tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21419213707146323662024-03-13T13:21:18.645-05:00SerendipityDiscovering Life's Many Blessings SerendipitouslyPaulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.comBlogger217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-8376341161673524882016-01-29T13:56:00.000-06:002016-01-29T13:56:35.444-06:00The Journey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
One day you finally knew <br />
what you had to do, and began, <br />
though the voices around you <br />
kept shouting <br />
their bad advice – – – <br />
though the whole house <br />
began to tremble <br />
and you felt the old tug <br />
at your ankles. <br />
‘Mend my life!’ <br />
each voice cried. <br />
But you didn’t stop. <br />
<br />
You knew what you had to do, <br />
though the wind pried <br />
with its stiff fingers <br />
at the very foundations – – – <br />
though their melancholy <br />
was terrible. It was already late <br />
enough, and a wild night, <br />
and the road full of fallen <br />
branches and stones. <br />
<br />
But little by little, <br />
as you left their voices behind, <br />
the stars began to burn <br />
through the sheets of clouds, <br />
and there was a new voice, <br />
which you slowly <br />
recognized as your own, <br />
that kept you company <br />
as you strode deeper and deeper <br />
into the world, <br />
determined to do <br />
the only thing you could do – – – <br />
determined to save <br />
the only life you could save. <br />
<em>- Mary Oliver</em><br />
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I am on my way to find my new voice.</div>
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A new journey begins...</div>
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Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-16117521091953483212015-07-05T13:00:00.001-05:002015-07-05T13:00:28.259-05:00Happy Birthday, America!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hope you and yours had a wonderful Fourth!</div>
Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-77511353596950494232014-10-14T10:18:00.000-05:002014-10-14T10:18:00.121-05:00A Jan Karon Giveaway...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've long loved the works of Jan Karon. I've also been a long-time fan of <a href="http://www.hoffmanmedia.com/" target="_blank">Hoffman Publishing</a> and their gorgeous magazines, beautiful books, and fabulous owner and friend, <a href="http://www.theribboninmyjournal.com/about-me/" target="_blank">Phyllis Hoffman</a>. Please take a few moments to visit her blog, a <a href="http://www.theribboninmyjournal.com/jan-karon-giveaway/" target="_blank">Ribbon in my Journal</a>, and check out the giveaway of Jan Karon's latest book. While you're there, explore Phyllis' other great posts. Bet you'll be hooked, too!<br />
<br />
Thanks to Phyllis for documenting through her wonderful books all of the beauties this world has to offer.<br />
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Happy Tuesday,<br />
</div>
Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-55375966080782010592014-05-28T10:47:00.001-05:002014-05-28T10:50:24.434-05:00RIP Phenomenal Woman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have just learned of the death of Dr. Maya Angelou, and I grieve. It was some of her poetry and writing that inspired me to want to be a writer. She was the voice of women everywhere in addressing violence against women and overcoming hardship. I remember an interview done with her once where she talked about how she wrote every day. She rented a hotel room by the month...in it, a typewriter and her writing materials. She said she treated her writing as a job...as a privilege. How thankful I am that she had such a strong voice, set such an example as a strong woman. RIP, Marguerite. Your earthly journey has ended, but your voice will never be silenced.<br />
<br />
Phenomenal Woman<br />
by Maya Angelou<br />
<br />
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.<br />
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size<br />
But when I start to tell them,<br />
They think I'm telling lies.<br />
I say,<br />
It's in the reach of my arms<br />
The span of my hips,<br />
The stride of my step,<br />
The curl of my lips.<br />
I'm a woman<br />
Phenomenally.<br />
Phenomenal woman,<br />
That's me.<br />
<br />
I walk into a room<br />
Just as cool as you please,<br />
And to a man,<br />
The fellows stand or<br />
Fall down on their knees.<br />
Then they swarm around me,<br />
A hive of honey bees.<br />
I say,<br />
It's the fire in my eyes,<br />
And the flash of my teeth,<br />
The swing in my waist,<br />
And the joy in my feet.<br />
I'm a woman<br />
Phenomenally.<br />
Phenomenal woman,<br />
That's me.<br />
<br />
Men themselves have wondered<br />
What they see in me.<br />
They try so much<br />
But they can't touch<br />
My inner mystery.<br />
When I try to show them<br />
They say they still can't see.<br />
I say,<br />
It's in the arch of my back,<br />
The sun of my smile,<br />
The ride of my breasts,<br />
The grace of my style.<br />
I'm a woman<br />
<br />
Phenomenally.<br />
Phenomenal woman,<br />
That's me.<br />
<br />
Now you understand<br />
Just why my head's not bowed.<br />
I don't shout or jump about<br />
Or have to talk real loud.<br />
When you see me passing<br />
It ought to make you proud.<br />
I say,<br />
It's in the click of my heels,<br />
The bend of my hair,<br />
the palm of my hand,<br />
The need of my care,<br />
'Cause I'm a woman<br />
Phenomenally.<br />
Phenomenal woman,<br />
That's me. <br />
</div>
Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-21212924979191918072014-01-13T14:42:00.000-06:002014-01-13T14:48:17.542-06:00Rains of Winter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Every valley drinks, <br />
Every dell and hollow; <br />
Where the kind rain sinks and sinks, <br />
Green of Spring will follow. </div>
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<em>From "Winter Rain"</em></div>
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<em>by Christina Georgina Rossetti</em></div>
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Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-7476586812436017372013-08-16T10:16:00.001-05:002013-08-16T10:16:38.408-05:00Love Note to My Son<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Time it was I had a dream<br /> You're the dream come true<br /> If I had the world to give<br /> I'd give it all to you.<br /> I'll take you to the mountains<br /> I will take you to the sea<br /> I'll show you how this life became <br /> A miracle to me.<br /><br /> You'll fly away<br /> but take my hand until that day<br /> So when they ask how far love goes<br /> When my job's done, you'll be the one who knows.<br /><br /> All the things you treasure most<br /> Will be the hardest won<br /> I will watch you struggle on<br /> Before the answers come<br /> But I won't make it harder<br /> I'll be there to cheer you on<br /> I'll shine the light that guides you down<br /> The road you're walking on<br /><br /> You'll fly away<br /> but take my hand until that day<br /> So when they ask how far love goes<br /> When my job's done, you'll be the one who knows.<br /><br /> Before the mountains call to you<br /> Before you leave this home<br /> I will teach your heart to trust<br /> As I will teach my own<br /> But sometimes I will ask the moon<br /> Where it shined upon you last<br /> And shake my head and laugh and say<br /> It all went by too fast<br /><br /> You'll fly away<br /> but take my hand until that day<br /> So when they ask how far love goes<br /> When my job's done, you'll be the one who knows.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lyrics "The One Who Knows"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dar Williams</span></div>
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Love being your Mommy, Sweet Boy. I can't imagine my life without you. So proud of you and loving you every moment...</div>
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Mommy</div>
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Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-30004770753013097542013-03-05T10:21:00.000-06:002013-03-05T10:23:13.753-06:00Waters of March<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
It's the wind blowing free, it's the end of the slope<br />
It's a beam, it's a void, it's a hunch, it's a hope<br />
And the river bank talks of the waters of March<br />
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It's the end of the strain, it's the joy in your heart<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> from <em>Waters of March</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> by Antonio Carlos </span></div>
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Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-73694226194757861482012-04-10T14:27:00.001-05:002012-04-10T14:29:19.653-05:00Nest Building Time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3gGH1Y9MDMQ2R9McyN8TEmEFdA4JIBRV1RApiDDee38_yW6_PMtS5e8E4YaKGxHiYEuLM-vQ8Gg7Ab8ew9WBaxWhzvgqp4XqlG4BiNguViO9-Ep_4cxgdWXJlAVB96Rr4A2r0GobFAYK/s1600/nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3gGH1Y9MDMQ2R9McyN8TEmEFdA4JIBRV1RApiDDee38_yW6_PMtS5e8E4YaKGxHiYEuLM-vQ8Gg7Ab8ew9WBaxWhzvgqp4XqlG4BiNguViO9-Ep_4cxgdWXJlAVB96Rr4A2r0GobFAYK/s400/nest.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
My son is only two years old, but he is already fascinated with nature and the Great Outdoors. He notices flowers and bugs and birds and trees and all the little things that I tend to walk by without noticing. Trying to see the world through his eyes has made me a better observer, too. I love to watch him play in the yard, as I can see the wonder on his face as he attempt to "take it all in." This time outdoors has become very special to us both. So, I never want to miss an opportunity to turn our time outdoors into a fun project or lesson that I hope he enjoys. <br />
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A couple of weeks ago, he was awe stricken by some of the birds who have taken up residence in our yard. We talked about birds and how some birds live in trees and others in special houses. As we discussed them, I decided to have him put together a "Nest Building Basket" for the birds. We put all types of things we thought a bird might be able to use to build a nest: pieces of twine, twigs, fabrics and fibers, straw, etc. We put it in a wire basket and suspended it from one of the trees in our back yard. Imagine our delight the first time we saw a bird checking out the supplies!<br />
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Today, I was reminded of our project as I sat in my office, glanced out the window, and saw two small finches building a nest on the side of a tree amongst the ivy. I am anxious to watch them over the course of the season, and I like to think that our Nest Building Basket helped out an equally productive bird or two in our own back yard.<br />
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Happy Spring!<br />
<div align="right"><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Courtesy of: Squidoo</span></em></div></div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-73553889002754488322012-02-29T12:18:00.001-06:002012-02-29T12:21:05.625-06:00Getting Ready for Spring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqyX0z-opWeKOY7EaJznumWDM-iNDEDYq_ewPKNV5R5Jrz8FRwVfOKF4Bd_ymR9Qfzqof7d1FlECII125iTI3BByOkX1DVdWy6tfYt7sX81hKb0wjzgvbnPEy57_pVC_-fmz7eQHW3LGW/s1600/yard+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqyX0z-opWeKOY7EaJznumWDM-iNDEDYq_ewPKNV5R5Jrz8FRwVfOKF4Bd_ymR9Qfzqof7d1FlECII125iTI3BByOkX1DVdWy6tfYt7sX81hKb0wjzgvbnPEy57_pVC_-fmz7eQHW3LGW/s400/yard+13.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>I love spring! I get so antsy as the weather turns a bit warmer and the daffodils start to peak up through the ground. I usually can't wait to dig around in the yard and the flower beds. And, according tomost gardening experts, now is the time to get out there! A common mistake many people make is waiting until the weather turns much warmer and flowers are beginning to bloom to pay attention to their yards. Unfortunately, by then, it is too late to really prepare for your yard to show at its best. At the end of February and early March, I begin the season by doing the following task list before I do anything else:<br />
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I'm in Zone 7, so this may not fit everyone's March to-do-list. Those of you a little further north will want to wait a month or so...<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Remove all the leaves, twigs and fallen branches that have accumulated in the yard over the winter months. Even though I removed all the leaves in the fall, there will still be some in the spring that have blown in over the winter.</li>
<li>Trim up the foliage on the summer blooming perennials that are above the ground. I normally trim up my evergreen herbs like rosemary, etc. during this time. I also prune most of my roses in March. Keep in mind that it is too late to prune your spring blooming perennials and shrubs (forsythia, quince, etc.) - prune these later after the blooms have gone.</li>
<li>Dig out all the weeds that have started to spring up in the flower beds. As hard as it is to believe that those suckers can grow in February...they do. Weeding now will reduce your job in this regard later in the year!</li>
<li>Cut back vines and ivy that has grown out of its territory.</li>
<li>Cut back ornamental grasses, including liriope, and the dead stems of perennials (I always leave these during the winter for the birds and other wildlife) to a few inches high.</li>
<li>Loosen the old mulch with a cultivator (or in my case, a gloved hand) acorns and other dried plant matter that has accumulated around my shrubs and perennials. Air needs to be able to better penetrate those roots!</li>
<li>Reseed and fertilize the lawn.</li>
<li>Fertilize my spring bulbs.</li>
</ul>Here are some photos of our yard in spring and summer. We are still in the planning and planting phases of our landscaping, and there is so much more to do, but we are quite proud of what we have accomplished.<br />
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<br />
Happy Gardening!</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-84109295400914819072012-02-24T13:02:00.004-06:002012-02-24T16:44:18.180-06:00Jane Austen Meets Twenty-First Century Technology<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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I have had an obsession with the novels of Jane Austen since I was a young girl. I remember the first time I read <em>Pride and Prejudice: </em>so began my maddening crush on Mr. Darcy that would last until...well...now. The first time I watched the BBC's on-screen version of the novel, I fell instantly and madly in love with Colin Firth. I mean, what woman couldn't?! So, for the better part of my life, I have been a true Janeite. I love having a membership to JASNA, the Jane Austen Society of North America, although my husband seems to have no understanding of this. I pity him. I cannot imagine my life without the influences of Jane Austen and her wonderful literary characters. It was through reading the works of Austen that I first realized I wanted to major in English Literature in college. And it is against those same works that I measure every other novel I have ever read. <br />
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</div><div align="left">So, just imagine my excitement when I read about the BBC releasing a new interactive game for facebook based on Jane Austen and the characters of her novels! Truly! I was so astonished (in a good way), that I had to copy the press release here. Read for yourself!</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div align="left"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</strong></div><div align="left"><strong>BBC Worldwide Limited</strong></div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div align="center"><strong>BBC WORLDWIDE TO CREATE A JANE AUSTEN GAME FOR FACEBOOK<em></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em>Jane Austen’s Rogues and Romance</em></strong><strong> coming to Facebook this Spring</strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div>LOS ANGELES, CA (February 23, 2012) – BBC Worldwide is preparing to bring the world of Jane Austen to Facebook in a new interactive game inspired by her work. Developed in partnership with Legacy Interactive, <strong><em>Jane Austen’s Rogues and Romance</em></strong> will re-create the world of her novels allowing players to take part in an imaginative adventure that follows the path of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy after they are married.<br />
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For almost 200 years Jane Austen’s work has stood the test of time with legions of fans worldwide enjoying her witty character portrayals and depictions of 19<sup>th</sup> century English society. Her novels have inspired countless adaptations, prequels and sequels including <em>The Jane Austen Book Club; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies </em>and <em>Clueless. Jane Austen’s Rogues and Romance </em>will mark the first time her works have inspired an online social game.<br />
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Robert Nashak, EVP, BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment & Games, explains, “Social interaction is at the core of Austen’s work and we felt that was a concept we could explore that had a natural synergy with Facebook. <em>Rogues and Romance</em> is a fun romp of a game that celebrates the world of Jane Austen.”<br />
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“I am a ‘Janeite’ of long standing and thrilled to be able to translate my secret obsession into a fun social game,” says Ariella Lehrer, CEO of Legacy Interactive. “We are determined to deliver an experience that passionate Austen fans will love, as well as gameplayers who know of Austen but have never read her novels.”<br />
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<em>Jane Austen’s Rogues and Romance</em> is set to launch on Facebook this Spring. The game takes <em>Pride and Prejudice</em> as its starting point following the newly married Elizabeth and Mr Darcy on a hidden object adventure with an intriguing twist. Players will be able to take their place in society leaving calling cards, attending and hosting receptions and pursuing courtships. Each player will have their own manor house and be able to indulge their penchant for fashion with a choice of Regency-era costumes.<br />
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<strong>For more information, please contact:</strong><br />
<a href="http://apps.facebook.com/janeaustengame" title="Jane Austen's Rogues & Romance">apps.facebook.com/janeaustengame</a><br />
<a href="http://www.austengame.com/" title="Rogues & Romance">www.austengame.com</a><br />
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<strong>About BBC</strong><br />
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence fee payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has six core businesses: Channels, Content & Production, Sales & Distribution, Consumer Products, Brands, Consumers & New Ventures and Magazines, with digital ventures incorporated into each business area. In 2010/11, BBC Worldwide generated profits of £160 million on sales of £1158 million and returned £182m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: <br />
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<a href="http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview">www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bbcworldwide.com/">bbcworldwide.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://twitter.com/bbcwpress">twitter.com/bbcwpress</a><br />
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So, for all those other Janeites out there, mark your calendars for March! I know I will be counting the days! :-)<br />
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And do, please, leave a comment for me, as "my idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company." (Jane Austen).<br />
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Dreaming of Darcy,</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-41392807906131513702012-02-21T10:57:00.005-06:002012-02-21T11:40:46.106-06:00Wire Baskets: My latest fetish<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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You know, I am thankful that I can admit when I have a problem. I am not sure that it helps the situation, but at least I CAN admit it. My latest problem is: I CAN'T STOP BUYING ANTIQUE (or antique-looking) WIRE BASKETS!! I love them. I love the way they look. I love the way I can store things in them...pretty things or useful things. Things. I love things, too. So it is important that I can store them in something fabulous. I adore the two above from The Pottery Barn. They're the perfect size for the kitchen.<br />
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My most recent purchase of wire baskets were the two great looking ones from One Kings Lane. They are treasures, and I use one of the larger ones on the kitchen cabinet to hold all of my cutting boards - it works perfectly. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_s1E-4lUMY2pTLgCh7w0g2QR0ylJC4I8-g3rlINEmgyGKwoyzM_oGeTpMq1R_nnmHrfZKw-Pz4Awb_PO5Q-ymNHOxA9DG9bKM5P3exoNWBS2D3aQCnlqH8PNXdRTnWfe65Howinth6F44/s1600/from+hudsongood+dot+com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_s1E-4lUMY2pTLgCh7w0g2QR0ylJC4I8-g3rlINEmgyGKwoyzM_oGeTpMq1R_nnmHrfZKw-Pz4Awb_PO5Q-ymNHOxA9DG9bKM5P3exoNWBS2D3aQCnlqH8PNXdRTnWfe65Howinth6F44/s400/from+hudsongood+dot+com.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Hudson Goods (hudsongoods.com)</td></tr>
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I also recently purchased an antique, German apple picking basket. It's in my husband's bathroom, and I use it to store his towels. I roll the towels, and it's actually a pretty way to display something needful. <br />
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Another one of my favorites is in our family room holding all of my magazines. And I have others. I am just waiting to try to decide what I can use them to hold or display.<br />
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And there will be more. In fact, I just can't seem to help myself when I see one for sale. I have found a terrific place for finding old wire baskets and other special vintage finds. If you have a fetish like me, I promise you it will be well worth your time to visit <a href="http://stores.homestead.com/hudsongoods/StoreFront.bok" target="_blank">Hudson Goods</a>. Be impressed. This is a wonderful place!<br />
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Would love to hear about how others use their fantastic wire baskets! <br />
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Happy Tuesday!<br />
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</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-26594908110417218782012-02-01T16:35:00.000-06:002012-02-01T16:35:10.685-06:00Books by Lamp Light?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfQufQ6FFZsLiemVW84nLrfUYHUEu6aCQ0lDdJDoIhDWUMV4_caNJ_s5Yi48xqJd6QKv1Xw_FATIA90z7_G6Iv_4pw6bH7UBq4U3OOzu-YOa702R7CNNXfPaXNhSYGDC5W8Wvf6h9wNvm/s1600/DanMade_Lamp-Beauty_s3x4_lg+HGTV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfQufQ6FFZsLiemVW84nLrfUYHUEu6aCQ0lDdJDoIhDWUMV4_caNJ_s5Yi48xqJd6QKv1Xw_FATIA90z7_G6Iv_4pw6bH7UBq4U3OOzu-YOa702R7CNNXfPaXNhSYGDC5W8Wvf6h9wNvm/s640/DanMade_Lamp-Beauty_s3x4_lg+HGTV.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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I saw this on the HGTV website and fell in love with it. I have a similar lamp that I purchased a couple of years ago at a craft fair, but I ADORE the shade on this one...or the lack thereof. It seems to be an old, wire apple-picking basket. HGTV has even offered instructions on how to make this cutie. Click <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/accessories/stacked-books-table-lamp/index.html" target="_blank">here</a> for a visit.<br />
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Enjoy!</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-87701373811076059512011-07-27T14:51:00.001-05:002011-07-27T14:56:47.167-05:00Antique Glass Insulators<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigESAJF7SxKcZKoYseWvdr3GJROaJAdWMHLpQwgJijMrCT-ihAoud0QVwdXM-huccoOt3SZSt8TdA-OBrOgHTd5pfMWvQlWRKD2WbfG0dulSrj8Bcb1v2duXnygFZ2FiVzexkhyphenhyphenBmf14Fx/s1600/antique+insulators.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigESAJF7SxKcZKoYseWvdr3GJROaJAdWMHLpQwgJijMrCT-ihAoud0QVwdXM-huccoOt3SZSt8TdA-OBrOgHTd5pfMWvQlWRKD2WbfG0dulSrj8Bcb1v2duXnygFZ2FiVzexkhyphenhyphenBmf14Fx/s400/antique+insulators.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Patrick Conn, PCONN, Flickr, "Around the House."</span></td></tr>
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<div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> My grandfather was a collector. He collected everything from old tobacco cutters, to antique scales, to toy metal cars to coal company script. One of his favorite things to collect was antique glass insulators. A few years ago, my grandmother took me out to her old barn, showed me an old crate full of glass insulators, and told me they had belonged to my Grandfather...and now I could have them. My "Granddaddy" was adored by my brother and me, so to inherit anything that had been important to him was a thrill for me. They were dirty and heavy, but I somehow managed to heave the crate and its contents to my old car. I still have all these old insulators, and every time I see them, they bring a smile to my face. I have no idea WHAT to do with them, but they make me smile nonetheless. </div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mOgRBgnj-AwXXSPulim_zBg_VTBiekJWX_tNEji7XlSkaRgUZ2gWDwl4AcjTuKMkDY95URS1GGdNG5OZCmKg625sPzw35HD8JrOe7kMXe7D_Z5IjBdTsR1BN7dFoMadPbh2iRQMqWeAV/s1600/insulators+j+green+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mOgRBgnj-AwXXSPulim_zBg_VTBiekJWX_tNEji7XlSkaRgUZ2gWDwl4AcjTuKMkDY95URS1GGdNG5OZCmKg625sPzw35HD8JrOe7kMXe7D_Z5IjBdTsR1BN7dFoMadPbh2iRQMqWeAV/s400/insulators+j+green+2.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_tlfy9o="1283" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Julie Green, DestinyCaptured, Flickr</span></td></tr>
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<div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My husband has encouraged me to get rid of them. I don't think I could do that. These pieces of glass are a part of history. Some glass insulators were made as early as the 1850's and used for telegraph lines. Later, they were used for telephone and power lines. Imagine all the communications that have passed by these little treasures! If only THEY could talk! </div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td closure_uid_tlfy9o="1435" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6v9vZ1nOgiTqrUWF9gJCkWViEoKFL7FNXwYBgBmxFtmbIAhTGb_02gd0pIbRR3ZXJIC22aXbGbA3JomDr4L6cWNjhIVdV7QnjYZoXQpg7r_0Wp1WtV6Rfp7u_1Cla7LCp58dHrNik4YHw/s1600/Boston+1890%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6v9vZ1nOgiTqrUWF9gJCkWViEoKFL7FNXwYBgBmxFtmbIAhTGb_02gd0pIbRR3ZXJIC22aXbGbA3JomDr4L6cWNjhIVdV7QnjYZoXQpg7r_0Wp1WtV6Rfp7u_1Cla7LCp58dHrNik4YHw/s640/Boston+1890%2527s.jpg" t$="true" width="520" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_tlfy9o="1412" style="text-align: center;"><span closure_uid_tlfy9o="1557" style="font-size: x-small;">Boston in the 1860's in front of Old State House. Notice over the tops of the buildings all the old insulators!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZlcdB5vHwY3xtBUx5EgJG5buvqcbfolF8g0cNjTtiYAheoNQIOjkboewAzX2z1hYH3Nqe6pEyj8e7j076xJ0Vz7zkUY-jmIh6KJFdPVL-SSK42MmZYXyHuNmuoK50cdbcmTLFwlREcKu/s1600/Union+Depot+Memphis+TN+1907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZlcdB5vHwY3xtBUx5EgJG5buvqcbfolF8g0cNjTtiYAheoNQIOjkboewAzX2z1hYH3Nqe6pEyj8e7j076xJ0Vz7zkUY-jmIh6KJFdPVL-SSK42MmZYXyHuNmuoK50cdbcmTLFwlREcKu/s400/Union+Depot+Memphis+TN+1907.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memphis, Tennessee, 1907, Union Depot. Wow...look at all the poles and all those insulators!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbLLKoxqxBwyl2vnYjsgMW96kLATOkG9AJ47EZoYhhIJnAtT0aYjMvMC8XHHkIc26k0gB5n5Sov_FbEstWnTclGP5s1PEudYarTzTvA0rfW4DC62R9wYPT2YB0C2LaBmQKrJ-DAkqJXGQ/s1600/Louisville+KY+1906+Fourth+and+Main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbLLKoxqxBwyl2vnYjsgMW96kLATOkG9AJ47EZoYhhIJnAtT0aYjMvMC8XHHkIc26k0gB5n5Sov_FbEstWnTclGP5s1PEudYarTzTvA0rfW4DC62R9wYPT2YB0C2LaBmQKrJ-DAkqJXGQ/s400/Louisville+KY+1906+Fourth+and+Main.jpg" t$="true" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_tlfy9o="1715" style="text-align: center;">Louisville, Kentucky, 1906, Corner of Fourth and Main. Here's a nice closeup of a pole with insulators...many, many insulators!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDt3Vnr72B6F8bWq3slgY8cMNHwujPUPhNFlVvTtbxeRWL5jdqZWVzKjfIi5Nqr1ZbY1rDW0i2iTWf_Dx_qTUn-wv-APdVBiZcyU66inx1oEI7De7uXofvUiK3M4qRWMwXggebBiFdNde/s1600/Hemingray+Ad+1926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDt3Vnr72B6F8bWq3slgY8cMNHwujPUPhNFlVvTtbxeRWL5jdqZWVzKjfIi5Nqr1ZbY1rDW0i2iTWf_Dx_qTUn-wv-APdVBiZcyU66inx1oEI7De7uXofvUiK3M4qRWMwXggebBiFdNde/s400/Hemingray+Ad+1926.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hemingray Advertisement, 1926</td></tr>
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</div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In an attempt to find a creative way to display my antique glass insulators, I discovered on the internet an absolutely WONDERFUL idea! Pendant lights made from glass insulators! Below is a photograph of those listed on <em>Remodelista.com. </em>Aren't they FABULOUS? Now I won't rest until I can find someone who can turn my Granddaddy's old insulator collection into pendent lights for our house.</div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" closure_uid_tlfy9o="1551" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8_Ucd6vU_BIHQyT6rwQzpJWBja3llr3vZLIHp68oRxG5jYLWQgL_PVfh6jBm8CliOCX9ZzQ5OBJw4l2Xj-AaezvLRnjzJ9MVwQKFDVM_t5uedHHqm_ttS6tDk8_7mbjPqLnzRUmluOcN/s1600/insulator+pendants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8_Ucd6vU_BIHQyT6rwQzpJWBja3llr3vZLIHp68oRxG5jYLWQgL_PVfh6jBm8CliOCX9ZzQ5OBJw4l2Xj-AaezvLRnjzJ9MVwQKFDVM_t5uedHHqm_ttS6tDk8_7mbjPqLnzRUmluOcN/s400/insulator+pendants.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_iykbs1="137">I am looking for other interesting things to do with these little pieces of glass. If anyone has any ideas, I would truly appreciate you sharing them here. I would love to find creative and wonderful ways of displaying these sentimental collectibles. </div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong>Emeralds in the Sky</strong></div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="1466" style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A booming train derailed the silent night </div><div style="text-align: center;">The fallen poles in skins of moss unroll </div><div style="text-align: center;">A trains conductor pounding rails in-flight </div><div style="text-align: center;">Around the glass, and through the wires control</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The rare conductors weren't common names </div><div style="text-align: center;">Those colored jewels, emeralds in the sky </div><div style="text-align: center;">Atop the threaded perch, flamboyant flames </div><div style="text-align: center;">Where mustard yeller insulators spy </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A million miles of wire across this land </div><div style="text-align: center;">Converting sounds from golden amber girls </div><div style="text-align: center;">To ears of purple ponies on demand </div><div style="text-align: center;">With pleated skirts a dancing dancer whirls</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The hemingrays beside the lost zicme </div><div style="text-align: center;">Between the poles a catenaries sag </div><div style="text-align: center;">Our saddened faces watch a crosses plea </div><div style="text-align: center;">In piles of poles and crosses, raise the flag </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Memories wonder through our minds of glass </div><div style="text-align: center;">Our crystal balls of color now amass </div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="1475" style="text-align: center;">In homes of those who wonder why, and as </div><div style="text-align: center;">Memories never fading from our eyes </div><div style="text-align: center;">Our minds release the emeralds to the skies.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="1468" style="text-align: center;">~Wesley Willis, 2007</div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="1476"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_tlfy9o="1476">Happy end-of-July,</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"></div></div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-88747513885730995082011-07-19T12:55:00.001-05:002011-07-19T12:59:31.646-05:00Mommyhood<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I am ashamed at how neglected my blog has become over the last few months. While I have missed blogging desperately and thought of it often, I have had a good excuse for being MIA in Blogdom. I thought I would post a few photographs of the number one reason why I had to take a hiatus from blogging for a few months. I promise...it's a good one! :-)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiT49E1fAdzlIX8gjGKkJy5jc_aXU8OHIKaX5cUR14uzWl7pj2vLDsHcYEai82jB10ekrNa2BwemhKidNZfAez_NkUOZd5649d0nZSs3tRyaGE_Ejnv1q_0AAy4cTxZQDMelEMhgyttVh/s320/Drew+%2526+Carrots.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My precious son vs. The Carrots. Guess who won?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="271" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBj5OjjtK1de8JuPzUortMpowwA51TROW_85UZNdLtq1cWLiVLv3TXR7uYq_pAjShAp_zZBZurP9244mKLb2OeAv7UM_XNXnCg__GBRSD3MirwRjiQKAV9xRKXY8eys-OcE10ax9Yo9X0X/s320/Drew+%2526+Max.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet son with his brother, Max. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiC36Gp7NBRA979PHWNbqbHmlr9Gi_paAxWjTPRU09dPfRd5ipt_qMbF3aryaMUHoP-FQKHuBAojjaia6xO09wR_TiSh080kouC-tvGsD9Lh8bmaBQXQ9GsaknXXCCY1RdDZCCR2iIX1e/s1600/drew5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiC36Gp7NBRA979PHWNbqbHmlr9Gi_paAxWjTPRU09dPfRd5ipt_qMbF3aryaMUHoP-FQKHuBAojjaia6xO09wR_TiSh080kouC-tvGsD9Lh8bmaBQXQ9GsaknXXCCY1RdDZCCR2iIX1e/s320/drew5.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First trip to the park. Guess who's a fan of the swings?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cQiKk2RUHngvUan8EeUszLv7ivdLmSrdvDeydJCdnAzDJDQVO8vWSMLo9VcJPRCOHhMZSVamYw63cVfBFE_XVqh_GJqSQ7mw2LoFtuQ9apE8ggYnTMUWm1vOrpgKIEl3F9WdJwwnT8Qx/s1600/Drew+%2526+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cQiKk2RUHngvUan8EeUszLv7ivdLmSrdvDeydJCdnAzDJDQVO8vWSMLo9VcJPRCOHhMZSVamYw63cVfBFE_XVqh_GJqSQ7mw2LoFtuQ9apE8ggYnTMUWm1vOrpgKIEl3F9WdJwwnT8Qx/s320/Drew+%2526+Cake.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating a milestone birthday! My baby turned 1!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTr4jNvnDYJdbnePXreqangkyg5EPB94agyCPJeMSom7guYjyOQ857kbITBPW4gqHbPVVtLR2lgze56-jK5RotXHoSqVxtN2UkpA-9tGkZJRxA0jBTIuXF_aIBwHcXn9tSggLnXI1CNf5/s1600/Drew+%2526+Car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTr4jNvnDYJdbnePXreqangkyg5EPB94agyCPJeMSom7guYjyOQ857kbITBPW4gqHbPVVtLR2lgze56-jK5RotXHoSqVxtN2UkpA-9tGkZJRxA0jBTIuXF_aIBwHcXn9tSggLnXI1CNf5/s320/Drew+%2526+Car.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First vacation: Headed to Florida to visit his great-grandparents and other family members!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfnf_xUekCTpk1gs1DXTzjmCnKpzrC1Bj2CGTC4IEO_WO0haH-bEBQrlUP0fi8aFHYRfy9MzFJpei5NbWAdY_mcM7AbRbNrrSvqMNXk9dGFcWL-Fd17gGjcsCrFWmVbPkm6CbyLOpQhTS/s1600/Drew+%2526+Baptismal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfnf_xUekCTpk1gs1DXTzjmCnKpzrC1Bj2CGTC4IEO_WO0haH-bEBQrlUP0fi8aFHYRfy9MzFJpei5NbWAdY_mcM7AbRbNrrSvqMNXk9dGFcWL-Fd17gGjcsCrFWmVbPkm6CbyLOpQhTS/s320/Drew+%2526+Baptismal.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Sweet Boy was baptised, and afterward, he played in the Holy Water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTbF8kIDC3CZOth-mleW8OM6ErMgJnLl8ZRc6gdkdL7Nga7jUE8xSl3E6yW55XxxTymtd9ruSQ8MNFlHTSnrhtUzKO-nn9NTc83-6BHRFf9SZEMlsyp43ewn6Eb2f8bna7-OkDJceHw5e/s1600/Drew+%2526+Holy+Water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTbF8kIDC3CZOth-mleW8OM6ErMgJnLl8ZRc6gdkdL7Nga7jUE8xSl3E6yW55XxxTymtd9ruSQ8MNFlHTSnrhtUzKO-nn9NTc83-6BHRFf9SZEMlsyp43ewn6Eb2f8bna7-OkDJceHw5e/s320/Drew+%2526+Holy+Water.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then he drank it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_boNRL3ASGSOBEzz3-Ulm1hnz7uJbSM21OlCj2hqWRcVQpZ8wXFI24vYIZRWvEO1-KC9ptn16Ig54PDlBKGba0_cDVeCTLTYM98ZCPIL4YslJMOZFs6g14n1UYDYcyOPvBzDJ0MgSk3M/s1600/Drew+%2526+Box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_boNRL3ASGSOBEzz3-Ulm1hnz7uJbSM21OlCj2hqWRcVQpZ8wXFI24vYIZRWvEO1-KC9ptn16Ig54PDlBKGba0_cDVeCTLTYM98ZCPIL4YslJMOZFs6g14n1UYDYcyOPvBzDJ0MgSk3M/s320/Drew+%2526+Box.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing in the toy box...uh huh....IN the toy box.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKX-s_vaGnG3cCKVx_o8fGGYP2jmBCUnXefxPUF-BMMY8E9Fn1x33ROkyeu8X09liCp4bcPyrP3R4NN8U8LdSZTgNkaam3Oo7o0y28PxBRTzmWd2CIy1ttvCdPSWJONsHxrQwkxF6rSW3q/s1600/Drew+%2526+Box2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKX-s_vaGnG3cCKVx_o8fGGYP2jmBCUnXefxPUF-BMMY8E9Fn1x33ROkyeu8X09liCp4bcPyrP3R4NN8U8LdSZTgNkaam3Oo7o0y28PxBRTzmWd2CIy1ttvCdPSWJONsHxrQwkxF6rSW3q/s320/Drew+%2526+Box2.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And climbing OUT of the toy box (and back IN and back OUT and back IN...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O9ewPaAd1LERI0szROlkYq5LCqt3oZrucOleD3FK4NdTVo4Ea6RecYv6_Y34SsO4jB6uxQPSsxpUL7_jrTFtkqFk6BeLcICYvL0dFU4HHLmhddQePeAuBpB-TK3uJ3ZFXr0urrlAlnqB/s1600/Drew+%2526+Mouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O9ewPaAd1LERI0szROlkYq5LCqt3oZrucOleD3FK4NdTVo4Ea6RecYv6_Y34SsO4jB6uxQPSsxpUL7_jrTFtkqFk6BeLcICYvL0dFU4HHLmhddQePeAuBpB-TK3uJ3ZFXr0urrlAlnqB/s320/Drew+%2526+Mouth.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing off his sweet side. Not! :-) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOrlCDE7zov5_hremZYA93CHGqJ0ujHOmTnB77XVjBxEA5krScdyc8_ex6K6MNqLpI9pRw3cBJuPOWdMDECLfaE7hqBuJIueOFbm810lfHrzqHE3SsIeKZ-nrpgqFAGUxJ_IOEJR0v35A/s1600/Drew+%2526+Remotes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOrlCDE7zov5_hremZYA93CHGqJ0ujHOmTnB77XVjBxEA5krScdyc8_ex6K6MNqLpI9pRw3cBJuPOWdMDECLfaE7hqBuJIueOFbm810lfHrzqHE3SsIeKZ-nrpgqFAGUxJ_IOEJR0v35A/s320/Drew+%2526+Remotes.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Developing a keen interest in remote controls...just like Daddy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUQS2uumjKzsFVcDqbCTtP5qwd9-fdaIuMs7Y80tOVvDlH6bYbisVVFqS6WeHFmfCOq_XWxJjNiABrcWk6OorQC-bFQk6NitTrFvNYvWmOn3ftGAyWdA9ae7Kp3ZrVgfBA7oxDbDwpA73/s1600/Drew+%2526+Smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUQS2uumjKzsFVcDqbCTtP5qwd9-fdaIuMs7Y80tOVvDlH6bYbisVVFqS6WeHFmfCOq_XWxJjNiABrcWk6OorQC-bFQk6NitTrFvNYvWmOn3ftGAyWdA9ae7Kp3ZrVgfBA7oxDbDwpA73/s320/Drew+%2526+Smile.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And capturing his Mommy's heart with that sweet smile.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKTv7KTxlO0RwTIdl8317cX66Sk_Anm7DJE7r8c1fDUBN83ntaiFYUGZ7vtS47hWWSRfaz4iEor2vcY5J614mjzbB0uAnvZ-veOXm0gagl9Dq_lYOQh4KER3bsZ-YYAeK1e7l6tSlsL6A/s1600/Drew+Angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKTv7KTxlO0RwTIdl8317cX66Sk_Anm7DJE7r8c1fDUBN83ntaiFYUGZ7vtS47hWWSRfaz4iEor2vcY5J614mjzbB0uAnvZ-veOXm0gagl9Dq_lYOQh4KER3bsZ-YYAeK1e7l6tSlsL6A/s320/Drew+Angel.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Angel</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> It's been a busy, busy, busy few months! And it's STILL busy, but we're managing to get the hang of this parenting thing. Finally. We have even been able to develop a schedule of sorts that allows us a little "us" time to do the things that we need to do. Some things that are necessary to live. Some things that are necessary for our sanity. My blog falls in the latter category. :-) Yea, me time! When the baby drifts off to sleep, I plan to sneak downstairs to blog a bit. It may not be every day...but it will at least be once a week! :-)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Mommyhood is WONDERFUL...but WOW! I feel as though I am chasing my tail half the time...running in circles, trying to keep my head above the tidal wave of tasks and responsibilities to keep from drowning in them. Actually, I'm loving every minute of being a Mommy. And after a year and three months of it, I know why so many Mommies told me so many months ago, "Dont' forget to make a little time for yourself." They were so right. That time may come at 9:00 at night after the baby has fallen asleep...but it WILL come. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">How do you other Mommies manage to keep up with all those activities associated with being a mommy and still carve out a little times for yourselves? If there are any great secrets, I sure wish someone would share them with me. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Blissfully happy (albeit a little tired),</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-54361894617743491952011-05-03T11:55:00.005-05:002011-05-03T12:27:15.678-05:00Our backyard space...and my little bunny<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqUNCDkuF1735Lq2ls_nfx5rveXOf2jqB9_KsTELGJXRozG_P9ofE4o9Z2EFPi-U8CsBgPjZtEMbYNL8FsYRIEwLo1-Soog12volbkY4WjY0mC7R6yh1EP8shuq9RwbWEK6IllsVgb5T-/s1600/easterdrew4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqUNCDkuF1735Lq2ls_nfx5rveXOf2jqB9_KsTELGJXRozG_P9ofE4o9Z2EFPi-U8CsBgPjZtEMbYNL8FsYRIEwLo1-Soog12volbkY4WjY0mC7R6yh1EP8shuq9RwbWEK6IllsVgb5T-/s400/easterdrew4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
We had a beautiful Easter weekend! It was our precious boy's first birthday, so it was doubly special for us this year! The yard was so green and so full of life, and I took what must have been hundreds of pictures. We also enjoyed our back porch for the first time this spring. It's in desperate need of a coat of paint, but we love lounging out there looking at all the greenery and flowers. Thought I'd share a few of our pictures here. Isn't my sweet baby boy just darling?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5ehN4_qFqcnDyUpS_fndul3TJs30kjCnuv7lzyWf3eBO6qoj5NB5O8mP6UTJek3_0JB7o1H6uAjxv3IMFrMJ7KsejlGlPYjTKiIzcOGeT5tYJowWuTJ72QEr7PW7ZITG7vEa7zLtzYM0/s1600/floweregg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5ehN4_qFqcnDyUpS_fndul3TJs30kjCnuv7lzyWf3eBO6qoj5NB5O8mP6UTJek3_0JB7o1H6uAjxv3IMFrMJ7KsejlGlPYjTKiIzcOGeT5tYJowWuTJ72QEr7PW7ZITG7vEa7zLtzYM0/s400/floweregg.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Easter Bunny had been very busy hiding Easter eggs in our yard!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfwl4R694Kd9Ne0GTkmvRrplzWcIU4O2YGSFZAd42Y2cYKXFdARlMrS4YD8uTJEhXEHHaGTcJNveDTxpwaB4KES32n2Q7ut8ZYA1kZKiR3mwHq7cN0UF0XDrrfKNDETCOF0Oat48IApTu/s1600/egghand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfwl4R694Kd9Ne0GTkmvRrplzWcIU4O2YGSFZAd42Y2cYKXFdARlMrS4YD8uTJEhXEHHaGTcJNveDTxpwaB4KES32n2Q7ut8ZYA1kZKiR3mwHq7cN0UF0XDrrfKNDETCOF0Oat48IApTu/s400/egghand.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And they were placed ever so cleverly...just so little hands could pick them up and add them to Easter baskets.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAnmNGozsXYMOrvUemS4rUiYPX6LZqMg4WncZ1fsZ0clMAeyNXXRypO3MU3hmP2vXX8qTlJbQjHQ6VbNer3u8B0F_wAW4OcsbNnWTxJdxcamAALe_L3fCyY7XbhLHDYNPUJKG_MONDs52/s1600/backporch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAnmNGozsXYMOrvUemS4rUiYPX6LZqMg4WncZ1fsZ0clMAeyNXXRypO3MU3hmP2vXX8qTlJbQjHQ6VbNer3u8B0F_wAW4OcsbNnWTxJdxcamAALe_L3fCyY7XbhLHDYNPUJKG_MONDs52/s400/backporch.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends and family enjoying the back porch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72fisFhqEco2NDan_Gz9C0WZd5Z5uIew-HeuwIwFdaKUUvrAqVSOLF07Uu207feqZeV4hQDnKMXOSX9hFviNk_3LNMlzNyAgHR84H5p_kZkBaXbytFf1RRd-awqexBk5hDFkYBGsJvfeP/s1600/backporch1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72fisFhqEco2NDan_Gz9C0WZd5Z5uIew-HeuwIwFdaKUUvrAqVSOLF07Uu207feqZeV4hQDnKMXOSX9hFviNk_3LNMlzNyAgHR84H5p_kZkBaXbytFf1RRd-awqexBk5hDFkYBGsJvfeP/s400/backporch1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have plenty of places to lounge. Molly is enjoying her favorite place at the edge of the porch near the steps.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9xwe3lBuz-x8-7J0oPoqiY040MOdXfzgPs8Z-EAfCdq7DgjooqeE3F7qzwYMCpRcbSuxMdc0UHs375DTB30SqXMjH9BvuxRhJUcvwHbRwlKAPRpIFCmHRLucLd7ASB9GWrtZR0Rbfv-w/s1600/backporch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9xwe3lBuz-x8-7J0oPoqiY040MOdXfzgPs8Z-EAfCdq7DgjooqeE3F7qzwYMCpRcbSuxMdc0UHs375DTB30SqXMjH9BvuxRhJUcvwHbRwlKAPRpIFCmHRLucLd7ASB9GWrtZR0Rbfv-w/s400/backporch2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My personal favorite place to sit with a good book.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSMvn9ZVydbN7vGKpUOeGcuGcqUfEQo_w2A-A-UnuCpbH-uEymn_e2_Igon_LTX2oKKp_Th5Mluct_2PiRE1VZFPf2KUIy4vFtmjH7I3PuE1CfvZeHchID_1GOjEnLkZxNEr9Zi59KoH2/s1600/backporch3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSMvn9ZVydbN7vGKpUOeGcuGcqUfEQo_w2A-A-UnuCpbH-uEymn_e2_Igon_LTX2oKKp_Th5Mluct_2PiRE1VZFPf2KUIy4vFtmjH7I3PuE1CfvZeHchID_1GOjEnLkZxNEr9Zi59KoH2/s400/backporch3.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love having this little place outside my kitchen door - a great place to enjoy coffee or a cup of tea.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KtqmFGbmJxxgbC-ySpFJtZs6YDy0vcTW9GXYkGFo0oPZ0waCU8pu64i9RpClT032hiVCvN-FYKE8hbVkMZmBTh2TEKujA6cuR1412JTISZyCrCGYvZCkeyLFh6nTc3pfcrZyWdVEr8MX/s1600/clematis1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KtqmFGbmJxxgbC-ySpFJtZs6YDy0vcTW9GXYkGFo0oPZ0waCU8pu64i9RpClT032hiVCvN-FYKE8hbVkMZmBTh2TEKujA6cuR1412JTISZyCrCGYvZCkeyLFh6nTc3pfcrZyWdVEr8MX/s400/clematis1.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My gorgeous clematis vine is outdoing itself this year!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1mW0V9Fg3uH1sg9J9tbBRsmx0ZRus7YvxVeKs7vVZZ4juPuWpceSGso9RlTcbrHgFi0tjL7mOEEEBTjgc8EwJLinbxmmrtvBlHIfv4VwXH-pZQ_WfXqq29uBsuGEu9uzzSAhfittyOva/s1600/clematis2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1mW0V9Fg3uH1sg9J9tbBRsmx0ZRus7YvxVeKs7vVZZ4juPuWpceSGso9RlTcbrHgFi0tjL7mOEEEBTjgc8EwJLinbxmmrtvBlHIfv4VwXH-pZQ_WfXqq29uBsuGEu9uzzSAhfittyOva/s400/clematis2.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These blooms are huge...breathtaking!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RB9nzgNO5G9dCgA_QdlKs92K2BBSMBW1z4SZO2nI9xfmLwOyYVqmpf3S4EOcmZ1aXhZ5ysY00k-7NxeOWDQZD2W7JzUX5YesxiwDQxlv7wzRK0pxzioFiBCSFAdh-_0gs1Hw9zF5V4hO/s1600/clematis.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RB9nzgNO5G9dCgA_QdlKs92K2BBSMBW1z4SZO2nI9xfmLwOyYVqmpf3S4EOcmZ1aXhZ5ysY00k-7NxeOWDQZD2W7JzUX5YesxiwDQxlv7wzRK0pxzioFiBCSFAdh-_0gs1Hw9zF5V4hO/s400/clematis.bmp" width="265" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqPrVc0pfkZw3fqAvFoUGKYHBCSKN-msk5bv7mwMJA5pHDPTQ_nms8htxliiXrG-hcHpw_YMuLJq4iRM0LGZkA2Nh-prPGOCQpyZEqej5DJI26K6TXUfCe3BpS0FQFSsGPqYw_fYEztN8/s1600/easterdrew1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqPrVc0pfkZw3fqAvFoUGKYHBCSKN-msk5bv7mwMJA5pHDPTQ_nms8htxliiXrG-hcHpw_YMuLJq4iRM0LGZkA2Nh-prPGOCQpyZEqej5DJI26K6TXUfCe3BpS0FQFSsGPqYw_fYEztN8/s400/easterdrew1.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our sweet boy enjoying his time in the yard. He hasn't decided yet if he likes the prickly grass.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtmQCs5uNVW6mSLn0Wfu11d6d0aaL882bS6IbFCVN2v9J1adZyKi7tY_Hw9XQJ4gXQl5ZzC7YLmxZFHvjIMfJrfvjF4CslU4nRJmBTrz_KY60x3jrqHoXEH_3-NBRvpUo63lIuqOb3sxR/s1600/easterdrew2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtmQCs5uNVW6mSLn0Wfu11d6d0aaL882bS6IbFCVN2v9J1adZyKi7tY_Hw9XQJ4gXQl5ZzC7YLmxZFHvjIMfJrfvjF4CslU4nRJmBTrz_KY60x3jrqHoXEH_3-NBRvpUo63lIuqOb3sxR/s400/easterdrew2.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our baby, with the help of Daddy, found so many Easter eggs!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ1oh4ZZ5oJ0_R9E5MIuDaREAtpcr_3mYeqJH3luo89bMXhnU4irdRNoHa31xC8TfAQ_zwH0P9-aGL00yFdPoZzyuAG_cCq9A43a6UVwxdwXHCHg3RBQlLu4fK2SsRyNoheC1ombYLiRZ/s1600/easterdrew3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ1oh4ZZ5oJ0_R9E5MIuDaREAtpcr_3mYeqJH3luo89bMXhnU4irdRNoHa31xC8TfAQ_zwH0P9-aGL00yFdPoZzyuAG_cCq9A43a6UVwxdwXHCHg3RBQlLu4fK2SsRyNoheC1ombYLiRZ/s400/easterdrew3.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I like the orange ones best, Mama!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-ErmdNhA25bZc69emveaiPK5i8XM0PQ2e50uNQFzWM3YxcqbhCdS0kVgaBT6zaA-lGkm0UuUliurYJgyVEfLed48guj8rFMpQIcwIfEVyexxbmtzga1lSEHx_OqhpJnNEVFWvVOM6xWp/s1600/easterdrew5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-ErmdNhA25bZc69emveaiPK5i8XM0PQ2e50uNQFzWM3YxcqbhCdS0kVgaBT6zaA-lGkm0UuUliurYJgyVEfLed48guj8rFMpQIcwIfEVyexxbmtzga1lSEHx_OqhpJnNEVFWvVOM6xWp/s400/easterdrew5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A smile that melts his Mama's heart.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPYZR2cInHxOmsWMgy8xiR0rVCzLIcSvp05U7jVXUc_vKv8kiLuET_hjwoxo-w9wON8hcQLuoCPrVT-3FJ_yItQSckOfUFUW6f8CPQgAfryYixw7BCmH5rPh8COra_LOC1dmjkSXVucaZ/s1600/easterdrew6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPYZR2cInHxOmsWMgy8xiR0rVCzLIcSvp05U7jVXUc_vKv8kiLuET_hjwoxo-w9wON8hcQLuoCPrVT-3FJ_yItQSckOfUFUW6f8CPQgAfryYixw7BCmH5rPh8COra_LOC1dmjkSXVucaZ/s400/easterdrew6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beatiful baby boy - my joy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqkHNi9W6c1w0a4vf7A2xJGSsU3TarWdakZiPrW_KhvOZxp09OgBqTJQ7KARpb2a1pJ9VnSG8ugku0vjmTtyU_xjPxYqpjcROTyS-smxNVNf4Oc5n3PIBgJ_ZCBXr6U1cl_cMY-aOvybV/s1600/rickydrewmich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqkHNi9W6c1w0a4vf7A2xJGSsU3TarWdakZiPrW_KhvOZxp09OgBqTJQ7KARpb2a1pJ9VnSG8ugku0vjmTtyU_xjPxYqpjcROTyS-smxNVNf4Oc5n3PIBgJ_ZCBXr6U1cl_cMY-aOvybV/s400/rickydrewmich.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They look as if they may be discussing where that Clever Easter Bunny hid more eggs....such a serious discussion.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAc1TUlNA3j-Ag3c_pLeFoItdV1ZF1Ak-aJ93213MkZXm2thUsQ27sutftbdUdzPCocFrI5tZ35qI77Sq4ePeOUzNtuweiVg5KE4ofqjms-GsuCu6cKVnS_3BehSrzQGz0H9_lLucM8Oi/s1600/sidehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAc1TUlNA3j-Ag3c_pLeFoItdV1ZF1Ak-aJ93213MkZXm2thUsQ27sutftbdUdzPCocFrI5tZ35qI77Sq4ePeOUzNtuweiVg5KE4ofqjms-GsuCu6cKVnS_3BehSrzQGz0H9_lLucM8Oi/s400/sidehouse.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The side of our house with a view of the old well and our precious boy's new firetruck. Ah, such sweet yard decor that is!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Hope you're enjoying your spring days soaking up the sunshine in your own yard. We are anxiously awaiting the peonies' bloom! So, stay tuned for more photos!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy spring!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-87944464030317550582011-04-21T14:05:00.002-05:002011-04-22T14:57:35.770-05:00In Your Easter Bonnet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUX__vXLlSmjZJTsJp05M8cHAgejTxBVZaSZPM5bUD01pFmcup9tVRCGJ7_tNHmNxHRI92CvkC8vqi8CmK4SgDHg9tHoqMNxDEHi7Jnx2RyPEoi2TPdKljFr3vPyc4FmsPVTazRRHoE21D/s1600/Easter+Parade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUX__vXLlSmjZJTsJp05M8cHAgejTxBVZaSZPM5bUD01pFmcup9tVRCGJ7_tNHmNxHRI92CvkC8vqi8CmK4SgDHg9tHoqMNxDEHi7Jnx2RyPEoi2TPdKljFr3vPyc4FmsPVTazRRHoE21D/s640/Easter+Parade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in <em>Easter Parade</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,<br />
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.<br />
I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,<br />
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.<br />
On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us,<br />
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.<br />
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,<br />
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.<br />
~Irving Berlin<br />
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Easter ushers in the season of rebirth and renewal...a celebration of the resurrection of nature and, most importantly, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Growing up in a wonderful, Christian home, the Easter Sundays of my childhood are some of my fondest memories. As a young child, I may not have fully understood the significance of the day, but I knew enough to understand it was a celebration of Jesus and His sacrifice for us. It was also a day to be with family, to feast on wonderful, traditional food, to get dressed up in new, spring colored clothing, to wear my white shoes for the first time since the end of the previous summer, and to marvel at the brightly colored Easter eggs and all the wonderful chocolate treats and special gifts my mother and grandmother would place in my Easter basket. My beloved "Granddaddy" would always bring me a beautiful corsage to wear to church, and I could not wait to put it on with my pretty spring dress.<br />
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But one of my favorite things about Easter Sunday (call it the girl in me) was seeing all the beautiful hats the ladies of the church would wear on that special day! My grandmother always had beautiful hats and gloves to wear to church, but on Easter Sunday, she would always wear something extra special. This may have been the origin of my fascination with hats and, especially, Easter Bonnets.<br />
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As long as I can remember, I have loved hats - so much so, that I have a collection of beautiful, vintage hats displayed on a coat stand in my home. I have many others in boxes in closets or displayed in the top of a Victorian trunk in one of my guest rooms. I adore them. If I could get by with it, I would enjoy wearing a hat every day! <br />
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Easter bonnets are top of the list for me as far as hats go...right up there with the beautiful hats women still wear to the Kentucky Derby...but those are for another post. In celebration of the upcoming Easter holiday, here are a few photographs of a few gorgeous Easter Bonnets. Enjoy!<br />
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Have a beautiful day!</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-17823034324394272942011-04-12T09:12:00.001-05:002011-04-12T09:27:00.222-05:00Kitchen Redo - Weeks 1-4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A kitchen remodel is not pretty. Believe me. We are now into week five of our kitchen redo, and I am beginning to wonder if we will survive it. The dust, the lack of water, the inability to cook in my kitchen, and the complete lack of organization (this is my fault completely) is about to drive me over the edge. But at least I can see progress. That's what keeps me going.<br />
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I can't believe I am going to do this, but I am going to share with you the pictures of my mess. I won't sugar coat it. I won't crop out the embarrassing stuff. Here it is: my kitchen remodel...and all the chaos that has gone along with it. Without further ado:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbPp_RK1lKQN4GRSCi8N4TgQ9jQvWEgqcOXZUwuEZXJ9DPpW5OBXEw2VZgB4M-Qu-0GQ8Ts447XBXI75C1389upGVqen9-beyqTP2FEW31-f5zEjlbm_FhfJADa16XQp7jsjarXckn8Vv/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbPp_RK1lKQN4GRSCi8N4TgQ9jQvWEgqcOXZUwuEZXJ9DPpW5OBXEw2VZgB4M-Qu-0GQ8Ts447XBXI75C1389upGVqen9-beyqTP2FEW31-f5zEjlbm_FhfJADa16XQp7jsjarXckn8Vv/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+086.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Here it is. We have moved a lot of the stuff out, in preparation for the workers to come in and tear down the wall that separates the "cooking part" of the kitchen from the "dining part" of the kitchen. I've dreamed for years of having one large space instead of two tiny spaces with no prep area! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEEL4mszScR5C7bmvvp8kjA3xcMBHWCLiRqhI-WK5zjH6VnXltkK0cJPt1xNJZfWcWqUvDpPF24fVpewOU3VeO7nYrClRGY7cyOiYKWIWXNt-mIxrwPUPv5JsZ3BMKgbNrRmeIiihaovv/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEEL4mszScR5C7bmvvp8kjA3xcMBHWCLiRqhI-WK5zjH6VnXltkK0cJPt1xNJZfWcWqUvDpPF24fVpewOU3VeO7nYrClRGY7cyOiYKWIWXNt-mIxrwPUPv5JsZ3BMKgbNrRmeIiihaovv/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+087.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> And here's the wall. Why someone chose to build it there is beyond me. It's not load-bearing, so it really serves no purpose except to close in the cook area from the rest of the room. Problem is, there's absolutely no space to do any prep work. Makes it tough to do much in there!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dTA0iSI5XVN7uKIAtCitjksuc-ogwn39eCrmaBPCSk9kaJwUr7e_KQcUlvv_-y39N6GkgU7Hv4j6gt4jQHecpcGeQe3TviPKfdVatN4xJdSllsLRNbnbN-78MZefpsjhoRE16DcZJ0s_/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dTA0iSI5XVN7uKIAtCitjksuc-ogwn39eCrmaBPCSk9kaJwUr7e_KQcUlvv_-y39N6GkgU7Hv4j6gt4jQHecpcGeQe3TviPKfdVatN4xJdSllsLRNbnbN-78MZefpsjhoRE16DcZJ0s_/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+088.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Another picture of The Great Wall. The door to the left goes outside. Keep in mind as you're viewing these pictures, that this section of the house is the oldest, built sometime in the 1820's.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXd2dZueO_Xtn0_vWKiciOZGlu5Qm-IpTGHa3LUxH45ICuX2uNsGWfHN4h31slcgDFlnS8DdWPMvzZ0KNOmOZ7cNQx_-d0iyIxbMCmbNqEKU8_A47xwLevEyK23OEKG-6TFay-T7GFnkV/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXd2dZueO_Xtn0_vWKiciOZGlu5Qm-IpTGHa3LUxH45ICuX2uNsGWfHN4h31slcgDFlnS8DdWPMvzZ0KNOmOZ7cNQx_-d0iyIxbMCmbNqEKU8_A47xwLevEyK23OEKG-6TFay-T7GFnkV/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+089.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> A view from the eating area into the tiny kitchen area. The door to the right goes through a sort of "butler's pantry" and into the dining room.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5i1GjzO2vtkkJVJgRInOx4bgn5HNn9dGwFcwp8BUtbPXxzj54LCnplDCb4tmSSnIdaLrqXVvbNsOxwAA3jCB6ACRzzZu7Sr4RTv4m_Oho_mZ55LHJ6Z0WRDy_reGSb_E0uRq-gW15poS1/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5i1GjzO2vtkkJVJgRInOx4bgn5HNn9dGwFcwp8BUtbPXxzj54LCnplDCb4tmSSnIdaLrqXVvbNsOxwAA3jCB6ACRzzZu7Sr4RTv4m_Oho_mZ55LHJ6Z0WRDy_reGSb_E0uRq-gW15poS1/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+090.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Can you see why preparing a meal in this kitchen would be difficult at best?! See that tiny sliver of counter space there in the middle? That is the ONLY area to work in here. Honestly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCMs3c5N42tAGNbWA30NT7Jovc6eRwIp2eHciyajWzGPjPHDzLhp0zXi8g1f4tTxhz4ahrB7Ltlz3YSkSrCgkAtNE3aJbwCDIP0St695h-N2yQ45YMiX9vfnlCSjMBFwUqgXqd_MuzOWu/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCMs3c5N42tAGNbWA30NT7Jovc6eRwIp2eHciyajWzGPjPHDzLhp0zXi8g1f4tTxhz4ahrB7Ltlz3YSkSrCgkAtNE3aJbwCDIP0St695h-N2yQ45YMiX9vfnlCSjMBFwUqgXqd_MuzOWu/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+091.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Here's our sink. When the dish drainer is on the left and our flour jars and spice rack is on the right, there's no space remaining for anything else.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25NeAX57v6_Fb7FFW0_t9HXZPyHjfvkGvzZdTcPUiMcO0XTVbYaQdBAvYP3AsbD4zRU-jfZodLq8KDuydr6-l3E0M_IAuxExAULxk6zqES9Wyw7uDaP3NJsxLTcVWw4q9IzyBKcWngMXd/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25NeAX57v6_Fb7FFW0_t9HXZPyHjfvkGvzZdTcPUiMcO0XTVbYaQdBAvYP3AsbD4zRU-jfZodLq8KDuydr6-l3E0M_IAuxExAULxk6zqES9Wyw7uDaP3NJsxLTcVWw4q9IzyBKcWngMXd/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+092.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Another view of the wall that separates the two areas. Grrr.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSISx0uS4YCWhzVlp_t-xLMehI8SQvOS0KPAFePSdyKDz1gTmqgmZJQbvalHj6dmtk3-Zza2Ec-Rx-BPr21OwFDl8eU2oa59o9IM01nYtDYNhvaSHoFi3THEzO83GIsqkN3p56ra1Pu9L/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSISx0uS4YCWhzVlp_t-xLMehI8SQvOS0KPAFePSdyKDz1gTmqgmZJQbvalHj6dmtk3-Zza2Ec-Rx-BPr21OwFDl8eU2oa59o9IM01nYtDYNhvaSHoFi3THEzO83GIsqkN3p56ra1Pu9L/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+093.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Opposite side of the room from the sink. At one time, the door on the right housed an ancient dishwasher. Yes, the dishwasher was located on the opposite side of the room from the sink...in a closet. I can't make things like this up. The pantry is the door on the left behind the fridge.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa6QHFT3VUui67jHyUrPDPSFfZhDNeDRqk_fauw8axDmBgISkCd2FZE8ZflHNPSzLO0i9QdiWy3UhUk_x8YIy6DbCqCbsm2YfaHOqkPZzbHHj7S1RWlfu9LqlNQBKdluVWp9PAdhgbjiF/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa6QHFT3VUui67jHyUrPDPSFfZhDNeDRqk_fauw8axDmBgISkCd2FZE8ZflHNPSzLO0i9QdiWy3UhUk_x8YIy6DbCqCbsm2YfaHOqkPZzbHHj7S1RWlfu9LqlNQBKdluVWp9PAdhgbjiF/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+097.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> After week one, the wallpaper is gone. Michael and I scraped wallpaper for days! Looks a little better, eh?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnHY_mX7LaMQPiVMyK8GVUdBcOeA7RRSq5IkJRNoKW-xdj1zoPDdfW6qQlevvhmIGs24cZXMJzZT50QdAgmoCj5RvI0kuZPGf6U8cWhSYFEP9dGTBvkk2F57UZtkqte9wLaXUODgdXOTo/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnHY_mX7LaMQPiVMyK8GVUdBcOeA7RRSq5IkJRNoKW-xdj1zoPDdfW6qQlevvhmIGs24cZXMJzZT50QdAgmoCj5RvI0kuZPGf6U8cWhSYFEP9dGTBvkk2F57UZtkqte9wLaXUODgdXOTo/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+099.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> The wall is HISTORY! And we extended the counter top from the sink in order to accommodate a dishwasher. Our new counter tops are in at this point, and I've been able to get our island out of storage. Not sure the room is big enough for it, but I desperately need the prep space. Due to structural issues that we didn't realize we would run into, our budget tripled....so we kept the old cabinets, and I decided to try to restore them. I would have loved brand new ones, but ....such is life. At least I have a dishwasher that works!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QIQk-vMa7Lw2GVu8-P7iVBiRKtZWRj1z_uhJMFwaD2ujgBqfBAUa4gJejupWrmlVAZdsfThptwuX7UL4q9-lyYlaXj9toL1iS0Ov7JDpKb04Ffrhb1-bHLq0c-Tq2MPxjbjBEuhUgkbd/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QIQk-vMa7Lw2GVu8-P7iVBiRKtZWRj1z_uhJMFwaD2ujgBqfBAUa4gJejupWrmlVAZdsfThptwuX7UL4q9-lyYlaXj9toL1iS0Ov7JDpKb04Ffrhb1-bHLq0c-Tq2MPxjbjBEuhUgkbd/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+098.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Another view of the room minus the apple wallpaper. We had to work around the table and china cabinet, as I had nowhere to move them!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QurOItp64z8_zelp61QmL0096Dc0eksjOoKf0SEML4TPNqPWDpTTBEZ8hmcoSvR_5OuZQLf8aER4YRqpetqxYkHfpg3uPYLVHLriYZcYTyiQcJt6HbHAbtJFVmWp04qphZU6xpcwKapQ/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QurOItp64z8_zelp61QmL0096Dc0eksjOoKf0SEML4TPNqPWDpTTBEZ8hmcoSvR_5OuZQLf8aER4YRqpetqxYkHfpg3uPYLVHLriYZcYTyiQcJt6HbHAbtJFVmWp04qphZU6xpcwKapQ/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+099.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Half the wallpaper is down in the cooking area, but we still have that pesky strip above the cabinets. You have no idea how difficult this was to get down. We scraped for DAYS.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJurp7uaZspG8kUyCAeUjpn-7Zdo60m0Xgkq_h6HXL6wkLTGz8wkswZmnuRs74b7sfX0A0Phk-4fnhZTJd0BMEJLsiavr7_tboTgcB1b-TFNX1Y-_1yK7lV5PkUeMmh63USUOVsbmikfeZ/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJurp7uaZspG8kUyCAeUjpn-7Zdo60m0Xgkq_h6HXL6wkLTGz8wkswZmnuRs74b7sfX0A0Phk-4fnhZTJd0BMEJLsiavr7_tboTgcB1b-TFNX1Y-_1yK7lV5PkUeMmh63USUOVsbmikfeZ/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+100.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> And the new floor is in! It's so nice! Before, we had half the room in pine and half in ancient linoleum. We're glad to get a cohesive look to the entire space!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3qg_4VeVVwP04bdEA5z5CV0voy7A5QudVedqXDf1YyIe-t5PCtbkvA-qgj60h_ZqqFLvb5IXZsWdE3BBdOa8o4YKwazBnljGm8YEdCM76NmCjltrlIYyQaKnvjFK3sXedOvabmsrDTSp/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3qg_4VeVVwP04bdEA5z5CV0voy7A5QudVedqXDf1YyIe-t5PCtbkvA-qgj60h_ZqqFLvb5IXZsWdE3BBdOa8o4YKwazBnljGm8YEdCM76NmCjltrlIYyQaKnvjFK3sXedOvabmsrDTSp/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+101.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Another view of the dishwasher...my new favorite thing in the entire house! :-)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UHlAc_aUhfFEpLX86bDMoGM0_4ZTjXqYx8PZ8-4RTOX4cd0noIUNOq8xiUuJTYQbtG233ljyT5Pe5GfsajOSZeddDkIoZ4x_N__OLRK6QulK47DcISZFLvFfL03qnkAPShyphenhyphenUMEsJIQbS/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UHlAc_aUhfFEpLX86bDMoGM0_4ZTjXqYx8PZ8-4RTOX4cd0noIUNOq8xiUuJTYQbtG233ljyT5Pe5GfsajOSZeddDkIoZ4x_N__OLRK6QulK47DcISZFLvFfL03qnkAPShyphenhyphenUMEsJIQbS/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+105.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> That wallpaper was IMPOSSIBLE! Here, it decided to take part of the drywall with it when it was stripped. We had to mend these walls...seriously mend.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbq7jxpHVXHoCe3kT_nYnKGPpHc8wGQ-aWqm8khEvWEzZPB2efwuGUgjMU__6s28IKOElHbXCjkpZHXOx-b2ZHRpiKFq6Vltr9_hgpq-336jsiD_XgsynvbUO1egBK8idm4YrhmTveuhMg/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbq7jxpHVXHoCe3kT_nYnKGPpHc8wGQ-aWqm8khEvWEzZPB2efwuGUgjMU__6s28IKOElHbXCjkpZHXOx-b2ZHRpiKFq6Vltr9_hgpq-336jsiD_XgsynvbUO1egBK8idm4YrhmTveuhMg/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+107.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> The new sink is nice...a bit deeper than the old one and not stainless steel....yeah! I wanted one of those fabulous farm house sinks with the apron on it, but I just couldn't afford it. Next best thing: a cast iron sink in white. It's a lovely thing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45dDoRJkmFLQ600W6IijQbzPUlnv4Pl8XEW32j2O9YvJUr3w6tb6CpJUbC78_iSxwEg_D4j1Yq7Ot8wXVEur6olr6QYsEjhOhwiuczHkYDtv5XZGd-CoXt570YfjwrHFNln9MNd1CLC-f/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45dDoRJkmFLQ600W6IijQbzPUlnv4Pl8XEW32j2O9YvJUr3w6tb6CpJUbC78_iSxwEg_D4j1Yq7Ot8wXVEur6olr6QYsEjhOhwiuczHkYDtv5XZGd-CoXt570YfjwrHFNln9MNd1CLC-f/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+108.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Here's looking into the room from in front of the refrigerator. You can see how open it feels. Still haven't made up my mind if the island stays. We'll see how it feels when all is said and done.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPipLojBItcmucr7hyphenhyphenqqJMUbQIyu2QBJtK-6qZbFjzmozI7mWD657gtkUBZT3CGIYl6s9VIFmJz5DTaNasc29MWBRNt0i-v6KYfKUrVH-YO7gz3s2qyF2ECOeL_9Qd3o3U2D3WriCPvAD7/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPipLojBItcmucr7hyphenhyphenqqJMUbQIyu2QBJtK-6qZbFjzmozI7mWD657gtkUBZT3CGIYl6s9VIFmJz5DTaNasc29MWBRNt0i-v6KYfKUrVH-YO7gz3s2qyF2ECOeL_9Qd3o3U2D3WriCPvAD7/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+110.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Here's my DH scraping away at that nasty green wallpaper. Can you tell he's having fun? This is about three weeks into the wallpaper removal. Three. Yes, it took us that long. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmz7T3xVsSgEtqHD9Ic2_4AuA6RciiW-UpaDT5dXTGJogqM_qtUClcFTEFRQXVfzIpaoZuAkiKxJmW2rTQL4LhXrayNo2bLFzdM6LIFMn1wxP7m_NwpN6SPnOoDv3QyGzSN_wtqVVpt-s/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmz7T3xVsSgEtqHD9Ic2_4AuA6RciiW-UpaDT5dXTGJogqM_qtUClcFTEFRQXVfzIpaoZuAkiKxJmW2rTQL4LhXrayNo2bLFzdM6LIFMn1wxP7m_NwpN6SPnOoDv3QyGzSN_wtqVVpt-s/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+152.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> And here's the walls painted! I wanted something neutral, so I chose this color. I'll accent with red, I think.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7zi9wzt9zLCXcLwlhZoQ2iAezsMal92ZBStuxSMCZcr1jji_mLaZWgPsjUYSnvG5HMHpPvdeRtBqIHYL8I7iKmwamyzWrzwkXo3spXYvFtRjN3hhfXvgbyLSXuTU1KLp1n3avY0y58N9/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7zi9wzt9zLCXcLwlhZoQ2iAezsMal92ZBStuxSMCZcr1jji_mLaZWgPsjUYSnvG5HMHpPvdeRtBqIHYL8I7iKmwamyzWrzwkXo3spXYvFtRjN3hhfXvgbyLSXuTU1KLp1n3avY0y58N9/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+154.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> New crown molding on the ceiling and beams. We decided to paint all the trim white to make it really stand out against the walls and ceiling. I am going for the "clean" look. I really NEED the clean look. :-) Also, you can see our new light fixtures. Much better than the old one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZQViBrrWchDxDUNj8yG_RgJzyldJXIbAQP-KCbQI2xAaTAwLKI0rvK7oDRHUe7_m3L5jeJGSPCq-CbQ2_3x14Gqmv1YJzMNPy2qW68uOsCMHGCJUNHHMzLZvBspu26HZEHtlb3CxWVcW/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZQViBrrWchDxDUNj8yG_RgJzyldJXIbAQP-KCbQI2xAaTAwLKI0rvK7oDRHUe7_m3L5jeJGSPCq-CbQ2_3x14Gqmv1YJzMNPy2qW68uOsCMHGCJUNHHMzLZvBspu26HZEHtlb3CxWVcW/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+156.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Another view of the paint color. Neutral, neutral, neutral.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mxvFbrkwgBU8S5QwG-CdKI2SdJJ82_mDlzJLaAu12e4Qf1l0fGFOKMxulHFhX-6qO6MHaFWzDRRC2aZ2I0bFY1808d7usxYBeY4jXYsoZYCak6iSMR4eFvICVmHMz4hBW8S66opJx25w/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mxvFbrkwgBU8S5QwG-CdKI2SdJJ82_mDlzJLaAu12e4Qf1l0fGFOKMxulHFhX-6qO6MHaFWzDRRC2aZ2I0bFY1808d7usxYBeY4jXYsoZYCak6iSMR4eFvICVmHMz4hBW8S66opJx25w/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+158.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> One of the beams on the ceiling. We have three of them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5afx3M3nrRp5fCvjRW7U_wUIKCTSaCJoq_SY1TmTA585EEEFajmUgjPX5ue68xGB_lKAivLjge_IYsF5wA9j2kRK0gITrHTPtjeQi3KT1ip1ChRUK-A_BNrvi4bFpmKyr7CdaOtkh3j2/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5afx3M3nrRp5fCvjRW7U_wUIKCTSaCJoq_SY1TmTA585EEEFajmUgjPX5ue68xGB_lKAivLjge_IYsF5wA9j2kRK0gITrHTPtjeQi3KT1ip1ChRUK-A_BNrvi4bFpmKyr7CdaOtkh3j2/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+124.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Week Four. DH is still scraping green wallpaper. I'm not kidding. :-)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDXf9xm39-O2r_pHoLM9nOQcSfrgIgwxu6CagJEkCqaayQrvFgm2zRR1MMSxYxZhtcX996itQZE83LUZEUUlv_fSBlMkBqXn3g8k-abDIR0fXDgw3WIUUgPyX9CFJNFEtnjuZh4Wfp1uC/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDXf9xm39-O2r_pHoLM9nOQcSfrgIgwxu6CagJEkCqaayQrvFgm2zRR1MMSxYxZhtcX996itQZE83LUZEUUlv_fSBlMkBqXn3g8k-abDIR0fXDgw3WIUUgPyX9CFJNFEtnjuZh4Wfp1uC/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+162.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> In case you wondered where all the stuff we removed from the kitchen was being kept, here's a view of my dining room. Yep, four weeks it's been like this. Four. Help me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfyO8XyDhbt8q96b6G_t48Nb2UvyWO7zgKqguHlzJhDc3M-ISVZdI-ui6p1jh2Nq7hW8nq84qvFUnk9N5lI0NReU70RKwnusYAdc-N-XrVOxxYGf6TlEBMlWO5cFnvId9AUEZ8ra3gutg/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfyO8XyDhbt8q96b6G_t48Nb2UvyWO7zgKqguHlzJhDc3M-ISVZdI-ui6p1jh2Nq7hW8nq84qvFUnk9N5lI0NReU70RKwnusYAdc-N-XrVOxxYGf6TlEBMlWO5cFnvId9AUEZ8ra3gutg/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+163.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Teapots and pottery and pitchers....oh my!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayFkZWLX_SZiusrUvWbyGrCcG5s7aG9ub632YkAKRtQlgisnKbNhlYZ6eeYb8XAkC2dz9q2aB3pGRGa58B8dKCGoTWHgjEbtybmwKsfSYo6GLHA79kDiI6xPRoh1D0f5QsgqdOSfgpOlC/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayFkZWLX_SZiusrUvWbyGrCcG5s7aG9ub632YkAKRtQlgisnKbNhlYZ6eeYb8XAkC2dz9q2aB3pGRGa58B8dKCGoTWHgjEbtybmwKsfSYo6GLHA79kDiI6xPRoh1D0f5QsgqdOSfgpOlC/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+164.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Uh huh...more stuff. Are you wondering where we've been eating dinner during this remodel? Two words: Take out. Oh, two more: Family Room. ;-) Uh huh...on the couch in our TV room...on the days that we didn't need to escape and just went to one of the nearby restaurants.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42BYbMJLOymExqhN-SmUoyFQlZb2_doRf5yAS0yDqw7lrGn0tFLpxfkBGKmWAhinJS3Js19Oj4Gtb5ciIA_Nu-ilRqKQ0jW4056yevFEbpNM9Xst-TO-pzG9E3Q4IwoUnAvnALB1z0iZU/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42BYbMJLOymExqhN-SmUoyFQlZb2_doRf5yAS0yDqw7lrGn0tFLpxfkBGKmWAhinJS3Js19Oj4Gtb5ciIA_Nu-ilRqKQ0jW4056yevFEbpNM9Xst-TO-pzG9E3Q4IwoUnAvnALB1z0iZU/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+165.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Just so you can get the full experience. Somebody has too much stuff. Don't you think?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhwrfN-smVuBWu9vEu9vHa5w38tPjAzLUkeVxWStwb8NbytYSsDzXGES5ouGWSLeMRAFsm60cCz07l_pc8KNiw82jH8oTskSdMa8AbKmSqe4kjMnMKJj1PLyJ8H7yErz9HGotpW6LUiOr/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhwrfN-smVuBWu9vEu9vHa5w38tPjAzLUkeVxWStwb8NbytYSsDzXGES5ouGWSLeMRAFsm60cCz07l_pc8KNiw82jH8oTskSdMa8AbKmSqe4kjMnMKJj1PLyJ8H7yErz9HGotpW6LUiOr/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+167.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> And here's the path through the dining room. Yes, that's dust on the floor - drywall dust. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. I'm beginning to feel as though we need to be highlighted on an episode of Hoarders. How sad is this?!?!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyW9kcsvSTDDZAW-QxEEw1Wmefe44NWkCeMctWYHeU_Dg6z-8_a9WzxrgA7KTtTMmRFDIwAG_03ALaBZ6GKX7DJLasddWMZHZuM7qnn2qhYZOo1fE286uwbjYR6tbofAolB6WPP924Ony/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyW9kcsvSTDDZAW-QxEEw1Wmefe44NWkCeMctWYHeU_Dg6z-8_a9WzxrgA7KTtTMmRFDIwAG_03ALaBZ6GKX7DJLasddWMZHZuM7qnn2qhYZOo1fE286uwbjYR6tbofAolB6WPP924Ony/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+168.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Finally, the china cabinet gets put back together! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRORM_QM2wb9ml81ezmKnwCTXAUTUPQCh6Yw2vgf2l-D949awJfpZAQ9_XscVMHepy8K7JGbycBQIsqtXWiKFvMKtLFiDf6dwSXgWOpXESVluOZq6yDDcSNBnX9w2YubEmoNLD6CuFz7IP/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRORM_QM2wb9ml81ezmKnwCTXAUTUPQCh6Yw2vgf2l-D949awJfpZAQ9_XscVMHepy8K7JGbycBQIsqtXWiKFvMKtLFiDf6dwSXgWOpXESVluOZq6yDDcSNBnX9w2YubEmoNLD6CuFz7IP/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+169.JPG" width="265" /></a></div> Hubby, trying to find his way through the clutter and mess...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2aFuxNxkVGDx-OBdaP-XCzKmrMbPXWct8HkP7OqJN5jZWQd8TuE2DuUOn81oJ3DzeIYNm3Q4s_IGMtfQmwoPdRIf-WZJLk7zpabn1a7GrkxP59MegFfSqHkpkOFkqRE7eYInpN44dhuA/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2aFuxNxkVGDx-OBdaP-XCzKmrMbPXWct8HkP7OqJN5jZWQd8TuE2DuUOn81oJ3DzeIYNm3Q4s_IGMtfQmwoPdRIf-WZJLk7zpabn1a7GrkxP59MegFfSqHkpkOFkqRE7eYInpN44dhuA/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+192.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Did you know that drywall dust gets everywhere?!?! Even in drawers and closets in other rooms in the house? We'll be cleaning up this stuff for weeks!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5v8-LQy1CaV6TNwk9mbOQDoIYY1r-_UVTbafg3yGyj2Rb7W50Co8HTscCfBUtt6YnJPI2Dk8zZGzVdxUJ7asGdWHhBrei9gGHRGT7GHOmKP361__yYhBqe8Jo7GbeXhM5vAzBpr5Bhqg/s1600/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5v8-LQy1CaV6TNwk9mbOQDoIYY1r-_UVTbafg3yGyj2Rb7W50Co8HTscCfBUtt6YnJPI2Dk8zZGzVdxUJ7asGdWHhBrei9gGHRGT7GHOmKP361__yYhBqe8Jo7GbeXhM5vAzBpr5Bhqg/s400/Drew+%2526+Kitchen+195.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I have no shame, no shame at all. ;-)<br />
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So, there it is. Pictures of a REAL remodel. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And we're still working on it. Think we'll be finished by.....Christmas? <br />
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</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-22838940548250323832011-03-22T13:06:00.000-05:002011-03-22T13:06:57.926-05:00Perfection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyQjCqy5OFjLuA3nGgUa_ssOI-8lcg8LUKUmU1nJ_F_Zl2GEdmtLkMMFW-zEVeBCRJ4G6JQ7D0AJ1SyAXEfJRpBVXXJZdRyCUMyLWGACju6-6047mb1uxWefLBF6FrNcnYelb-w7sjwSO/s1600/the-monet-family-in-their-garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyQjCqy5OFjLuA3nGgUa_ssOI-8lcg8LUKUmU1nJ_F_Zl2GEdmtLkMMFW-zEVeBCRJ4G6JQ7D0AJ1SyAXEfJRpBVXXJZdRyCUMyLWGACju6-6047mb1uxWefLBF6FrNcnYelb-w7sjwSO/s640/the-monet-family-in-their-garden.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure </div><div style="text-align: center;">is the most perfect refreshment. </div><div style="text-align: center;">~Jane Austen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Enjoy the sunlight on spring green,</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-90200296897915747542011-03-19T12:36:00.001-05:002011-03-19T12:50:48.543-05:00200th Post Giveaway Winner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Well, I am a day late, but I hope that won't dampen the excitement and celebration for my 200th Post Giveaway Winner! I am pleased to announce that the winner is: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://homeiswhereoneheartis.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" height="256" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1e9ECb5I3xEKDQljjoW4Jfkyl4PIWPqb5PUQ4f-1Jybma_o32LIOl3lG1uVpeVQ0u-VvhrOcjfZfcbog_2_k455g7J6xWcNnvdivmIUiBwDQBF1D6GemwK3-Pp3io4zEqud1Lu2o1N0EK/s640/Oneheartathome.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"><strong>Marcia </strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">of </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://homeiswhereoneheartis.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><strong>One Heart at Home</strong></span></a> </div><span style="font-size: large;"></span> <br />
Marcia will get a box with at least two vintage brooches and anything else I may find that I think she may enjoy. <br />
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Please visit Marcia at her beautiful blog. Every post is truly inspiring, and she is such a beautiful person. <br />
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Congratulations, Marcia! <br />
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I want to thank everyone who took the time to leave a message on my blog, and I want each of you to know how much I appreciate you being a follower. I find such encouragement through your sweet comments and have been so blessed by them. Thanks to each of you.<br />
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Sunny Weekend Blessings,<br />
<br />
</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-45216774198052273422011-03-18T08:00:00.002-05:002011-03-18T08:00:16.547-05:00Swinging Into Spring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWgWz_PmAnr-SvEJPl0XUb9rFj99LXeAmY_-5nFWYDpyKFwS1R8eSWcol08xrmdayb0mPiyo5vdIA8MTkwLhUbpdXekVtklNdYefPWSpxDewNsazj9GZeP7kxUO1ZdoXoFXT69bWxDevF/s1600/Drew+Swing3+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWgWz_PmAnr-SvEJPl0XUb9rFj99LXeAmY_-5nFWYDpyKFwS1R8eSWcol08xrmdayb0mPiyo5vdIA8MTkwLhUbpdXekVtklNdYefPWSpxDewNsazj9GZeP7kxUO1ZdoXoFXT69bWxDevF/s400/Drew+Swing3+copy.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />
This is our Sweet Boy's first spring . . . at least the first he can enjoy outdoors. He was born late April of 2010, so by the time he was old enough to be "out and about," it was too hot to enjoy the outdoors. But this year, he is having a ball! Last week, we visited the park for the first time. He loves the swings so much, and that adorable laughter just makes my heart soar! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsbu9QIMTepZC1LFQdWvecnOduwd92etP2u927l5FIIVFXJjlsqOEZDUREqd18DNIbNv4Iae5xwmf6xf8sNJV2_zWkgg-QlYslNWCxdEWbJNIFnUceDz-7DPqgjvbu-Zdtp7I3xD5rSV2/s1600/Drew+Swing+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsbu9QIMTepZC1LFQdWvecnOduwd92etP2u927l5FIIVFXJjlsqOEZDUREqd18DNIbNv4Iae5xwmf6xf8sNJV2_zWkgg-QlYslNWCxdEWbJNIFnUceDz-7DPqgjvbu-Zdtp7I3xD5rSV2/s400/Drew+Swing+copy.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><br />
I remember fondly the spring seasons of my childhood, and I want his to be just as magical. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. </div><div style="text-align: center;">~Rainer Maria Rilke</div><br />
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May warm, spring sunshine fill your days!<br />
</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-12909762506720250882011-03-17T12:34:00.001-05:002011-03-17T12:36:14.261-05:00Happy St. Patrick's Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXuTVk_bLmKPRgEd0Hx9SgEyuAyQ4XJG27klOTFMQcaBWGtaHCVMc4a_Rrlmedl8xEWhS6w4mG9gFJ_9XOcG3iQf_23hIi40kdkhQQq7iwMjyVIWeXwMMBXzYz8NXzkGxO3fJMqzKjqQPq/s1600/Pat+O%2527briens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXuTVk_bLmKPRgEd0Hx9SgEyuAyQ4XJG27klOTFMQcaBWGtaHCVMc4a_Rrlmedl8xEWhS6w4mG9gFJ_9XOcG3iQf_23hIi40kdkhQQq7iwMjyVIWeXwMMBXzYz8NXzkGxO3fJMqzKjqQPq/s400/Pat+O%2527briens.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, I'm posting a photo of our favorite Irish establishment: Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans. Michael and I LOVE to visit Pat O's and sit on the patio soaking up the atmosphere and a hurricane. This photo was taken on our last visit to NOLA.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZZ5b-lthac79rosPrug9xM4xORNNnMfGrSRIfPwngIZvtWVytEo3mO57GYArqIpXFwDBrCYT1eFgGgI5KRv_3fF_ESX8rEC4kiQPuVRWB6i8rkxm4swvph33O6sDiYFkblrZ1EXd731J/s1600/pat+o%2527s+hurrican.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZZ5b-lthac79rosPrug9xM4xORNNnMfGrSRIfPwngIZvtWVytEo3mO57GYArqIpXFwDBrCYT1eFgGgI5KRv_3fF_ESX8rEC4kiQPuVRWB6i8rkxm4swvph33O6sDiYFkblrZ1EXd731J/s640/pat+o%2527s+hurrican.bmp" width="424" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">May the Lord keep you in His hand and never close His fist too tight.<br />
:-)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">(Irish blessing)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Happy Day!</div></div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-34387837243269008772011-03-10T13:25:00.000-06:002011-03-10T13:25:34.656-06:00200th Post Celebration & Giveaway!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KGQnOGBV3XO0rGi-rBljPRdPr31D9TCsV02Z70uQURVN9YMlGn9hxoOItAvG1bIEChl8uNf90-e6GeR2jNox30kJr2LvdJQKBmyqdtaWhpiIECocCBoKtg0tiuOqp5jssF2Q0xdYnUc7/s1600/jewelry3+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KGQnOGBV3XO0rGi-rBljPRdPr31D9TCsV02Z70uQURVN9YMlGn9hxoOItAvG1bIEChl8uNf90-e6GeR2jNox30kJr2LvdJQKBmyqdtaWhpiIECocCBoKtg0tiuOqp5jssF2Q0xdYnUc7/s320/jewelry3+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Today, I am celebrating my 200th post! I have truly enjoyed blogging, as it has been a wonderful forum for me to express myself randomly about my interests, my disinterests, my art, my family, my house and all the projects, nature and poetry, books and authors, travels and home thoughts, current events or the weather. Hmmm...I admit to doing quite a bit of rambling. Which is why I am always humbled by the fact that anyone else would even want to read it, and I am so appreciative of those who stop by regularly or from time-to-time just to read a bit and say hello. <br />
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So, in the spirit of celebration and friendship and rambling, I am giving away some BLING on my 200th blogaversary. I have A LOT of costume jewelry. A lot. Most of the really special stuff was given to me by my grandmother who ALWAYS looked smashing and wore the latest fashions. It was from her that I first learned to love all these pretty shiny things. I used to play dress up as a young girl and put on her biggest, shiniest jewelry and high heels. A few years ago when I was visiting her, she told me that she had such fond memories of me trying on her jewelry and her high heels that she wanted to give them to me. So...all those pretty pieces I drooled over as a little girl are now in my very own permanent collection of shiny jewelry. She also gave me a pair of high heeled shoes about which she loves to tell the story of coming home from work one day and finding me running around the yard in them. I would sit in the floor of her closet and try on the highest of the high heels and think they looked just beautiful on my feet...but that's a totally different story for another blog post. I am rambling...see? <br />
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ANYway, I am giving away some of my costume jewelry to one reader of my blog. If you are a follower and would like to participate, just leave me a comment on this post, and on March 18th, I'll randomly select one winner (by random number selector, of course). That winner will receive at least a couple of pieces of my vintage costume jewelry and anything else I find that I may want to add to the goody box. For an extra entry in the contest, just blog about my giveaway on YOUR blog, and I'll assign you another random number for an ever greater chance at winning.<br />
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So, if you like a bit of bling, here's a giveaway for you! Thanks so much for following my blog, and I hope you'll be following me for many posts to come!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-28412295944471860922011-03-10T11:04:00.000-06:002011-03-10T11:04:52.958-06:00Hello, dear friends<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseB94kHNrrrMfld1bzHzdwB9B2MAK2pSNqqWQvJtrl-Oq8tqts6mT9oa3tUMAV7nsFKdllMrg66zItVqlwAF1ubXrISiyoeQvgNB7ZXqYzZIqPPkN0pvI8uiwBq5MdgwPcazqUdiwWPVE/s1600/Irises+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseB94kHNrrrMfld1bzHzdwB9B2MAK2pSNqqWQvJtrl-Oq8tqts6mT9oa3tUMAV7nsFKdllMrg66zItVqlwAF1ubXrISiyoeQvgNB7ZXqYzZIqPPkN0pvI8uiwBq5MdgwPcazqUdiwWPVE/s400/Irises+edited.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br />
Here come the irises...awakening after their long winter's nap. Seeing them is like welcoming home old friends!<br />
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What is making an appearance in your garden?<br />
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</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-25819918903432427442011-03-07T11:57:00.001-06:002011-03-07T12:09:52.217-06:00Good-bye Bad Floors!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://goodbyehousehellohome.blogspot.com/2011/03/closet-purge-redesign-and-purge-party-1.html"><img border="0" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ17FjKak6lU8lAqCAOcyKcHxyE3qVWp41UYLyYiDhVP1IPOLzWwbt8RkQjp4R4uGHgSEedkhN3q8HKzNih-Pl-LC6XvdIE1ODck_8eNjv7FTBw8iI_TTX_j078_OC14o6pQGPqgfXVbA0/s1600/PurgePartybutton.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Today, I learned about a blog party in which I really want....<em>NEED...</em>to participate! <strong><a href="http://goodbyehousehellohome.blogspot.com/">Goodbye, House! Hello, Home!</a></strong> is hosting a Purge Party, and since my life for the last five years has been devoted to purging, changing, cleaning, and restructuring, I really wanted to do this! I could post about several of our recent purges or projects, but one of the most significant has to do with redoing the nasty, scratched, what seemed like <em>destroyed</em> floors in what is now my husband's den. When we peeled back the carpet to reveal the 140+ year old floors, we were dumbfounded. I remember looking at each other and one of us saying out loud..."they'll never look decent." We actually contemplated putting carpet back down just to hide the mess that we had revealed. Take a look at these before pictures...<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298039882617590370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1_-aJGDpnYr5Gr7drQ6sIoF8FlpF-Ajyh-6_buE66AvXGOMfNz-1nlNP3cGPKqkPw2gdzsImm6-C-1S5W86BBG9eOR-7MP_3YdLXnq_yFkzaRcRDxFGA98yLQn-2U5ZmxU7o41IM8Q1b/s640/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+005.jpg" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="640" /><br />
Needless to say, we were worried. That's paint and drywall compound that has been spilled all over the floors.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298043927188424514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyYV2-LppG1xShPK6dGxMDCRlNCNQYaIF6MR0k0ymgegKaA2zUs676qvPeBgC8nqmjkl3JUlPZLTZHH-55ea0BGo6NKGecnNkeWczcVSpXXIdLha7EsgZ46v2sOF0FFXsJdGDdqnqkHcf/s640/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+020.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" width="425" />Here's my husband looking quite depressed and wondering what in the world we had taken on...it seemed fairly hopeless at this point.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298039896828558018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwXjmTK97yossNNwCwTVKJVojpdhpHSvIvwf3O8hno3j2ABZmuESgLNXYFagTy8def6eikWGyAp4rw_C3DI_9leNQkrMUcEsln1LpN89z8TSE6xyn2ES-Ipp4mA3UCn8XTMGfY7aEEQdW/s640/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+006.jpg" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="640" />Here's a view of the entire room...you can see the mess we faced.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298043933733773426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWpQx5f2zQ9jaOPnIzdoaYOn9HqNxlVTffXo9ztggQWQNQda6K0q_q31JSAOJGlCe2eLLchCKHlZLoKim9fuQ_uZCryn4w5a6xN5NOXa205uSYvW9mi49BRYQkYs_gmcurpDp3kEmrcHR/s400/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+023.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" />It didn't seem to worry Isabella, though, as she took it easy on the nasty carpet padding we had just pulled up. I remember being worried that she was laying on something that would make me not want to pet her later. Yew.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298039884052437058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UtUa5RHFYykCwWy9bgNKSp54VEJkJ6worZJSOlc4RocPwftJ7oYKwKEimicW3dJ-ewweopPM8WPef7me-zK9z2iPUjxvEGP0ieqF6ruzpEbzRGtnzGNegeSCv09ZGG3D8eEhBXqFwG3_/s400/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+004.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /><br />
A closer up view of the paint and drywall compound. Can you believe someone actually did this to these poor floors? What were they thinking?!<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310930796003775778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCspfiWJQ3WNa_ZxNk53rtDue_vkn5SAgMo0Rd17gGGFpisKSuqMoh9RQU-2gTd-TdK6WNL-G7R9AtvZBU1dXk7z_VdN6V2rlj6ejqrrEnxNA1ajsxSfbAA9J-l7yhLHU0CE8im53hCGib/s400/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+047.jpg" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
After sanding, and scraping and crying and praying, here's what we eventually were able to do with the floors. There is two coats of stain on them at this point. Try not to look at the bad wallpaper. We haven't tackled that project yet! ;-)<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310930806817906482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpDhVTbks7924lagDGZOqai-ofhuzCzDFOhRQE5k00b63hSgls6jZuqwSd1QPSeot5SDSkadXjzNpuTmfJq6vWeND8pzXcZLgghpr0rgu_paj2K9xLMFAo_cMcck9SAGhg9Us3CIkUGky/s400/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+049.jpg" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
Can you believe the difference? Aren't they beautiful? Would you ever have thought <em>those </em>floors could have looked like this?!?<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310930803196032594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxoHONzaDuOD_Fn1DmNJ23gBguE9GnBrZmnmGEs43fgfcG0TFfGb1o-FpYuzquuv634xZS5c-kI1twUvNrLmfjiDt0qREJphpbbfcyZy6YaDSbPCwd1KP0UtDU4g3pU2Y3V1pZMj-HeR8/s400/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+050.jpg" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
And here's a closeup...no drywall compound or paint! Wooo hooo!<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310930818511767442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZlr3bD2rCEcDESznH3KJSxRL1rM6UfpL16QBhS7q3InFHnAIY1OfdiR2PCgBbnUpWgILyubMrhzxbMV-vtXaaTywLy3O-Md7-OoYUzEwNEDuBKhwH7edg0VqjITrvdL43qQ9pYwmsDOX/s400/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+051.jpg" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
And here's a view of the completed project. Wow, are we proud of this! Now, 18 more rooms to go...(ha!)!!<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310930819056913234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RI3S0fBVA6gznp7YqVbiau_UUn03kxjXrZYjrLjai5AtyKk8thvWaq4edYZl0CbDikZrYeefy3HJo8QOgBkC6gv1Yk7Enn9O2KT-CS6csP4DmQ7MfBFC851mNMI9qRODUwW1-iR_7Dwx/s400/Downstairs+Bedroom+Redo+048.jpg" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><br />
Have a great week!</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141921370714632366.post-37098833252288512892011-03-06T00:42:00.000-06:002011-03-06T00:42:02.195-06:00Lucky Me!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLyRLfrUBUeix3TkwJPw3SM7yh05lfJLbxJ3wY-KeRYwTR76EWa57PHa_3RxUTzp7RzqFQ_OJyjpJJb530FO-Us-jr1isZ8iZSRmqTl_ixS0VyzdzHooTBJhQPiUP9jqT780fZPTi8U5h/s1600/March+2011+144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLyRLfrUBUeix3TkwJPw3SM7yh05lfJLbxJ3wY-KeRYwTR76EWa57PHa_3RxUTzp7RzqFQ_OJyjpJJb530FO-Us-jr1isZ8iZSRmqTl_ixS0VyzdzHooTBJhQPiUP9jqT780fZPTi8U5h/s640/March+2011+144.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I recently participated in the One World - One Heart event and was fortunate enough to win a few very special giveaways! I'll be highlighting each of them and the blogs from which I won the giveaways, so that you, too, can marvel at the creativity of these amazing artists and beautiful blogs!<br />
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I want to thank Shelly over at <a href="http://shellyhickox.blogspot.com/">StampTramp</a> for this gorgeous chunky tag! Look at how beautiful it is! Not only did I win the tag, but Shelly sent me materials so that I, too, could make one of these fun little beauties! I can't wait!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc864h-0qZA7F5MY3fG4i0hTxRzI6iAullZKT1xlKemXVHJD23DylYMUyai1dYrLjxBHx7T-3zL3CqGNugMQn6UnQSWYXdtsX60_tbjZjf9hYaNT6DSNvBQAWNYQ9jRT66SKz-TlpAyg6/s1600/March+2011+141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc864h-0qZA7F5MY3fG4i0hTxRzI6iAullZKT1xlKemXVHJD23DylYMUyai1dYrLjxBHx7T-3zL3CqGNugMQn6UnQSWYXdtsX60_tbjZjf9hYaNT6DSNvBQAWNYQ9jRT66SKz-TlpAyg6/s640/March+2011+141.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br />
Please hop over to Shelly's blog and take a look at her wonderful work. I am in awe.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNXRHwGokqU-vz7YfzkYVH1hhF3Y9OLinwcS0A6YKjfFBbnbR2ujr-F9BVH7BmaTyKTaDcyYJXsnwoTBfz8cpm5WwQyCB0utqwtBVvVRFtOa5xwvxIgaWoLYxuD9IfFggvFgejaT3lTSu/s1600/March+2011+143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNXRHwGokqU-vz7YfzkYVH1hhF3Y9OLinwcS0A6YKjfFBbnbR2ujr-F9BVH7BmaTyKTaDcyYJXsnwoTBfz8cpm5WwQyCB0utqwtBVvVRFtOa5xwvxIgaWoLYxuD9IfFggvFgejaT3lTSu/s640/March+2011+143.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br />
Thanks so much, Shelly, for participating in OWOH and for such a wonderful giveaway!<br />
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</div>Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04355354417513710832noreply@blogger.com4