Our Dining Room

Don't ask me why, but this is probably my favorite room in my house.  I'm not sure why, maybe it's because of the colors, maybe it's the formal feel, maybe it's that it stays clean.  I'm really not sure why, I just like everything about our dining room, there's not one thing that I would change. 

The paint color is Coffee Bean from Porter Paints.  I originally painted only below the chair rail then I got brave and painted it all, after like 2 years.  Ha!  I was afraid that it would make the room seem small but it didn't, not at all.  I so love the way this room looks.

Phillip and I bought this cabinet at Hobby Lobby many years ago.  Everyone thinks it's an antique, it holds all my pink and green depression glass.  The curtains came from Target, a couple years ago.

Looking from the foyer into the dinning room, this room gets the morning sun, so it faces the east. Ha!

Looking from the kitchen into the dinning room.  The rug I bought in Dalton, GA, over 2 years ago on a whelm, should I add.  We were in the process of buying this house, feel in love with the rug and I thought what perfect colors for the dinning room.

This plate marks the centennial anniversary of my hometown in Florida in 1957 and has different landmarks of the city around the plate.  My dad let me have the plate years ago, it was my mom's.  My mom would have been 15 at the time the plate was made so it probably belonged to my grandmother.  I think it looks perfect in our dining room since we all lived in this town before moving to KY.

What do you think of my flower arrangement?  Consignment!!! The urn that the arrangement sits in sorta blended in with my table, so I thought that this heavy white square platter that it sits on adds to arrangement plus it helps with where to store it.

I love this of my family picture at the beach in 2004.

Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

 Psalm 37:4

Blessings to all ~

Carla

Weekend Happenings

Friday night the high school youth group had a lock in at church.  Courtney said that they was hardly any down time and that they had a blast!!  There were nerf gun wars, constant running, in fact she fell down the stairs once, but over all had a wonderful time.  A group of our wonderful college kids stayed the night and helped, I will just say they are great kids to still hang with the high schoolers.  She was so exhausted when she got home, she could only take a couple hour nap Saturday morning before we headed off to a party but when she arrived home later that afternoon she slept from 4 p.m. until 8 Sunday morning.

Saturday morning Phillip and I had a yard sale.....YUCK!!! But, we where able to make a little $$$$, donate alot of stuff, like a truck load and clean out our garage, so it was beneficial.  I finally sold all of Jonah's armbands, at one time he probably had over 50 of them.  I sold the last 23 to a very sweet, special young girl who was really tickled about getting ALL of them.  The other big hit item and I am sad that I did not take picture but it was a collection of keychains that were Jonah's.  The whole thing probably weighed 3 pounds and were probably a total of at least a hundred different keychains, from poker chips to crocs.

I needed to move the china cabinet this weekend and in order to do that of course everything had to come out of the top.  What a mess and HOW does a closed china cabinet get dusty.  So that was another task this weekend.

Saturday afternoon was my best friend's daughter's fourth birthday party and I of course decorated this cute bag that I found at the Mighty Dollar.  It's vinyl and then I used my cricut to put her name on it in vinyl.  I bought several of the bags in the turquoise and hot pink to keep around for gift bags.  They are too cute!!!  I love that you can use the bag for other things, everyone needs a bag!

Jonah came home from boy scout camp Saturday morning with a trunk FULL of STINKIN' wet clothes.  He said that they had several storms during the week, loosing power to the camp Friday night and was still  without power Saturday morning which made them take cold showers in the dark before packing up and heading home.  Camp was a success for him, he completed three of the four merit badges that he was working on at camp with only one think left to complete on the last merit and that's attending a meeting which couldn't be done there.  That leaves ONE merit badge left and his Eagle Scout Project and he's DONE!!! Hallelujah!!!!  With that said, Jonah was a little motivated on Sunday to work on his last merit badge, so while Phillip and I painted the hall baseboards, Jonah sat in the hallway asking us family related questions for his last merit badge.  I am so proud of him!!!

Let me just start out by saying, to see my husband with a paint brush is saying a lot.  He HATES painting, therefore usually I do all the painting and really don't mind it.  If Phillip will hold down the "fort" while I paint.  But on Sunday afternoon, he got inspired to paint the railings going up stairs then before I knew it he was painting the trim around the door and then the baseboards in the hallway and WOW,  what a difference a little paint can make.  I wish he would get this inspired to paint more often, especially the baseboards in the bathrooms.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true...whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

Blessings to all ~

Carla

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday!!!!!! Today is what I'm Loving Wednesday!

I AM LOVING my chocolate walls in my dining room and how they really makes my white plates POP!  I just recently painted the top of my chair rail this coffee bean from porter paint, below the chair rail has always been this color but I was hesitant about painting it all the the same color.  I'm now glad that I did!!!

I AM LOVING my collection of crosses hanging by the backdoor.  I already had the big one (the one on the right) but I moved it here when I was lucky enough to purchased the other two for $0.99 each at Hobby Lobby the other day with their summer clearance stuff.

I AM LOVING the new pot for my ivy in the hall bath window, I love live plants in the house.  I especially love the black ribbon that I tied around the pot, it goes well with the black and white theme in the bathroom.  Isn't it funny how a simple thing like a ribbon around a flower pot changes the look of it.  Now maybe my Ivy will perk up.

I AM LOVING that I finally found a muscle recovery drink that both kids like and will drink.  They run so many miles everyday that their body needs this immediately after every run.

What are you loving???

...according to Your love remember me,

for You, LORD, are good.

Psalm 35:7

Blessings to all ~

Courtney's Birthday Party

Last Friday night, Courtney had a few of her friends over for a rather belated birthday party.  Since her birthday was in the middle of track season and there was absolutely NO free time to spare, plus Courtney knew that a pool would be under construction soon.  She decided to postpone her party until the middle of a heatwave, so that she could make a BIG SPLASH!!!

Since she had a birthday cake on her BIG day and she did not want everyone to sing Happy Birthday to her. She wanted oreo balls, chocolate cover pretzels and cake pops, instead of cake. We ordered lots of pizza and had plenty of chips.

It was interesting to see how this group of kids all stayed together instead of breaking off into little "clicks".  I had other tables and chairs out around the pool but they all choose to sit together in one big group.  I thought that was really neat and said something about this group of kids.

My birthday girl, she's growing up way too fast!!!

The party was really laid back, in fact it almost didn't feel like a birthday party.  I tried really hard to just let the kids hang, checking on them occasionally and taking only a few pictures, I was good :) 

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Psalm 126:3

Blessings to all ~

Carla

Weekend Happenings

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, ours was a little bit on the BUSY side.  As many of you know Courtney turned 14th back in May but with track practice and meets there really was not time to plan a party plus she wanted to wait for the pool to be finish that way she could have a pool party, of course.  So, that was Friday night and I promise to post those pictures soon but here is a sneak peak of the colors.  I promise it was nothing fancy at ALL!

Saturday morning, as many of you may guess, we were up with the roosters to be at Keriakes at 6:30 so that the kids could get their long run in for the weekend.  If any of you wonder, both kids run 6 days a week at 6:30 in the morning all summer long preparing for cross country season.  Courtney was able to run 4 miles and then she biked, sadly she is battling an injury.  I walk and did a little running,  I would really love to run a 5k but first I've got to make it a mile. Ha!

After their run, Sara and Brooke came home with Courtney to enjoy some time in the pool and just chill for part of the day which is something these three hasn't done in a while outside of practice and Courtney thought that it was time.

 Acting silly.......XC for cross country......gotta love them!

With the girls in the pool, I kept busy in the house, with laundry.....UGH!!!!  I did find time to work on a new chalkboard, a bigger one.  I'm excited and will post pictures once I am finished.

Jonah spent most of Friday and Saturday morning getting ready for Boy Scout camp.  He will be gone all next week.  After packing Jonah and Rascal chilled on the couch for a little while.

Saturday evening, Courtney was off to another party, this time a birthday party for two of her friends.  Like I said this was a BUSY weekend.  After dropping her off and running a few errands the three of us then returned home for steaks on the grill, corn on the cob and fresh tomatoes.  I love fresh veggies in the summer, thanks to my BFF Alicia for them!!!!

This morning the guys were up early.  Phillip was pulling one of the trailers to the Boy Scout camp up in Ohio so everyone except for the "party girl" was up at the crack of dawn again. 

Courtney and I pretty much had the day to ourselves.  After church and lunch at Mancinos we did a little yard work and then we had a short nap in the pool on floats.  Awww, that was the highlight of my day until I realized everything that I needed and should be doing (that's the OCD in me).

Today was also, my daddy's birthday.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!! LOVE YOU BUNCHES!!!  Sadly, I wasn't in Florida to spend the day with him, but I did get to talk to him this afternoon on the phone :)  This is the one thing I HATE about being so far away from family :(

Hope everyone weekend was not as BUSY as mine but if it was, I hope that you enjoyed it.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,

let your requests be known to God"

Phil 4:6

Blessings to all~

Stepping Stones

Remember that 19 inches of concrete that they had to bust through for the deep end of the pool. Well, because of that rock, we now have these awesome stepping stones. I will say that the first one there that looks like Africa or if you look at it side ways it looks like Kentucky. It weighs close to probably 600 pounds. It is so heavy that the three of us couldn't lift it. We rolled it from the back of the yard up to the house on PVC pipes sorta like what the Egyptians would have done years ago. Yes, it took us forever, but was worth it. 

If you're wondering, the bare dirt to the left will be filled with rock and plants as soon the fence is put up around the pump.  These stepping stones lead you to the pump and to the side gate.

Trust in Him at all times...pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62:8

 
Blessings to all~

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Hello Friends! If you don't know, I'm a list girl, and I love this little random what I loving Wednesday list.
 

I'M LOVING how my purple wave has grown over the past couple days with the watering that it has received from GOD.  It was really starting to look sad and puny, now you can hardly see the planter that it's in, which by the way was my mother's.  I have two of these planters that my father gave me after she passed away both of which I have on either side of my front steps and each year I plant wave in them.

I'M LOVING  Frost Riptide Rush Gatorade right now.  I have never been a fan of Gatorade, at all until a couple of weeks ago when it was 109 degrees and we were working in the yard.  Now I love it!!

I'M LOVING afternoon swims in the pool with this guy.

I'M LOVING that it's Wednesday, if you haven't figured that one out, only two more days and it's the weekend, Hallelujah!!!

I'M LOVING this guy and the way he "thinks" he's our protector when we are in the pool.  He watches the kids as they play, especially if they are "horse playing".  He watches them as they swim under water and follows them from the side of the pool.  It's too cute!  He does jump in, when he gets worried or over excited.  When he is wet he looks for a towel and if his towel gets too wet, watch out, he'll look for yours.  YES, he is spoiled!!!

I'M LOVING that my hair is finally long enough to pull back, my hair takes forever to grow!!!

I'M LOVING all the rainy days that we've been having.  It's been dry for so many weeks that it's nice to finally see everything back green again.  Plus, I LOVE rain, the smell of rain, the sound of rain, I even love a good storm!!!

I'M LOVING the rainbows that I spot after a good rain. 

I'M LOVING the new ornamental grass that we just planted around the pool deck.  It's called Gold Bar Miscanthus and it's suppose to have burgundy blooms in the fall.  My first choice was to plant Indian Hawthorne here and I was pretty much set on that but then one day decided I wanted something with height and I LOVE IT!!!

What are you LOVING???

I love the LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.

Psalm 116:1

Blessings to all ~