Dear P-Dub,

You're my idol.

I've read your blog forever and feel like we're BFF's. That's why I just call you P-Dub instead of Pioneer Woman.  We're like THIS. (I'm crossing my fingers to show you how tight we are.)  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about your new cooking show on the Food Network.  I'm excited for myself, becauase I get to see you each week, meet the kids and your hubby, and spend time with you in your kitchen.  I'm excited for you, because, well, you've made your dream come true!  You are the host of your own TV show!!! 

You're awesome, P-Dub.  Thanks for taking me to church with you this week.  Oh, and you're paying way too much for blackberries.  I noticed they were $4.99 at your store, but I can pick some for you at my sister's house. Free!  I still don't know what state you live in, but I'm sure they wouldn't be too smooshed if I shipped them to you.

You're my idol. (Although I don't have dreams of my own cooking show.  No one would like the boring meals I make.)  I'll just keep tuning into your show each week for inspiration.

Yours Truly,

Your BFF

Happy Birthday To Me!

It's really not my birthday, but it was my birthday earlier in the month.  Family members kept asking what I wanted for my birthday and I always answered, "Cash or Williams Sonoma gift cards please!"  You see, there were a few items I had on my wish list.  I knew the items would be outside of everyone's price range, but by adding everything together, I was able to get some GREAT new things for the kitchen.

First up... a real, grown up, chef's knife.  I decided to go with a Wusthof knife.  I'm not going to lie. Good knifes are not cheap, but it was soooo worth the price!

I also bought another piece of All-Clad to add to my collection. 

Best. Pans. Ever.

Again, not cheap, but worth it.  I will never (I said NEVER) have to buy another pan set again.

I really enjoy cooking, but having the right tools makes food prep even better!

Happy cooking!

The Front Porch - Ready for Fall

 

 

Fall has arrived.  Let the decorating transformations begin!

 

 

 

 

The Return of Fall...

...and my fall leaf pillows!


Oh, I'm so excited to have these back out again!  I bought leaf shaped placemats at Wal-Mart last year.  Using a seam ripper, I opened up the bottom edge.  After stuffing them with batting, I sewed them up!  It's a $2.00 pillow, friends!  I don't know if Wal-Mart is carrying these again.  If not, I have about 10 of them.  I'd be happy to let you borrow them for the season.

Happy sewing!

Home and Family Friday

Is it just me, or do we all really LOVE fall?  I'm guessing, by looking at last week's reader favorite, that it's not just me.  We all love the change of seasons, when the leaves turn, we're picking the last of homegrown veggies, and enjoying the crisp mornings and cool afternoons.

Melissa, over at Shabby Love, wrote this post about a few fall projects.  It certainly got me in the mood to decorate.  I asked my hubby to get my fall boxes down from the rafters in the garage.  Now I guess it's up to me to actually do the decorating.   Thanks for the inspiration, Melissa!  I'll be decorating tomorrow.

Let's see what you all have for us this week!  Link up your projects that you've done around your home or with your family.  I'd love it if you'd become a follower and grab my button.

Happy Friday, Friends!

Decorating With Fresh Flowers

Wouldn't it be nice to have fresh flowers in your house all year long?  It's an expense I can't justify, but during the Summer months I indulge. 

Don't get me wrong.  I don't spend the kids' college fund on flowers for myself.  I cut them from my yard and enjoy their beauty inside.  It's always a little painful to bring them inside.  I know if I bring them inside, the garden beds will look bare.  Fortunately, this time of year my garden is filled with flowers.  I try to pick the best flowers. (Those that the slugs haven't gotten first.)  The half eaten flowers still look pretty from a distance, so those stay in the yard. 

I'm loving all of the blooms my Annabelle hydrangea has shared with me this year.  This is the longest lasting cut flower I've ever had.

Even the bathroom gets a few blooms.

You've gotta love decorating with fresh flowers from your own yard.  It just makes me happy.  If only I could get rid of those slugs, once and for all!

Happy gardening!

Happy Fall... Almost

Do you feel it? 

 There's a chill in the air.  Last week we were in the 80's in the Pacific Northwest.  Today, as I was working in the yard, I noticed that the air felt crisp.  It wasn't cold enough for a jacket, just a reminder of what is to come.  It's the time of year when Mother Nature can't decide if we need a rake or a sprinkler.

It's my absolute favorite time of year for my yard.  I've been waiting all year for flowers like these!

I'm a huge fan of reds, oranges, and yellows, when it comes to flowers grown for cutting. 

I love this little corner of my yard.  It's like a pathway to a secret hideaway.  My youngest spends hours on the swingset out here.

My stepdad built the bench for me.

I love the look of chippy old paint. 

Add a pillow and some flowers, and you have a perfect spot to take a break from all of that swinging and climbing on the swingset. 

The first red tomato has appeared in my garden.  Now, the race is on, between the ripening of these little beauties and the first frost that will snatch them right off of my cutting board.

Happy Fall... almost.

Home and Family Friday

I'm loving the way our beautiful art area is taking shaping outside of my classroom.  It's far from done and there is lots of organization needed, but the kids flock to this area every day.  It brings me such joy to see kids create, without adults hovering or leading.  They look around, find interesting materials, and just create.

The chairs came from Goodwill and garage sales.  I covered them with paint drop cloths that were painted with stripes or inspirational words. 

Here's the before picture of the space.

In honor of kids and art, I've featured the paper beads from last week's linky party.

The kids could totally make these!

We're ready for our next linky party.  I'd love it if you'd grab my button and become a follower.

Never Too Many Pillows

You can never have too many throw pillows.  Well, my husband would beg to differ.  Maybe I should say, people with home decor OCD can never have too many throw pillows. 


I spent a little of my birthday money on these pillows.  I fell in LOVE with the chicken pillow and the garden pillow was just too cute to pass up.

I found these pillows at Joyworks in Snohomish.  So glad my sister told me that there was a downstairs in that store! 

Happy shopping!

Gettling Back Into Our Routines

It's back to school time, friends.  Life has gotten a little crazy.  Fifty new kindergarten friends are excited to experience the joys of school life each day.  They look to me, hoping their day will be filled with laughter and learning.  Let me tell you, it's a lot of pressure!  My blogging has taken a back seat to planning, room arrangement, and professional reading.

Yesterday, I decided to reclaim my own joy.  My hubby bought me a new lens for my birthday.  It's a 50mm f/1.8 Canon.  Everyone who has one of these says it's the best.  I love the way it really blurs the background.



I worked on a few sewing projects in my spare time, and had to snap a picture of my sewing supplies.

 

This fabric is actually for a school project. It was so beautiful, I had to take a picture of it.  I LOVE Cheryl's blog.  She writes over at A Pretty Cool Life.  I fell in love with her gingham buntings and decided I wanted to use this idea to make a color words wall in my classroom.  I have no idea where she found her gingham fabric in every color of the rainbow, because as far as I can tell, it is no where to be found in stores or online.  So, I went with the next best thing... polkadots.  My favorite quilt shop had a beautiful selection of polka dots.

The first week of school is behind us.  My kids are in 5th and 1st grade.  They are settling back into the routine of school, homework, sports, and earlier bedtimes.  I'm settling back into the routine of greeting smiling 5 year old faces, eager to see the fun I've planned for them each day.  One thing that's harder for me to settle into is finding time for the things I enjoy.  I need to remember to sew, write, organize, take leisurely walks, enjoy the view of my garden when I'm sitting on my deck, cook dinners inspired by the Food Network, bake for no reason at all, and make sure I get to yoga on Monday nights. 

So much to do, so little time.

Home and Family Friday Linky Party

Farmcation, 2011

Well, hello friends!  We spent the long holiday weekend with family over in Eastern Washington.  I think the farm is my favorite place to be.  I took 300+ pictures, so I won't share all of them.  (About 200 pictures were of my kids.  We always try to get the Christmas card photo while we are at the farm.)

Gotta love Farmcation!