We only lasted about 2 1/2 hrs before we headed out of the park and into Chocolate World -- home of singing cows and mountains and mountains of chocolate!

Here are those cows: ~~Ryan~~, Gabby, Harmony, and Olympia! They can make anyone smile :0)

I only had 1 request: extra long licorice, please!

It's not every day you can find licorice the length of Phin-dog!

Can't wait to try out a crazy long licorice straw!

farm fresh

2011-08-27T11:48:00.002-04:00

Farmers market finds.....

Dinner this week = eggplant parm, stuffed peppers, chxn, zucchini, and potatoes on the grill, baked sweet potatoes :0)

Love that we have a market right across the street!!

summer goal #2

2011-08-26T17:58:00.003-04:00

Summer goal #2 {make a list of new recipes} is under way....my list is growing.

The other week our local library had their annual summer sale. We took the kids from camp. Most of the kids LOVE this, except the one who tried to buy an entire new series of Pokemon books that were, well, not for sale. He almost got an AHmazing deal!

When we got there I headed straight for the cookbooks {you know where my priorities lie :0)} and found this gem!

Any cookbook that uses bulk size food items has to be good! Right?

First up: Asian Chxn Wraps with Peanut Sauce! {I chose recipes almost primarily based on pictures -- this one looked delicious!}

Just bought all the ingredients today, except Asian Chili Paste. What the heck is Asian Chili Paste?

Anyways....we'll see how this goes.....

summer goal #3

2011-08-23T20:11:00.003-04:00

So far "summer" is looking pretty promising.

Yesterday and today I completed #3 on my list of summer goals -- make a yellow pillow!

It wasn't easy. After at least an 1hr and a half of trying to get the bobbin into my Mom's old sewing machine I finally got the thing working. I ended up calling my sister for help and watching at least a dozen You Tube videos on how to do it! I may or may not have cried.

At least I know how to use it now!!

Since my first yellow pillow was such a success, I decided to just keep the machine hot and whip out a few gray pillow covers. The large pillow in this picture is actually very red...bwhaha...not any more!!

Not sure how I want to use all the pillows yet....getting there....

Okay -- I think we're set!

The fabric I really really like is very $$ so I opted for the less, still nice variety this time. I thought that since I've never sewn anything before it might be smart to go cheap just in case I mess up!

I'm very proud of them....just don't look too close at the bottom seam :0)

summer goals

2011-08-18T09:01:00.000-04:00

My summer starts on Friday around 5:30 :0)

Well, that's the way I like to think about it anyways.

I'm a substitute teacher, so throughout the school year my schedule is very flexible and quite a bit more laid back than it is when I work full time as a summer day camp supervisor. My summer job is a lot of fun, but just sucks up a lot of my time. Go figure....don't all jobs do that?!?

Since the camp ends on Friday, I'm going to start some summer projects I've wanted to tackle before the subbing season starts to pick up!

1. get Sunday paper and start organizing coupons

2. make a list of new recipes I want to try

3. make a yellow pillow for the guest bedroom

4. paint the bathroom downstairs

5. clean the fish tank {oy ve!}

6. spray paint some things {bedside table in office}

Happy Summer :0)

celebrating kenneth

2011-08-17T07:58:00.000-04:00

Sunday night I got to celebrate the anticipated arrival of a new little baby boy in our church family.

Kendra's life group planned to surprise her with a baby shower and we were all in on it :0)

Moments before she came down the stairs everyone got quiet and little Molli clasped her hands to pray -- priceless! Her mommy said a quick prayer, then Molli said a very loud "AMEN"! It was so dear!

Even with an unexpected "AMEN" the plan was a complete success! Kendra was very surprised!

And grateful! She's a wonderful woman who has a 16 year old, 9 year old, and soon a new baby. She told me once they like to have their kids once a decade! HA!

We played some fun games {I love baby and wedding shower games!}....

A little guess how round Kendra is and....

Baby pictionary

Then of course, the gifts! This is my favorite part! I just love how the little girls gather close to see what she gets {Kendra's daughter is in the green to the right :0)}!

Jess and I got her a boppy! Gotta love the boppy!

Can't wait to meet Kenneth in October!

zap

2011-08-16T08:52:00.002-04:00

Phin-dog LOVES to be outside.

When we lived in our townhouse, the only real option was to have him outside on the leash all the time. I walked him twice a day and occasionally sat outside while he kept up with the neighborhood.

One of the things Ryan and I both looked forward to the most about moving was having a yard for Phinley to run around in! He would have his own space! With that, came the installment of a new hidden electric fence. You know the kind -- with the flags all around the yard :0)

Ryan installed it 2 weeks ago and this past Saturday, after a week of phase 1 training, we decided to take off the rubber stoppers on the collar and test him with the shock.

Part of the testing is to have 2 people: one person to hold the leash and the other to walk past the barrier and test the dog to make sure he stays.

Since Phinley is my little buddy, I was the test walker.

He did GREAT! Stayed put without any tugging on the leash.

I thought we might make it through the whole process without him getting shocked: wrong! I was so hopeful!

It wasn't until the poor little guy was just sniffing around in the back yard and lost sense of his boundaries when get got, well, zapped.

Although I know it's for his own good, it was still....AWFUL!

Ryan pulled him back and I turned around with my hands over my face crying. Ha! I just couldn't help myself!

I love that little dog!

I know Phin will catch on and really love the freedom in the yard, but until he learns a little more I'm going to just stay inside and let Ryan do more of the training!!

And for those of you wondering....no, I'm not a big wimp for crying!

And yes, Ryan will be taking in all of our children to get their shots!

ikea! ikea!

2011-08-14T22:07:00.003-04:00

Doesn't that sound like something you should SHOUT?!! haha! Ikea! Ikea! Home of great deals and cute furniture!

I had a blast this weekend shopping with Ryan! The nearest Ikea is about 1 1/2 hrs from our house, so I had a few things I knew I wanted to buy.

Ryan was amazing! He just trekked along for 3 loooong hours -- watching me change my mind over and over and maneuvering the cart around tons of people.

There were so many things I wanted to buy for our new place! I ended up getting this duvet cover and pair of curtains for our office/spare bedroom. I love the gray and yellow color combination, so I'm going to get some more yellow accents.

I also picked out this lamp. We don't have a ceiling fan or light in yet, so we needed something to brighten the space at nighttime.

These hooks work perfectly in our mudroom! Once we paint, they will pop!

Plenty of hooks for all my coats in the fall and winter!

I also got this glass tiered tray. I don't know exactly what I will use it for yet, but when I saw it I really really liked it!

Do you ever just see something and know you can make it work somehow?

It was so funny because Ryan kept saying how we were on a shopping spree as we worked our way through Ikea and I was picking stuff out.

He's doesn't shop with me very often :0)

coming home

2011-08-11T08:50:00.003-04:00

I never like to leave my parents house in NC.

But it's so.much.easier. to leave when I know I'm coming home to ....

Hugs and Kisses from my husband

A very cute, happy little dog

And a clean home

Ryan always manages to do a project while I'm away and clean up right before I come home....he even had dinner ready this time! Isn't that the best?

I'm so blessed :0)

found it!

2011-08-08T19:44:00.004-04:00

Have you ever been to a Home Goods store?

If not, run to your nearest one immediately.

I love that place! It's like the housewares part of TJMAX, but in an entire store.

Unfortunately, I don't have one near where I live, so when I was visiting with my Mom this weekend I kind of mentioned that I would love to go. And would drive. And buy lunch. HA! She was more than happy to go along...she's always a good sport and a great finder!

Look at this rug she found! It was a great price and had the red and black colors I was looking for to go in my kitchen/breakfast nook. It's so hard to tell in the store, but I was almost certain it would work great.

What do you think? I put up a lot of pictures because it's so hard to really see it with the lighting!

I think it will work just great!

hello, my name is crazy summer

2011-08-03T08:54:00.002-04:00

Hi friends!

It's been an awfully busy summer!

Between moving, working full time, buying a new car, visiting family, hanging out with friends, and trying to tackle just a few of the 1,000 house projects I'm beat!

I can't remember a summer when I've been spread so thin. It's not a bad thing, just different for me.

Summer day camp is over in about 2 weeks, so starting near the end of August I'll be back :0) We have some fun things planned for this fall!