Friday Fill-Ins

1. Sweet dreams of pumpkin pies will fill your head when you give one of these a go! Pumpkin pie potpourri...



To be honest, some of my Martha experiments have gone less-than-perfectly in the past. Either that woman has the Midas-touch when it comes to anything crafty and can turn any potentially disasterous project into gold, or she doesn't have a very good test team and the rest of us aren't as domestically-inept as she would have us believe. So, I was a little skeptical about this idea. But, it actually works WONDERFULLY, and I'm enjoying the scent of fresh-baked pumpkin pie as I type this. These little pumpkins are $1 at Wal-Mart, and it took about 15 minutes to make one. Nearly effortless, and smells just as good (if not better than) any $20 candle I've bought in the past.

2. Something made especially for me...



by my Sweet & Sinister swap partner, Kari Ramstrom. She really spoiled me for this swap! I'll have to share some more of the goodies I received with you all soon.

3. Silliness is a necessary component of any life. At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. ~Jean Houston. I love that quote.

4. I am completely ready for this Halloween. Some of our decorations...



5. Outstanding or not, this week is finally over! It's been a real doozey.

6. Peace and quiet is what I want right now! That concept has been lost on my co-habitants for days on end... both with the human, and furry variety of squatters.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing with a stack of books received in my most recent Amazon order. Some of the titles include...



I'm already about halfway through this book, and it is wonderful! Some of you might already be familiar with the author through her delicious little blog, Orangette. This is more than just a cookbook... it's a reflection on life through the memories associated with some of her favorite foods and recipes. It's lovely... a must-read.



I have yet to only flip through this book, but the food photography is AMAZING. I'm sure you all know that the styling of food in photographs can make or break your decision to actually put something in your mouth. We've all seen the less-than-appetizing photos on some menus... lots of Chinese and Mexican restaurants come to mind. But, the pictures in this book make you want to break out your collection of pots and pans, and attempt to cook EVERYTHING. The book is extremely visual, and interstingly divided into chapters based on the colors of the food. For instance, the "pink" chapter contains recipes for everything from Pomegranate Sorbet to Beet Gnocchi. Bon Appetit!

Anyhow, tomorrow my plans include a babysitter, and ladies-night-out!

And Sunday, I want to make jars upon jars of yummy applicious treats with the apples we collected last weekend!

Enjoy your weekend!

Friday happiness

My favorite new musical artist (well, new to me). And, no, it isn't just because we share the same name. ;0) She just plain rocks. Holly Conlan...



On to some Friday fill-in's. The questions just plain suited me this week, so I had to post 'em!

1. It's time for my blogiversary!
That's right... I've been at it here for 2 years! Hard to believe. I never even kept a pen and paper diary going for that long. Maybe it's just the amazing blog community that keeps me going. Yep. That must be it! Anyway, I know NaBloPoMo is usually observed in November, but I'll be celebrating my version of the daily blogging ritual during the month of August. That's right... a post a day. Lots of inspiration, crafting, tutorials, recipes and even a couple of giveaways! That's right... free stuff! And, good free stuff too! Not just stuff I scrounged from drawers in my craft room. And, remember that whole 12 months of Christmas project? Yeah... we're getting back on track with that! So, be sure to check back... the fun starts tomorrow! ;0)

2. North Carolina; it's not a bad place for seafood. Look at these little guys that Bryan picked up on the way home from work today...



$12 for a dozen! Can't beat that. I see lots of blue crab nights in my future.

3. I must be crazy... to have shown those LIVE crabs to the kids. Now, they want to keep them... as pets.

4. Loving them...



is the best thing I have ever known. Even if they have *TOTALLY* tried my patience this last week, and worked every last nerve. They're still the sweetest things on earth.

5. My life is simply wonderful right now! I am enjoying every last second with Bryan before he leaves. We're having tons of fun, and making lots of memories.

6. The last time I laughed really loudly was last night... at one of my favorite episodes of George Lopez. Yes, I'm a Nick at Nite junkie!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to... cooking up those yummy blue crabs up there!!

Tomorrow my plans include... a garage sale. No fun, no fun. But, the get-together afterward with friends will make it all worth it!

And Sunday, I want to... take a trip to the Raleigh flea market to see what treasures I can find. Hopefully something as cool as this vintage canister set that I scored just recently...



Happy weekend!

Friday Fill-Ins

It's been a while since I've done Friday fill-ins. So, just for kicks on a Friday...

1. Deployments are not the end of the world. I need to make that my mantra for the next few months. I've done it before, and I'll do it again. Hopefully, this one will be a little easier.

2. Sitting here, listening to the sound of rain falling, I miss Seattle. Rain always makes me think of Seattle. It will be the best day of my life when Bryan retires and we can move back.

3. Cupcakes taste so good! I just ordered these pretties from Bake It Pretty. They will be making their debut as teacher/neighbor/cheerleading coach gifts this Christmas. A beautifully decorated cupcake, wrapped up in a wee little cupcake box, topped off with a handmade chocolate lollipop. So fun! Now, I just need to find the perfect cupcake recipe...



4. Sometimes, putting others first is not the best plan. Admittedly, I am a people-pleaser. I always have been. My children, my husband, my parents... but, as I get older, I realize that sometimes it is necessary to do something nice for yourself. Don't worry so much about making everyone else happy all the time.

5. New Mexico is breathtaking, really. In my opinion, it is the prettiest place in the United States. The colors, the culture, the landscape... If you've never been before, I highly recommend going!

6. Well, maybe there is a chance that Bryan will be home for Hazel's first day of school. Their deployment might have gotten pushed back a wee bit. Small, reserved *yay*!

7. And as for the weekend, today I'm looking forward to making red pepper jelly. Actually, I already did that with some beautiful peppers from my garden. Can't wait to try it!



Tomorrow my plans include celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday (she is flying in tonight for a weekend visit).

And Sunday, I want to (make that NEED to) weed my flower beds!

That's it for me. I gotta' get ready to go pick my MIL up in Raleigh. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! I'll be back tomorrow with some Pink Paislee peeks. You won't want to miss out!

*sunday*

Profound. And, interesting.



It's been quiet lately. I've been taking some time to figure things out. Lots of changes. Lots of decisions to be made. It's funny how life throws things your way that you wouldn't have expected in a million years, and then you just have to deal. Even when dealing isn't really what you want to do.

I've taken a couple steps back from the internet lately. Somewhere along the way, I decided actually living in your own life, and rediscovering the simple things, is far more rewarding than gluing bits and pieces of memories to paper. Not to say that I'm going to stop recording my and my family's memories. Not at all. I just choose to be more present in, well, the PRESENT. I'm going to try to take this blog back to where it started from... more sharing. Sharing of everything. In the past few months, it has only been proof of deadlines completed. But, I want to get back to more sharing of everyday life. More pictures. More thoughts. More stories. More words. We'll see how that goes.

How about some slightly introspective Friday Fill-Ins a couple of days late?

1. "In a hole in the ground, there lived this funny little girl that I forgot. She got lost somewhere amongst the grown up world of responsibilities, decisions, stress. I miss that funny little girl. I'm trying to find her again."

2. "I'm not perfect, but that ain't no matter."

3. "After dark the rain began to fall again, I remembered that the storms always seem to roll in full-force when he's gone. Always."

4. "Why can't I discover vast treasures from the hold of the Spanish galleon? I'd be set for life."

5. "There was a hand in the darkness, and hopefully, a light at then end of the tunnel."

6. "Accidents ambush the unsuspecting... why do I always seem to be the unsuspecting?"

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to... well, it's over. But, I was looking forward to Hazel's first sleep-over (which was a raging success). Tomorrow my plans include tying up a bunch of pressing creative deadlines. Why am I such a procrastinator? And Tuesday, I want to finish cleaning my house before my aunt arrives for a visit.

It's that time...

for Friday Fill-Ins!



1. Please don't tell anyone that I used to collect Beanie Babies. How seriously embarrassing. And, big thanks go out to my mom for that. I've since sold them all in a garage sale. Amazingly enough, that rare blue elephant never made me a thousandairre as promised. LOL!

2. Can you drink coffee in the morning? I can't. Or any other time of the day, for that matter. I've never acquired the taste for it. Blech.

3. The color pink makes me want to puke! Well, puke may be a bit strong. But, I don't dig pink. I've never been that kind of girly-girl, and I don't look good in pink anyway. Unfortunately, Hazel is infatuated with ANYTHING and EVERYTHING pink.

4. I have a craving for sushi. That's an odd thing to crave at 9:00 in the morning. But, I could eat sushi all day everyday. *drool*

5. If my life had a pause button, I'd pause it right now. And, I would enjoy what will probable be one of the last weekends that Bryan will be home for the next 1 year+. We're ramping up for another deployment, lots of lock-down schools, and preparatory planning. We won't be seeing much of him from here on out. :0(

6. Eyes are the gateway to the soul. Isn't that how the saying goes? I think you can tell a lot by watching people's eyes... especially during conversation. They can be very telling.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to eating at Cheddar's. We haven't eaten at one since we lived in Dallas. We're traveling to Charlotte for a cheerleading competition, and they happen to have one of 2 Cheddar's in North Carolina. Bryan and I have been craving their Buffalo Chicken Wrapper ever since we left Dallas. Hmmm... maybe I should change my answer on #4. Tomorrow my plans include cheering Hazel on in her cheerleading competition. Go Storm All-Stars! And Sunday, I want to clean! Well, I don't really WANT to clean, but it's what needs to be done. *sigh*

I was up late last night making this nifty sign for Hazel's cheerleading competition this weekend.



I knew my mad skills (and insanely huge scrapbooking stash) would come in handy for something else one day! LOL! Miss Hazel will have the best sign in the house, if I do say so myself. Now, if any of my readers are from Texas, I have a questions for you. Do you know of any good online stores to get things to make homecoming mums? And, anybody that isn't from Texas, and thinks they know what a homecoming mum is... you have no idea. Texas just does 'em different. And, like everything else... BIGGER! Anyway, I'm not looking to make a mum, I just want some of the things they use to make some signs and noisemakers for Hazel's big competition in Myrtle Beach next month. But, all of the sites I found on Google, you either needed a business license to buy wholesale, or they didn't have a good selection. Link me up if you know of any great places on the www, please.

Everyone else... have a FANTABULOUS weekend! I'll be back on Sunday or Monday with February's 12 Months of Christmas project. I have it done, but totally forgot to take pictures while I was making it. DOH! So, I'm going to make another one and photo the process. I'll have a little giveaway to go along with it, so don't forget to check back!