Monday, August 31, 2009

First Things First

We are back from a whirlwind weekend in Louisville. I figure we might as well start with a recap of the reason we were there since that is the proper thing to do and I am all about doing things the proper way.We drove home late Friday night so we could make it to my brother's 5th birthday party on Saturday...we'll stop right here to clarify. He is my half-brother with my step mom and dad...but still I was almost 21 and my sister was 23 when he was born...so yes he is WAAAY younger than me...thanks for reminding me how ancient I am becoming....ok moving on.Saturday I woke up and rushed to a place I really took for granted when I lived in Louisville...Dunkin Donuts...they say you don't really know what you have until its gone and man they were right...all the stars aligned and the world was in perfect harmony as I picked up my coffee, blueberry donuts and purchased my lottery ticket...{Dear Alabama, can you please fast forward to 2009...Thanks, Ashley's stomach and gambling addiction}

So after things were in order my sister and I made our way to an incredible fabric store....but you'll have to wait on that because we're talking about my brother here remember...

We were late to the birthday party...and it's your fault because I was trying to take pictures of the scenery for you...just go ahead and nominate me for sister of the year....we made it before he even noticed because lets face it....when your sisters are A. Old farts and B. Sisters you don't really care...as long as his two brother in laws are there that's all that matters.

We did the cake and presents thing and then he was back to playing with his younger cooler cousins...and we were left all alone...


However...Brandon and Ryan were able to recover quickly...I think I am starting to get some Christmas ideas for these two.

We ended the day with a little putt-putt and ski-ball. My dad and step mom had a Sunday School party and left my brother in the hands of his two older sisters...just wait until he's 21....oh wait I'll be 90 by then and a little too old for bars..





I don't know why he looks so un-enthused in this picture. He was only up about an hour past his bedtime and had 9,853 pictures already taken...ungrateful brat....KIDDING....kidding... geez...he got some very cool prizes, like a blue samurai sword, some bouncy balls, and various other annoying trinkets**, thanks to some older kids that make a living winning tickets in arcades and generously shared with him. We managed to get him home in one piece and before the sun came up...so overall I would say we were pretty responsible...maybe we'll even have kids of our own one day.... just don't start holding your breath.


**This is what happens when you send your 5 year old out with his sisters. Just thought I would warn you

Friday, August 28, 2009

Lemons...and a Poppy Field

In preparation for the whirlwind trip to Louisville, I have been cleaning out the old memory card on the camera. I have another irrational fear that involves emptying the memory card only to discover that the pictures are lost forever. So, I just wait until it says it's full and then save all the pictures a thousand times on various computers to ensure we're safe. Of course, the second half of our Italy pictures are on this particular card so I got a chance to finally scan through them...you'll see them later once I can Photoshop the heck out of them....for now I think I will show you the lemons.

I am now slightly {read:extremely} obsessed with lemons and have a distinct desire and/or need to have a lemon tree on my back porch. I am actually surprised there aren't more, but I am pretty sure Brandon looked at me one day and said "quit taking pictures of lemons" that may not be a direct quote but you get the idea.

I also came across a picture of a poppy field we saw in Pompeii. Its the kind of field that makes you want to lay (lie)?? down in the middle of it, but it was fenced off so I couldn't...but now you know what I am thinking when I look at that picture...so enjoy...and more importantly TGIF!







Thursday, August 27, 2009

Thursday Vaca


I just need a few minutes today....we are headed to Louisville tomorrow afternoon for my brother's big 5th birthday...yes I have a brother who is 5...well not technically yet...but still I am old enough to be his mother. I have a gazillion things to get ready to go like vacuum my floors because I have this irrational fear over the thought of something happening to me and what people would find when they come to clean out the house...good thing I cleaned my closets last week.

Oh Labor Day weekend where are you...

...and about that picture I was going to post....umm...I'm still working on that.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Weekend Warrior

As the summer is coming to a close, I have realized that I have a lot of catching up to do. Weekends at the lake are fun and all until you come home to a house that has endured 3 months of neglect. With a housekeeper {it's not as glamorous as it sounds} that has been MIA for oh... going on a month now and closets busting at the seams whats a girl to do but put her big girl panties on and get to cleaning.

I am proud to say I survived cleaning out the closets, attic, and refrigerator, and even managed to pull a few weeds. What I almost did not survive was the fact that I had 5 bags of clothes to take to the Salvation Army because my rear couldn't fit in to any of them anymore. Hello womanhood it's nice to meet you...now leave me alone...I am going to go back to crying over the 12 year old boy figure I used to have...along with all the clothes I used to have...and don't think for a second we are friends...you have brought me nothing but strife since I was about 13.

The good news is...I can now see my closet floor and I even found the pair of pearl earrings I lost. The ones that Brandon gave me on our wedding day...maybe its a sign... a sign that our love has not been lost in the back of a closet somewhere...or maybe its a sign that I am lazy and should clean my closet out more often...but I already knew that.

So to reward myself for a hard weekend's work I bought myself a little something. Granted, I bought it before I even started any of that cleaning business...but still. I'll have to post a picture of it tonight...because Pier 1's website is apparently not up to date...and our Internet will have to be installed because our neighbors moved and took our free Internet with them...

Happy Monday...now how about a picture of Max...cause that's all I got!


Oh wait here is one of Sophie too....


Well we better not leave Curby out either...but she didn't want her picture taken last weekend.


Friday, August 21, 2009

Project

I have a new project...I'll give you a few hints

1. We're poor...we bought dog food last night

2. I recently received the newest copy of Ballard Designs in the mail

3.

That's all you get. I fear I have given away too much already. Happy Friday!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Treasure Hunting

Brandon and I skipped work last Friday and made a beeline for the lake Thursday night for some much needed R&R. The typical lake weekend goes something like this:

1. Get the heck out of dodge as soon as work ends on Friday
2. Wake up Saturday morning and park it on the dock/boat
3. Go to sleep
4. Do it over again Sunday
5. Cry the whole way home on Sunday

Since we had an extra day it was hotter than Hades outside we decided to visit some of the local shops and stop being so selfish about our lake time, as is the usual routine. We headed first to a little antique/consignment shop which was fairly new in town. It is right next to the Fred's, which is also fairly new in town...so you get the idea...anyway I am sure Brandon is relieved I didn't find anything I couldn't live without...but I have my eye on that place....

Then we were off to the Strickland Cloth Barn...I can't even type that without getting chills down my spine. The cloth barn is located in downtown Eclectic...and if there was ever a name for a town this one is the perfect fit. Let's set the scene shall we?



This is the lovely downtown of Eclectic. This is all there is....well and of course this



Strickland's opened in 1947 as a 5 & dime and then slowly made the progression towards fabric and let me tell you they still have every bolt of fabric from the beginning. What I am about to show you really needs to be experienced in person to get the full effect...but please don't have a stroke when you look at these pictures because it is possible....Brandon couldn't believe his eyes and he was there with me.





Is everyone still with me??? I'll give you a minute...ok.... let's take a closer look at some of the gems you might find.







Now before you ask...why would you even waste your time....you haven't asked that already, right? The cloth barn does have some redeeming qualities...numero uno it's cheap...and they do have some more modern up to date things too....they might just take a little longer to find..there is no apparent rhyme or reason to the location of fabrics...other than upholstery fabric and then everything else....However, if you ask the owner they can walk you directly to it.


While the next two are not so modern I still kind of like them...I guess they know what they are doing at the cloth barn...just let it sit there long enough and styles will come back around.



I thought the vegetables would make an especially cute apron...I may have to go buy some of that over Labor Day weekend....if I can manage to find it again....and learn how to sew in the next few weeks...

These pictures don't even begin to cover this place...there is a whole upholstery fabric room and wall of trims...my picture didn't turn out very clear..it really is a diamond in the rough...a once and a lifetime experience for sure...not to mention the stories the owner will tell you if you happen to be the one and only customer in there at the time....just ask Brandon...I walked out empty handed because I was so overwhelmed...I told the owner I was going to have to come back with a better plan....or something like that.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

No News is Good News

Ok well I couldn't come up with another title...it's just what got stuck in my brain this morning and I am going with it. Its not as if I use this blog to broadcast all my bad news and I haven't been to the doctor lately (they always tell me that) so I don't know where I came up with such a title.

I've been a big slacker lately and I feel the need to justify it...I don't know why I am just a good person I guess...So here are the reasons why...

1. Life has slowed down and I am taking full advantage of being a lazy sloth
2. The batteries in my camera are dead....AGAIN....
3. My life lacks any inspiration or interesting things happening (see number1)

So there you have it...our lives have revolved around going to work, eating dinner, and/or not getting up from the couch unless it is time to go to bed. Don't judge me....I am taking full advantage of the fact that we have no children and can therefore act so worthless. I know one day this gig will be up....but until then I need to get all my sitting and laziness in. I fully intend to get back into living life...eventually and maybe I'll even pick up a camera. We are planning a lake weekend this weekend so who knows...you may get another picture of the water on Monday. Until then lets play....what pictures are saved on my computer because my camera batteries are dead...blogs without pictures...are well....boring.



AHH yes....Brandon snapped this little gem shortly after we arrived in Lucca. We were planning on being in Lucca the day of the antique market...nothing like antiques in Italy to make a girl want to spend her life savings....however planning and actually being there on the antique market day are two different things....the antique market had been the weekend before. I can't tell from the slump of my shoulders if my posture is just really poor or the disappointment after discovering this piece of information was weighing me down. However, there is my sister with her trusty Rick Steve's travel guide to get us through....I also think we were lost at this point and time...oh fun times....we ended up riding bikes around the city walls....





and using our extra time to visit the leaning tower of Pisa....its a LOT smaller in person than it appears in pictures...kind of like objects in your mirror are closer than they appear...

It turned out to be a fun day...and my bank account sent me a thank you note when we returned.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Worth The Wait

Long time no post....I tried to warn you that was going to happen. The week has flown by since my last post. Brandon and I enjoyed a nice quiet dinner last Thursday before the wedding festivities kicked off on Friday. Guess what? I don't have a single picture to show for it....The only glimpse I can show you of the weekend are these....because I stole them from the reception and promptly made them my own once I got home. I think they fit in nicely. I should probably buy fresh flowers more often...or at least not kill the ones in my yard so I would have something to pick and put in a vase.



I stole the next little glimpse from someone else's pictures on Facebook. Apparently, the wedding photographer thought it would be a good idea to stage a picture with all the groomsman and the groom holding guns. Little did everyone know, that the groomsman closest to Alan had a loaded bb-esque gun and a slight pull to the trigger sent a bb right into the side of Alan's face...yes this was BEFORE the wedding.

A little ice and a little makeup and all was well...Amanda just thought he had a zit...they happen...to other people. The rest of the wedding went on without incident...the rain held off during the important parts...and no one began heckling from the crowd...I don't know why but every wedding I go to it's like I am just waiting for someone to get up and start shouting...maybe I have watched too many romantic comedies...

We have been totally slammed at work this week and dare I admit I have not even looked at my most loyally read blogs...It's amazing what happens when you actually have to work a little here and there. I did receive a nice little surprise after one especially long days at the office. A little something I had ordered over a month ago and had given up hope that I would ever receive.




Pioneer Woman had these on her website and what can I say...it was love at first sight. In the event that I ever need to dip anything into four bowls I am covered....although I am thinking now I may have to get the platter to keep this one company...you know to complete the set. This could be the start of something beautiful.






Yes it could be...and I am going to need some volunteers to come to my house to dip things so I can justify these purchases...