You're gonna love this!

Don't you just hate when your finger hits return and you post a post that wasn't meant to be? Sorry about that! Anyway on to the real matter at hand!

After a long 4 hour drive on Saturday our kids came home. They came barreling in the door so fast that they about knocked me over. I grabbed the banister as fast as I could and then we all hugged, no one wanting to be the first to let go! We had a nice visit with my in-laws before it was time for them to head back on the road and return home. Sunday rolled around and Jim was on call yet again. He felt sad he couldn't spend Father's Day with us, but assured us that having us see a movie would make him happy. The kids and I decided to see Toy Story 3. I hate that I can't drive so my husband had to drop us off. I usually sit in the back of the Suburban because its easier for me to put my foot up. As I was getting out, I felt a little bit like a kid with my parent dropping my friends and I off at the movies, especially when he said he would be back at 6:30.

So, we were standing in line waiting for the movie to start seating, when the usher kid comes up and says that I can go first because "I'm handicapped". I said, "excuse me?" He of course was all of 16, so having to talk to an adult was hell for him! He said, "well because of and he pointed at my cast and my crutches, I was considered handicapped and I should go to the front and go in the movie first. Of course by that time everyone is looking at me and the kiddos and I said, "well I'm not handicapped and I can wait in line like everyone else!" Ugh! As if! We get into the theatre and I position myself almost to the back and put my foot on the chair in front of me. I did ask the people behind me if having my foot up was going to bother them and they were cool about it! The movie starts filling up quickly and some people come to our row and ask if they can get in. I said, "sure, but did you pee first, cuz nobody leaves once they sit down!" Ha Ha! The kids were a little mortified but the people laughed. Hey, it's not that easy to get up with this cast, especially in a dark theatre.

The movie starts playing and the theatre is packed. The kids seemed to enjoy it as I did. Don't worry I won't spoil it for anyone. All of a sudden, the guy across the aisle starts snoring very loudly. One of his kids hits him to wake him up and his popcorn goes flying. Lots of shushing from his other child and his wife says, "What are you doing sleeping?" I loved it! So as the movie continues and we get towards the end I will admit, I shed a few tears! Go see the movie and you will understand.

I assume that my face might be a little splotchy, so I reach in for my lip gloss, I mean doesn't lip gloss fix everything? The movie ends and the kids jump up because they need to go to the bathroom. I yell to stay together. I wait until the swarms of people leave and get up and hobble out. I walk down the hall, say excuse me to some and hello to others that I know. Seriously just wait, the funny part is coming, I promise! As I stand outside the bathroom waiting for the kids I see more familiar faces and I do the smile thing across the room, because they are too far away to actually say hi. The kids come out and we head outside to wait for Jim to come.

All of a sudden Claire realized she left her purse inside. She starts crying because she thinks its gone forever. I said ok, calm down lets go back in. We head in and ask the same 16 year old usher who is already terrified of me, if we can go back in and find her purse, I wasn't rude I promise! I wait while the kids run in. We start heading out the door and I say hi to yet another person I know. Why can't I go anywhere without running into a few people? Jim happens to be pulled up to the curb and I could see that he was frantically trying to hit something in the car and finally the windows come down and he says, "Are you ok, whats the matter with you?" I look at him like he is crazy and said nothing, why? He says, "are you sick what's the matter with your lips?"

I get in and he puts the mirror down and I look at my lips and they are pale and chalky, I look sickly. I knew I felt ok but I had no idea what was on my lips. I frantically start wiping it off at the same time looking at both kids and say "thanks kids, did you not even see that there was something on my face? They are so clueless sometimes. It then hits me that when I was in the theatre I put my lip gloss on right? No, that would have been too easy! Apparently I grabbed my concealer and applied that to my lips. I have a concealer and lip gloss that are the same size so its an easy mistake. A mistake that is now a mortifying one! I remember putting it on and really rubbing it around my lips.

So basically I looked ghostly and sickly and that I had no clue as to how to pick a lip gloss. And being the smiling talkative person I am, I just strolled out saying hi to everyone. As I look back on it, I did get some odd looks and even a few sympathetic ones. Maybe that's why the usher was scared, he thought I was foaming at the mouth! I must have scared him shit less! Ah, never a dull moment in my life. I can't wait until I see all the people I said hi to. I wonder if anyone will say anything!

Happy Monday!

Top Ten Things You'll Never Hear a Dad Say!

10. Well, how 'bout that?... I'm lost! Looks like we'll have to stop and ask for directions.

9. You know Pumpkin, now that you're thirteen, you'll be ready for unchaperoned car dates. Won't that be fun?

8. I noticed that all your friends have a certain "up yours" attitude ... I like that.

7. Here's a credit card and the keys to my new car -- GO CRAZY.

6. What do you mean you wanna play football? Figure skating not good enough for you, son?

5. Your Mother and I are going away for the weekend ... you might want to consider throwing a party.

4. Well, I don't know what's wrong with your car. Probably one of those doo-hickey thingies -- you know -- that makes it run or something. Just have it towed to a mechanic and pay whatever he asks.

3. No son of mine is going to live under this roof without an earring -- now quit your belly-aching, and let's go to the mall.

2. Whaddya wanna go and get a job for? I make plenty of money for you to spend.

1. Father's Day? aahh -- don't worry about that -- it's no big deal.

Happy Father's Day to all you amazing Dads!

Design Magazines....What to do with them

I, like most am obsessed with all the design magazines out there. I think I might be an addict! I wonder if there is a design magazine anonymous in my city? I have them tucked in just about every place you can think of. In baskets, on the coffee table, under the coffee table, in chair cushions, and of course, you'll find a few in the bathroom for some light reading, come on, who doesn't?



More magazines!



I thought I needed a project to do. I mean with my kiddos being gone and I so close to going insane in this quiet house, I knew I needed to act fast. So, with that said, I decided to cut out all the pictures that have inspired me. I already had white binders on hand so I then took sleeve protectors and put all my favorites in. I got out the scrap book paper and labeled each one according to the room. As you can see I needed several so I did a Bed & Bath, which I might have to separate down the road, a Dining Room, Kitchen, Kids Rooms, Living Room, Home Office and I even did a Craft/Craft Room, Recipe, Christmas and Halloween, I just don't have the last 4 in the picture.





This is one of my favorite bedroom pictures. I mean look at that mirror?



Great Living Room! The mirror and chair are fabulous!



What a fun rolling bar!



Great kitchen, love the open shelving!



This picture was the inspiration behind my finding metal pieces to go on my counter front! I love the look!



Fab black wall behind the bed, maybe it was chalkboard I don't remember. I love the mix of pieces in this room. They seem to be from different eras but they work together!



Well I've got tons of magazines to get through and not a lot of time. My kids are coming home today and I can't wait!

Happy Saturday to you all! The sun is finally out!

Craigslist Buffet!

Some of you may recall pictures of my dining room before. I was just in the process of painting my dining room table black when my surgery came up. Well to be honest it still needs another coat and I haven't done anything with the chairs. I don't really want it all to match. I found some at a little shop that specializes in refurbishing garage sale and flea market finds. I am hopping they didn't sell or they have other ones that would add an eclectic feel. So, as I try to finish up other areas in the room I've been wondering if my fabulous Craigslist buffet should be something other than glossy white!

The dining room is in the front of the house and I love the natural light I get from my window. I found the curtains on Craigslist for about $75.00 still in their original package. The set was originally $150.00. I thought since it was the dining room and cocktails would be served I thought getting wooden letters and spelling CHEERS would be festive! I tend to decorate a lot with letters.

The container on the table was from the goodwill for a couple of bucks. Guess where it is really from? Home Goods! Everyone always talks about that store and now I can say I have a piece from there! The big sphere thing on the buffet is from TJ Maxx. I've seen it in the Pottery Barn magazine before. Hmm, great minds think alike!



Here is my little bar! I found this cart at an consignment store for $40.00. The three bottles are fun! One for Gin, Vodka and Scotch! I put some corks in one of them. The wine bottle a friend made with lights!



So what do you think of my zebra shoe wine holder? It's holding my Mad Housewife wine! Is that what I am?



I'm sure you've all seen the Sid Dickens ceramic art blocks.
Well don't gasp, these are not them! I don't own a single one! I would love to but at $75.00 dollars a pop, I just can't justify it. Especially not when I got all of these from Hobby Lobby for $1.99 - $5.00 a piece. Some were a little worse for wear so I took some paint and did a little touch up!

And then there is "Red", my friendly painted door. I love her! I found her at a little salvage shop. I get a kick out of the fact that my husband still jumps when he walks by her. My goodness, she's been living here for 3 years, and she isn't going anywhere. Well, except when I get the urge to walk her around the house, now quit it! You might remember her as my header on my blog before!



This is another shot of my buffet! I love the size, shape and the legs! It has great storage for platters, napkins and candles. I just don't know if the white is too blinding in this room. The lamp shade was a fabulous steal at Anthropologie! And when I say steal, there was no where to conceal that sucker, lol, so I paid $40.00 for it and had it shipped here from California!
I am a lamp snob so my motto is, "You can never have too many lamps!"



Any ideas on this piece or just leave it?



These three pictures I got at a garage sale years ago and then found some frames. They are sketches of Michigan Boulevard (prior to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the street was officially known as Michigan Boulevard), the Deux Lions Hotel in Paris and the Stock Exchange maybe in New York, not sure. I have a fourth one of a street in Paris but since I like to work in threes, I put that in the entryway!



So who's ready for a cocktail? It's noon somewhere!

Are you ready for this?

Today was the day! I went in to get my cast off and then my stitches out! I thought I'd bring my camera so I could capture the moment! Please pull up a chair and get comfortable. I would advise you not to eat during this special feature, and if you have just eaten you might want to go and digest a while before viewing these amazing pictures! Enjoy!

I had to get one more shot of my cast and the "Tell me I'm Hot" on the bottom. Jim asked if I was going to save the bottom and I looked at him like he was crazy. Of course I didn't save it, that's what the picture is for!



This is one of the cast techs and the funny thing is my husband took out her gallbladder. We just started talking and since she noticed my name she said hey I know your husband. I guess she does, and really well now, lol!



I was terrified to have the cast cut off. The sound of the saw is much worse than actually having it removed. So for all you clumsy people out there, who might someday be unfortunate as I, that was really the easy part.



The blade isn't really sharp at all. She just has to go deep until it just about hits your skin and then you jump! Here she is peeling the cast off.



Look at how swollen my foot is! My poor baby toe is warped and just yuck!



Drum roll please. So this is what I've been dealing with! Excuse my hairy veiny legs. "WOW" just look at the size of that thing?



This is my sweet doctor. It wasn't too bad getting those stitches out! Thank you for being so gentle Dr. Nelson!



And this is how pretty my foot is without the stitches. Can I get another WOW!



Now I'm back downstairs to get another cast put on. Hmm, what color shall I pick this time?



Voila! Purple of course!



Well there you have it folks! I wonder if I will gain some new followers because of how sorry you feel for me, or if I will lose some because I've thoroughly grossed you out! I sure hope it's the first one!

Face Lift!

Happy Tuesday everyone. Since I only have time on my hands, I decided it was a perfect time to give my blog a face lift! I'm still working on fine tuning some of the details and adding more pictures but I thought I'd take a break and get your feedback!

Sometimes I feel so behind with the ever changing things that go along with having a blog. I'm so amazed at what talented bloggers there are in this blog sphere that I have learned so much from all of you and my admiration for all of you is through the roof!

So, if you wouldn't mind humoring a gal on crutches and a hot pink cast, please leave me a little love.

The Silence is Deafening!

I have been more than a little stir crazy with the kiddos gone this week! So let me tell you how excited I was to open my email this morning and see pictures of my babies! Ah, I was so excited even if they were just pictures! I cannot believe how quiet a house is without them here. You remember me saying how our house is the neighborhood house where everyone wants to hang out at, well it's true and I'm not use to having no noise! I cannot believe I am admitting this, because I think if you ask me in a week I might say otherwise, but right now I want chaos! I want screaming, fighting, laughing. wrestling, barking anything and everything children do together! I have even thought about asking the neighborhood kids to come over and jump on the trampoline, just so I could hear laughter. Hey, if anyone is in Iowa and wants to drop their kiddos off for an hour or so, just let me know, lol!

James and Claire spent the first few days with their grandparents and now are off to see other relatives. James was so in his element being out on the farm with his Grandfather. He couldn't wait to get to work. This is the farm where my husband spent 4th grade and on working his tail off every morning at 4 doing chores, before hopping on the school bus. As we handed over the kiddos to Jim's parents, I heard James ask if he would have to get up early every morning and start working. We laughed because Jim's parents are retired now and they rather enjoy sleeping in! I think I heard James sign a huge sigh of relief that he wasn't going to be asked to get up at 4 like his dad!



My in-laws have a fantastic old farm that the kids love to run around on. They have horses, ducks, and a dozen farm cats. They also have a huge garden that takes up a ton of their days. They plant everything from carrots, lettuce, garlic, spaghetti squash, all kinds of peppers, hot and sweet, peas, tomatoes and so many other wonderful things I can't remember. They also have many fruit trees so my mother in-law makes jams and pies. They are huge into canning. Their cellar is equipped with tons of shelving, so if you went down there you might see how set they are if anything bad ever happened.

This little red shed is getting a face lift and James was so excited when his grandfather asked if he wanted to help.



James was prepared with working gloves to lift the broken up cement flooring out of the shed and toss in that wheelbarrow!



He has already changed his shirt, so maybe he is working so hard he soaked right through it! Ooh, look at those muscles!


















Oh, aren't they cute? Claire sure does love her big brother!




Proud yet again to hold that sledge hammer!



Well, they do say, "Two are better than one!" Or is it, "Why have one, when you can have two?"



Ok, my dear father in-law, what's with the axe?



I think Claire wishes she could get her hands on that! Claire, I know that sneaky face you have, Mom says, "Walk away from the axe, now!"



As you can see, they are having a wonderful time and that's all I ever wanted, but hey kiddos, give your Momma a call once in a while, she misses you!