Almost Done

Last day of school today. Tyler actually let me take his picture! Maybe that was because his friend Brandon was there!Hard to believe my baby is a ...SENIOR!!!

God should give you boys first. That way you don't know what you're missing!!! I think I have about 4 pictures of Tyler from this school year. Never wants to take a camera with him. No documentation, nothing for me to weep over!!! Girls, on the other hand, are all about the memories!! Knowing what I'm missing isn't fun!!

Happy Birthday my Friend...

My cousin, Annette, and I have been best friends since...birth! Only three months apart and thirty-six miles away, we were blessed to have grown up together. That's me, second from the left, and her on the right, with her sisters Michelle and Christine (better known as "Miss Long Legs").

My Grammy lived in the same town and in our teenage years, just down the street from Annette. Grammy was a great facilitator of imaginations and we spent HOURS playing dress-up in her vintage clothes. We went to balls, played house, made mud-pies, and thoroughly enjoyed one an other's company! This is Grammy's washtub/swimming pool!

We had serious conversations at an early age! Obviously we both loved dolls and I can now admit that we played Barbie well into junior high!!!

Nettie on the left, great-aunt Trissie, and myself.

I can imagine us being "done" with having our picture taken. "Please let us get back to our talk, people!"


We spent so much time together. I really wanted to move to Davenport, Wa, where she lived, and go to school there. My grammy, dad, aunt, uncle and cousins all went there and I wanted to be part of that same tradition. Alas, it never happened "(

I did manage to attend most of their dances though, including this one on Valentine's Day. We were there with our boyfriends, but we only wanted a picture of us!! The all -county dances were so fun! Annette and I were just a little "Boy Crazy" and those big dances had a Lot of BOYS!!!

I went to their proms and would spend as much time staying with my grandma as I could! Weeks during the summer and every other weekend that I could persuade someone into taking me there!

We would "help" at football camp. We weren't asked, just showed up and volunteered. So unselfish of us!

We would "primp" for hours just to walk around town and hopefully "run into" some cute boys! We'd hang out at the pool and down at the river. We dated the same boys, (at different times!) and would compare story after story! Those poor guys!!!

We were both cheerleaders, had boyfriends who played football and let us wear their jerseys, spent hours at the river and just had so much fun together!

She was a cutie, my "Nettie Poo"!


She, her sister and I all got married within a few weeks of each other. She was my maid of honor. I was on my honeymoon and wasn't able to be in her wedding. Wish I could change that.

She would have been 47 today. She left us just before her 22nd birthday, leaving behind a husband, a baby and all of those who loved her so.

She was the keeper of my past, my dearest friend, my soul mate. I can't wait until I see her again! I know she's entertaining everyone in Heaven with her sense of humor,love and sweetness. I know she's waiting for me. What a gab-fest that will be!!

I miss you Sweet Girl.

My New Favorite Thing!

I'm always reading about the amazing things people do with the stuff they find, namely, painting.
They are really good at" before" pictures, while I only manage to take the" after" shots!

I got these vintage picnic baskets about 2 years ago, and while they were in good shape and each one kind of cute, they didn't really go together. I had them sitting on my porch last summer and this year I decided to paint them and put them in my sewing room. I had some plastic totes that stored my fabric scraps and wanted to have something cuter to store them in.
So, out came the trusty can of spray paint and now I have these!!!They look much better and hold so much more! The top one does not have a lid, so only my very cutest scraps can go in there!!

I've also had this bike for a few years, leaning against the shop. My SIL did a painting of it, and this is as close to a before picture that I have.

She made it look all shiny and pretty, but in reality it was rusty, dirty, the seat was starting to
peel and the tires were flat. Actually the only things that looked the same were the colors! I'm not a blue fan, but I do love butter yellow!!!

Now I have this!!!!

Hubby took it apart for me so I could do the tires white. Yesterday was so nice and sunny that I took it outside and painted it. I love it!!!!! It's parked next to the fence in the front yard for all to see!!!

I went to the Farm Chicks this past weekend, so I'll actually have something to talk about this week!! Until then....

Too Much Fun...Literally!

For Memorial Day Weekend, my SIL invited us to a "siding" party. Who could resist??? The whole family got together to help. This is what it looked like when I got there...almost ready to begin! There were 12 of us. Add to that 3 dogs and 2 cats and you have quite a group!

The brothers took charge and got things going pretty quickly! Two of the grandsons kept going into the kitchen "because they were really hungry"! #3 grandson, in foreground, worked hard, all. day. long. He was great!!!

The last piece on that side! 2 down, 2 to go!

This is what it looked like when I left. Tyler and I had a two hour drive ahead so we left around 8:45. The guys worked until after 10:00. Yes, we have light here that late in the Northwest!!

Brian, Ashleigh and his parents stayed and worked all the next day too. Got it done!!! We'll leave the painting to the girls!!



Hubby moved into a new office at work recently and it needed some decorating (still does!).

We decided that since he's in the grocery business it would be fun to do a little vintage grocery decor.

I had an old Pepsi crate...

And a week ago I got 5 of these framed, original magazine ads from the 30's and 40's. We only got two of them hung, but know where we want the other ones! Hard to see with the glare, sorry!

I picked up this child's shopping cart a few years ago and had the royal baking powder sign.

An old coconut bin, coffee tin and Sunkist orange sign topped off the high cabinet.

We've been looking for things everywhere, but boy are they expensive!!! I really wanted an old grocer's scale, but they were anywhere from $60.00 to $200.00!!!!

On Saturday, before we went to Seattle for the "party", I stopped at a garage sale and found this:

It's dirty, doesn't actually work and weighs about 400 pounds, but for $2.00 I gladly took it off their hands!!! SCORE !!!!!

How was your weekend??

Beauty is all Around...and some other stuff!

It's still in the 50's around here, but at least no rain for the last few days...it's coming though!

The cold has extended the bloom life of everything though so it's nice to have a little color! My tulips have been blooming for over a month!
I love bleeding hearts! What an amazing flower! I love that God throws in fun little goodies here and there!! As He does everywhere, but a heart? How joyful!

Some geraniums...

And, Jacob's ladder... Most of the garden is in and although it's shivering, it is growing...a little!

The lettuce is poking through after only four days :) I can't wait for some fresh greens!

We have some new family members...Elfie and Indie. I was not involved in the naming otherwise there would be a Sophie in there!!

Hubby started, and finished, a project this weekend. I didn't have my camera for the before pic, and I'm too lazy to look for an old one!

We (I held them up!) put up shutters! The windows with the rock had no trim and always looked a little prison like! We haven't decided if we want them on top yet. Any opinions? The windows on top would look bigger than the bottom because of the added trim, so we're just not sure!

We did do the side of the garage and I really like how they turned out. It's one of those things that you do, but no one really notices!! Seems like they've always been there!

I must say this is the fastest project we've ever done!!!!

Off to work!!

Strolling in the Country

When you live in the country, as I do, you may encounter strange things when you go out walking. Such as a cow. In the road. Not just any cow, but a Norman!

She was quite distressed at being on the outside looking in! The other girls were quite sympathetic and followed her up and down the fence line. There was some serious communication going on between them (mooing).
She didn't want any help from us!!

But the girls continued to follow us until the fence made the corner. It's funny to have one or two cows come up to the fence to greet you and then watch the other 50 or so join in! It's like they think they'll miss something if they don't get up from their slumber! I can only imagine the gossip!!

Here are some of the goodies I got at Petite Retreat: some bread pans and a muffin tin. It doesn't look like much, but oh, the possibilities!

This is one that I had before, connecting bread pans. They worked so well in my sewing desk drawer, that I knew I could use some more.

The top drawers are pretty shallow and this fit just perfectly. Plus, I like things to be easily seen and this lets me find just the right button!!

Too bad there wasn't one more pan. I'll have to keep my eyes out!!

I am finally adjusting to the fact that I love to organize more than I like to actually "do" something. Seeing things all in their place just does it for me!!

Garden plowed and staked today...planting tomorrow, if it doesn't rain!!!

Girls Day Out

Yesterday Lynda, Ashleigh and I headed down south to Camano Island to attend Petite Retreat.

My baby and my bestie!
Deb Kennedy of Petite Retreat has a new home and is now open for business. Such a quaint little shop full of delight! I want this stove in my kitchen!

Some items from Seabold Vintage Market. Liz has the most incredible fabric and knows just what to do with it! Look at that laundry bag! And those pillows??? I hope to someday have at least one gracing my bed!

Deb has such a gift for putting things together and is known for her all white shabby chic! I just want to curl up with a cup of tea and a good book when I'm there!

I realize that I have a picture of this Farmer's Market sign, but I don't recall seeing it!!!! That would look really great in my home!

When Deb first bought this house, she sent me a picture because it looks like the Walton's house!!! Lucky her!! Isn't she adorable? Such a sweetie and beautiful to boot!!

We stopped at a few quilt shops and antique stores, had lunch at Haggen, and then got some fresh bread at Great Harvest.

Oh. And we laughed. A lot!!!!!