friendly flowers say hello

This weekend we bought plants for our yard. Well, some plants for our yard. Our yard needs major TLC due to the fact that the previous owners had not lived here for about 2 years and the yard had not been maintained. They are all overgrown and need to be cut back and some need to be moved. We can't really figure out what they had in mind when the landscaped, but it isn't really cohesive.

Anyway, I had these two urns at our other house, but the plants died. On Friday I bought purple salvia flowers and some little yellow ones (don't know the name) to put in them. I planted them Saturday morning before the rain came.
Here are my two helpers taking a look at my planter. Phoebe is on the left, and Lucy is on the right. I planted two planters, but I didn't take a picture with both of them in it. Don't ask why, who knows?
Here is a closeup. I think the purple and yellow look really nice together. They are complimentary colors, you know!
And, here is some moss to show you. This is growing in between the bricks on our steps and looks so cottage-y. I like the way it looks, but it makes the steps hard to sweep since I don't want the moss to come up with the dirt I sweep off.

I really liked the way my planters turned out. I will show you the rest of the yard another time. There is more work to be done than we can manage at one time. If we could afford a landscaper, I would have a beautiful yard with lovely green grass...but that is not what God gave me. He gave me tall trees and lovely shade, but no real grass to speak of...and bamboo growing in the back.

Hope you enjoyed my little project. I am sure that there are better planters out there, but these flowers made me happy!

new friends...

I added some new links to the "group hug" at the side. These are some people that I like to go visit. Some I lurk (as I am sure we all do) and others I comment on quite a bit. Some are new friends, and others are people I have known forever. One is my big brother, Drew, who really doesn't update his page much, but if you'd like to read a cute engagement story, it is there. Drew proposed to his fiancee' Jamie in a really cute way. Jamie, who is a missionary choir director, has traveled all over the world with a children's choir from South Africa. They were even featured in the movie "Blood Diamond" about diamond trafficking. Consequently, she did not want a traditional diamond ring...you'll have to check out the story to see what she did get.

I love Rebekah at Diagonally Parked. She makes me laugh every time I read her blog. Well, when she isn't being super informative about things. Her post about dialing 911 on your cellphone will really open your eyes about public safety. She is a 911 dispatcher and her sister is a novelist, and I won her book in a contest. I am currently enjoyed said book and will post about it later.

Debbie, at this is the life, is a great read, too! She reviews tv shows, comments on fun things, but is also a big encouragement to me right now. I think she is a one woman prayer team, and I know I have been included in her prayers lately.

Brin, who writes at Messy, Thrilling Life, is a treat. She takes the most amazing photos and is constantly posting recipes that make my diet harder. She posted one about a chocolate sauce that was so sinful...and one about bacon wrapped chicken bites with avocado ranch sauce that was a big hit at the super bowl. She usually posts a Monday Moment that is a mini-devotional.

And if you haven't read Emily, Heather, Jennifer P. or Miss Sniz yet, you are missing out! Emily just got herself a new blog design. Heather has the best music to make you get up and dance, and Miss Sniz tells some great stories. Jennifer P. cracks me up, but has also been praying for me lately.

Well, check them all out if you get a chance. I have other blogs that I also like to read, but haven't posted yet. And if you read this, and you don't want your blog linked to mine, just comment and say so! I can happily remove it, although we all must confess that we like comments and the more the merrier.

Have a happy sunday. Today I am taking a rest, playing with the dogs and reading a book. May you enjoy some peace and quiet today, too.

happiness is a friday with red shoes

Every time I looked down today, this is what I saw. Happy red shoes! Happy patent leather red shoes! Happy patent leather red shoes with straps and buckles. So friendly. Like they are red lips that are smiling at me.
I found these shoes at Payless right after Thanksgiving. My mom gave me a gift card and I was able to get several new pairs of shoes. These made me so excited. The work with socks and bare feet, and are pretty comfortable.

It's nice how a $17 pair of shoes can lift your mood. I know we often talk about the things I want and how I feel so inadequate in life, but I love it that something that is less than $20 brings me so much joy. The little things, I guess. There are other cheap things I love, and here they are, in no particular order.

• Rice and Shea Flower Bubble Bath from Bath and Body Works...love that smell.
• my dogs
• my clearance down throw...so cuddly
• a good alfredo sauce
• paper clips
• ziploc sandwich bags...for, oh so many reasons
• chai tea
• a great pen...do you write your name over and over with a really good one like I do?
• Friends, The Office, Gilmore Girls
• real life friends
• butterfinger candy bars
• Barnes and Nobles...I can spend HOURS in BN!! The soft music, smell of paper, coffee bar, and bargain books.
• TJ Maxx
• space heaters (the husband likes it COLD)
• fun socks

Is there anything out there that you love that costs less than $20? Include whatever comes to mind that makes you happy and makes you feel good inside because you didn't spend a lot? My friends Emily (Chatting at the Sky) and Alison are expert thrift shoppers. Emily and her sister are the queens of Goodwill. My friend Megan is the queen of yard sales. I am the queen of the clearance rack. I claim the title with honor. I start at the back of the store and work my way forward. Why pay full price when they will mark it down in three weeks? Charlie laughed at me when I said I wanted to get up at 4am the day after Thanksgiving for a pair of shoes (another pair, not the red ones.) But they were gonna be 50% off and I would have to pay more at 10am. I was up at 3:45, at the store at 3:57, and out by 4:45. Back in bed by 5:00. Deal done... I proudly wear those shoes with the knowledge that I paid less. And I have a great, ok, not so great story to tell about it.

Share with me your finds! I can't wait to hear about them.

a new dream

Thanks to Debbie, I learned about Pottery Barn Outlets today! I looked them up and found out where all 17 are located. There are two relatively near me. One is in Virginia (near Debbie) and the other is in Gaffney, South Carolina. Just my luck, I will be driving past Gaffney this summer when I visit Florida for my brother's wedding! I will start saving my pennies now.

On a side note, about my trip to Florida. I hate Skybus. Charlie and I bought our tickets to Florida, and then Skybus went bankrupt. Nice. We are out $200 and had to buy new tickets to fly down. Lovely. I mean, seriously, do you think they could have shut their website down or something if they knew the company was in trouble. I guess I am only out the money. I really feel bad for the people that flew out somewhere, the airline shut down, and they couldn't get home.

Enough crabbing about that, time for bed. To sleep, perchance to dream. Of Pottery Barn.

a letter to my love

Dear Pottery Barn,
Every time I walk into one of your stores, I feel like I am at home. The gentle aromas of your candles beckon me. The soft lighting and soothing music call my name. I want to relax in your puffy couches and sink deep into the throw pillows. Each time I get a catalog, I envision myself living among the pages. I study the arrangement of furniture, the contrast of colors, and the use of accessories. I collect your paint samples and use them in my home.

This year my mother-in-law blessed me with a gift certificate to your store. I was so excited. I studied each new catalog. I devoured the website. I watched. And waited. And then I went to a store.
And I came out with this bag. A very full bag. A bag filled with treasures that I debated over for about 30 minutes.
You had to use the large bag. My purchase had to be wrapped in paper to keep it safe.
I had a great visit with you, PB. Please write back and say you enjoyed it too. Please forgive the fact that my husband fell asleep in one of your chairs while I was shopping. Ignore the fact that I only bought sale items, but droooooled over the full price ones. I had a wonderful time. I love you, PB, and I wish I could be with you every day. I wish I could afford all that you have to offer. If you ever open an outlet, I will be there, first in line. See ya soon.

Your fervent admirer,
Sissy

Ok, on to more pressing matters. I took all your suggestions and looked at some swatches. Here are some that I thought went well. I think the gold swatches on the left look the best, but we'll see. I need to look at them in some daylight!! If you see anything here that you are in love with, just let me know. For example, third stick from the left, second square from the bottom, etc.

Oh, I haven't forgotten that I did not share what's in the bag. My little treasure for just awhile longer. Maybe when I get the room put together, I will debut my PB items. Seriously, I love that store and wish I could afford everything in it. I have lovely leather furniture that is a knock-off from PB, and I bought it for that reason. Ahhh, to dream.

dining room dilemma

Saturday night.... (the original post is below and non-italicized)

Here are some closer pics of the chairs in the dining room. The colors are a little washed out, but they are a beige/green/gold background with the pink and blue flowers with green leaves.

In this shot you can see the pattern really well. I am actually not in love with the pattern so much, but I needed 8 chairs and these were the ones I could afford AND live with. If anyone has a great pattern for parson's slip covers, I might get out the ol' sewing machine. Then I could paint any color I wanted.

Hey, all you bloggers out there! I need some decorating help. We moved into our house last year and we really focused on the kitchen. You have seen what we did to that room, but now I need to work on the rest of the house. Here is my dining room.

Our front room is connected to the dining room and is painted a warm yellow. It is called "cowslip," which I don't really why it was called that. A cow's lip? Um, I don't think a cow has yellow lips. Anyway, the front room is yellow, but we haven't painted the dining room yet. We have brown leather furniture in the front room and a glass dining room table with parson's chairs.
The dining room has a chair rail and one window. This looooong wall with the painting is very big and dull. The opposite wall from the window has a swinging butler's door to the kitchen.

My question is this...do I paint it the same color as the front room? Can I do something different? Do you think that yellow will go with the chairs ok? If you have any other ideas, I would love to know.

Thanks!

ps. Thursday and Friday were really good days at school! I am in the mood to decorate again!

frustration update

It's Tuesday and I am so tired. Mom went home today, so I have the house to myself again. I really love to have her here, but you know, sometimes having that extra person in your house, who doesn't really live there....enough of that.

Yesterday I was back at work and it was a stressful day. Today was better. If you have figured out anything about me at all, it's that I'm someone who likes approval. From anyone. From everyone. I like to know that what I am doing works is making someone happy. I guess I need to learn more balance in this area, but I think everyone is burdened with trying to make their boss happy. Otherwise, they ain't chor boss no mo!

But yesterday I could do nothing right, it seemed to me. I have asked for some supplies and I still don't have them. And I need them. I need them Thursday. Morning. At 8:15. And it has to be ordered from Pennsylvania. Overnight. Uh-huh. And I had to go ask AGAIN about them. Now, let's see what you think. If you felt like your head was on the chopping block, would you want to be pestering anybody? Nope. But in this situation, I have to get these supplies through the office, because they are expensive. I can't buy them myself, or I so would have. So I had to email someone again about it.

Like I said, though, today was better. I did a really cool lesson with 1st grade and they really loved it. At a meeting after school I got an award from a colleague (the Book Queen Award). That made me feel appreciated. I even ordered some books and resources online ( I can do that myself, thankyouverymuch!)

So, I say all this to say that I think some of your prayers may be getting through. Keep it up. You don't know how much I appreciate all of you that I don't even know including me in your prayers. Keep em comin'.

Oh, someone asked in the last post...I am a librarian at a K-8 school.