From Sea To Shining Sea

America, America, God shed His grace on thee.

Are you singing with me?

I love this time of year.

I am thankful I live in America.

I have several beautiful table scapes 

on my Pinterest page.

I thought I'd share a few with you.

Pinning them and sharing them with you

shows you my taste and I receive enough satisfaction 

from it that I find it's not necessary 

for me to get out all my decorations.

Win, win.

I always plan to go see the fireworks

but by the time July 4th afternoon arrives,

I prefer to just watch them on the TV.

I need to get my heart right.

Now, this pretzel/berry display looks doable.

How cute are these mason jars?

I could so do them!

I was going through past blogs and found some 

pictures of my beautiful grandkids.

Wasn't this just last year in Kansas?

Where did the year go?

I went a little further back to find this one of Abi.

I could just eat her.

I couldn't sleep tonight.

I did some praying.

I painted.

I mopped, did some laundry, wiped down things.

Then I thought I'd blog.

It's 5 in the morning.

Hope I'm not delirious.

Anyways,

I do love our country.

I am thankful for the freedoms we enjoy.

We are a blessed nation.

I pray blessings on you.

Have a safe 4th!!

Birds In The Living Room

The living room has been my favorite project of our new home. 

It has 5 large windows and also a sliding glass door. 

I love all the light in this room.

It also looks out to the river which makes me love it more.

I recently found the perfect art for this room.

What are the odds that the The Painted Hive would offer a free download?

God just loves to bless me.

Aren't they great?!

I know.

They measure 24X36.

I had them printed at Office Max.

 The Painted Hive made it so easy

to download directly to Office Max.

They mailed my prints in a few days.

I got the rustic frames from Hobby Lobby.

Imagine my frustration to wait over the weekend 

for them to go 1/2 off.

We painted Kilz on the brown walls before we moved in.

I love the weathered 

way they turned out.

We may just leave them.

I am looking for baskets to go on the tv shelf ma-bob.

I think some like these 

I found on Pinterest would work.

source

I am in Tampa with Mark this week.

It just dawned on me that there is an Ikea down the road.

Time for a road trip.

I will let you know what I find.

It's Tradition

I realize that we just had Halloween and Thanksgiving 

is weeks away.

I see all the "hate comments" that people post on Facebook 

for the shops and commercials that are 

throwing Christmas down our throats.

Every time people make negative posts about it, 

I want to reply that I'm one of "those" people 

who love shopping on Thanksgiving night. 

Why can't people just love me for who I am!!

I guess Facebook is a tool for everyone to air out their opinions.

Yada, yada.

All that to say that I have already decorated 

Mom's house for Christmas. 

I do it every year for her birthday present.

Since her birthday is at the beginning of November, 

that is exactly what she gets.

She loves Christmas.

It's genetic because it's my favorite time of the year too.

I always begin with the tree and everything 

seems to fall in line from there.

 I am trying to talk Mom into some 

red and white curtains 

that we saw to pull it all together.

This year, Santa chose this spot next to the tree as his home.

Who's to argue with the big guy.

This is the corner of the living room where the fireplace 

used to dwell. 

I always love to see how it will develop. 

I think we have 5 or 6 trees with lights.

Mom got this caroler set from JC Penneys a few years ago.

The corner turned out to be a winter-wonderland.

For a Floridian, it helps get into the spirit to have some snow, even if it is 85 degrees out the front door.

Here is the chandelier in the dining room.

I start with some green garland and just keep adding 

whatever I think will look right.

 Here is the top of her china cabinet.

I continued with the same ribbon and twigs and poinsettias 

that were used in the other decor.

That's all the pictures that I took.

We do wait until after Thanksgiving to do the outside.:)

We have some respect for ourselves. Ha

I have gotten lazy with carrying my camera when I fly.

I always regret it but the iPhone is so easy.

I will put it on my NY resolutions to be better at it.

Wait!

I don't do resolutions.

I will try and be better.

On a more personal note,

Kristen started her new job yesterday.

I am enjoying finding things to do in San Antonio

while I wait for Mark to show up 

this weekend.

The internet doesn't get installed until tomorrow.

So...

On the corner of her apartment building is a Starbucks.

Thank goodness!

I love being able to catch up with all the blogs I follow.

It's interesting how you care for these people 

who don't know you exist.

Seriously,

I would attend their children's weddings if I got an invite.

You really grow to know and care for them.

I can see my son

holding a big "L" on his forehead right now.

Ha

Anyways,

Happy Fall

or 

Merry Christmas

Whatever!

Fall At Mom's

Hey Everybody!

Are you enjoying this Fall cool-down?

It seems like everyone is in a better mood.

When I was in Florida

I did some Fall decorating in mom's house.

She has the best house to decorate.

She has a massive corner that 

used to have a wood burning stove.

My parents got rid of it and are left with a 

stone covered corner and mantle.

It's a challenge to decorate through the year but it provides 

a show stopping area for decorating during the holidays.

Would you believe I was on the plane home 

when I realized I neglected to take any pictures.

My favorite sister-in-law was gracious enough to snap a few 

with her cell & forward them to me.

The corner doesn't look big in this shot but it takes up a whole corner of the living room.

We hung some faux Fall flower baskets 

on the porch to add color. 

Her house sits way off the road &

these showed up from a distance. 

We did an arrangement in the cart that we 

recently found at a garage sale.

We added some happiness in her kitchen window box.

This happy guy has been around for a few years.

He is perfect next to the pot of mums.

I hope you are enjoying the Fall.

It will be over before you know it.

Mark is already asking me what our plans are for his staff Christmas party which is hosted by yours truly.

Oy vey.

One exciting bit of info that I haven't shared with y'all...

I had been wanting a purse.

Not just any purse but this one...

I don't mind a knock-off

& I was planning on hopping over to China Town 

on my next trip to New York.

Would you believe 

my sister-in-law found one while we were at a yard sale?

We are walking around shopping

& I spotted it on her arm.

MY purse!

Not a scratch on it.

She let me have it.

Now you know why she is my fave.

Anyways,

I got it for $4.

4 Bucks.

Score!

Does God love me,

or what?!!

I hope you are having a wonderful week.

I adore you all.

Does The Color Orange Make You Happy?

True statement.

If the color orange makes you happy,

you may just be my relative.

I am flying to Florida sometime next month.

Can I get a "woohoo?!"

I plan to decorate Mom's house for the Fall season.

While plundering through Pinterest,

I saw some ideas that I thought 

would be good for Joy's home.

I thought I'd share them with you.

I am loving the simplicity of this centerpiece.

My husband has one request.

He wants to see the person across the table.

Sometimes he gets his wish.

This would meet his standards. 

You can make this Jack-o-lantern out of any old thing 

you have lying around.

I loved the idea of using magnets 

so after Fall 

it can return to its former beauty.

Check this pumpin cake out.

The link was to JC Penney's and led me nowhere 

but I think it's self explanatory.

Two of your favorite bundt cake recipes and some icing.

A lovely centerpiece for any party.

Who doesn't love an old bucket

filled with orange sticks and a burlap bow?

You can't go wrong.

I am loving these pillows.

Made from burlap.

They scream Joy to me.

The simplicity of using from your own yard 

is always pleasing to me.

The acorns in Kansas are so much larger 

than the ones in Florida.

(Information that you need to  know)

Finally,

I leave you with this 

gorgeous wheelbarrow that I need.

I'm quite confident that Mom has one.

Just so ya know,

 I found all these amazing ideas via Pinterest.

Hope you are having an amazing day!

P.S. A Fall necessity...

P.S.S Another Fall necessity...

FALL Has Arrived!

I just can't wait any longer.

Patience is not the virtue I have.

If you know me then you are aware that I have been known to sneak under the Christmas tree and open my presents to see what is hidden behind that wrapped package.

I can't wait!

You don't have to tell me,

I already know...

it's rude!

It gets worse,

I have been known to open others gifts as well.

The suspense kills me.

Are you shocked?

Don't be, because it gets even worse!

My brother and his wife left all their wedding gifts unwrapped. They went on their honeymoon.

They left town!

What was I supposed to do?

In all fairness,

I did call them and describe in detail the vases, 

towels, kitchen appliances, etc.

I'm not proud.

With this questionable personality that I do possess,

you can see how waiting until September 22 

is just not possible.

Getting started is the hard part.

Once I started dragging the containers

 out from the basement,

I got pure happy!

I got the banner from Hobby Lobby.

Go get one because everyone needs at least one banner.

Don't ask why

I keep a basket on the hearth 

with deer antlers and skulls.

I just like it.

I added some Fall leaves and 

viola! 

My mantle leaves much to be desired.

I haven't quite figured out why to do with it.

I'll give you an update if it gets better.

I strung a vine of pumpkins on the filing cabinet.

I threw some Fall leaves on my Fall tree.

I draped Fall vines over every doorway.

This pitifully over-exposed photo shows my kitchen table.

I combined sticks from my yard 

and some Fall leaves and picks that I had.

I am simmering all my cinnamon melts.

I turned the air down.

I'm sipping my pumpkin latte.

Life is good!

I'm not quite brave enough to put the Fall wreath on the front door but it's coming soon.

Happy Fall!