Getting on with the fun

Someone has to do it. 

THE Fun.

The Coach and I heading out for some fun this weekend. I can only brag post about it ahead of time because the out in laws are coming to stay at the house. You know, to watch the kids dogs.

{Really, they are here to watch the dogs….the kids are always on the go with school and work, so the dogs get forgotten…..and I can't have that.}

So, we are going away for Super Bowl weekend. Traveling with friends and meeting other friends.

He's gonna miss me something bad. 

Can you imagine where we would go for super bowl weekend and NOT go to the actual super bowl?

Who goes to the Super Bowl when it is winter and COLD? And besides, I only watch the super bowl to critique the commercials while eating food and drinking good wine.  

Does anyone watch the game?

WHAT? Some people watch THE actual game?
Weird!

We are not going to go where everybody knows our name.
We are not going to Hotel California.
We are not going to see any live animals. Wait, are strange people animals?
Scratch that one then.
We might see Elvis.
OR we might not see Elvis.
I might get a tattoo.
But most likely I won't because I can't decide WHERE I would put a Bee on my body. 

There will be plenty of gluttony. But not from me.
Wait, I forgot about all that good wine. Gluttony, check.
It will be too cold for me to wear my daisy dukes and belly shirts.
It will be too warm for my leather jacket.
I might need a gas mask for clean air.
It will be sunny, but not a beach in sight.

Dagnabbit, I forgot to pack my gas mask!

Have a great weekend my people!

You don't think I really still fit in wear daisy dukes and belly shirts do you?

A piece of peace

Back in October while on our weekend getaway in Asheville, my girlfriend Kelly and I saw these cool peace poles at the Biltmore Garden shop. 

She and I both gasped at how pretty they are…because that is what you do while shopping in a garden shop at the Biltmore. You gasp at the pretties. 

 My friend Kelly who is NOT supposed to get us Christmas gifts, but does anyway ordered one for our family. 

She is a law breaker of great proportions…..but still wants to instill peace in the world. 

It says: "May Peace Prevail on Earth" on all four sides….in four different languages. 

The Coach and I put it where we can see it from inside the house and while at the garden too.

So….if you have any control at all please, let peace prevail on earth, or whatever planet you reside on.  

If you'd like to learn about the history of peace poles, click here. 

Opposites attract ~OR~ I'm surrounded by weirdos

The Coach and I went out for dinner with friends last Wednesday.
Before we left, we covered the veggie garden, brought in the lanai plants, covered our roses, brought in the orchids and covered the ginormous hanging staghorn…..all in prep for a freeze. 

(I actually paid attention to the weather report!)

All that labor worked up my appetite; I got all dolled up…..the dolling up included the cutest/comfortabl-ist boots ever.
{cause we were going to have a FREEZE!}

The coach?

He put on shorts and his fancy flip flops.

Opposites attract much?

Pay no attention to the red toes.
{his birthmark…but he loves to tell tales about how I ran over his foot with the car, and I've only actually thought about doing that once or thrice in the last 29 years}

I learned at least one thing last week. Make that two.

Almond milk + Suzanne = bloat.
gassiness. bloated gassiness. Uncomfortable. Large. Ughhh.
NOT good. 

Back to the cow for my calcium. 

I might have made this face a few times over a two day {learning my lesson} period. 

***

I cooked a lovely crock pot pot roast on Monday. 

Crock pot pot roast. Say that 3x fast.

I added some rosemary from the garden and Lolo declared that when you add rosemary to anything 

IT.TASTES.LIKE.CHRISTMAS.

And eating Christmas is good.

Being a bloated mess of a woman IS NOT GOOD.

Wishing you a great weekend with no bloat ….and may all your meals taste like a holiday.
Stay warm!


Did you learn anything this week?

XOXOOX

Oopsie Daisy.

~Or Oopsie Garden~

Any minute now…the garden police will be at my door demanding that I turn in my Garden License.
Ironically, the Garden Po-Po will be wielding a billy club in the shape of an asparagus spear.
 a deadly asparagus spear.

This is what happens when you don't watch the news, check the weather updates or pretty much keep yourself under a rock.

The garden went from this:

To this.  Yeah, I gasped loudly and then almost shat myself.

I had no idea it was going to get that cold. (low 40's)

I woke up in the middle of the night to piddle and I noticed that the pool pump turned itself on.

I thought: "Uh oh, that only comes on if there is a possibility of a freeze"
And this is the 'good' side of the garden.

This is the not so good side. Ughh….

I'm hoping, praying and I might even do some weird Indian Garden dance.
(then I'll cover it up for the next cold snap!)

I have a few plants in pots that seem to not have noticed the cold, so I'm not a complete failure. You know, I'm just a "partial kind-of gardening" failure.

Oh well.

At least my hair is pretty.
(ok, I'm getting my hair done TODAY, so it WILL be pretty)

You can't cry over garden disasters.
Or can you?
Blah, pass the Puffs.

Artsy Fartsy

So, Lolo and I visit Pinterest on occasion and we end up trashing our craft room because of that visit.

But whats a craft room if it isn't trashed? 

Oh, that'd be a clean room. Yeah, I forgot. 

We only needed some cheap canvases, craft paint, glue, mod podge and craft paper…oh, and an imagination too. 

 We needed a bit of color in the family/kitchen/breakfast area and this fit the bill perfectly. 

 We did this back in November, and we've not grown tired of it yet. 

Have a great weekend!!!

Most of you are in cold climates….so be careful of visiting pinterest, it could cause creativity. 

If you listen close enough….the garden has something to say.

Suz, just when you think things are going smoothly…you'll hit a road bump.
OR How about some thorns?

Suz, if you worry about going hungry….you'll always find the needed nourishment. Always. Like a cat that lands on it's paws. Meow.

 Suz, don't ignore the crotch….because {pretty} stuff can grow there. 

 Ok, the Orchid is a bit trashy with the talk. But he/she/it did make me laugh with this. Love my crotchy plants. 

We, the ever blooming hibiscus, well, we are gorgeous, but if you bring us in your house, we'll bring ANTS too. 

 Lots of ants. Which would be ok if they were like your Aunt Trisha….she doesn't bite or get into the food. Ok, she doesn't bite. :)

Lots of 'interesting' things going on in La'Da'Casa Busy Bee. 

(Spanish is not my first, second or fourteenth language)

Some good stuff happening….
and some stuff that will eventually be good, but kinda scary during transition. 

Such is life.

Luckily, my garden is never scary. Well, except for those freakin' caterpillars that are challenging me. 

Aye Caramba!

Happy Wednesday my people!

XOXOa

The written word is priceless.

My brother and I were at each others throats as kids. 

I blame him mostly because I was AND am an angel.  

OK, perhaps I can't blame him 100%….I might have been a brat once or thrice…and we might have lived in a broken home….and he certainly was struggling with his sexuality and with a father who wasn't so compassionate. 

I found this note from Mark while cleaning out my closet a few weeks ago. 

~October 1989~

The last line made it soooooo Mark. {Jeff is The Coach}
Most of my long time readers know that Mark passed away from the complications of AIDS in 1990 at the young age of 25.

Finding this letter made my heart sing…knowing that he and I were at peace with our childhood terrorism towards each other; what a gift!

{Dang….he gave a mean wedgie}

Now, go hug someone right this minute.

Anything special you covet from a loved one who's left this world?

Finding wierd things under your pillow is weird….unless you're my child.

Lucky for most of you, you don't have weird Moms Moms who put weird items under your pillow.

I spent a good portion of the weekend before last in the closet.

We are FINALLY going to gut and redo our closet; top to bottom, side to side.

 I was cleaning out bins, cabinets, shelves, boxes…you name it.

I found my Dad's resume from 1970.  I found diaries from 1979. 

I found letters from my Grandma, my Brother and every card that was ever given to me. (Priceless!)

I have my wedding planning-spiral notebook and every shower/wedding card. That is 23 years in the saving people.....and the empty bottle of champs from our honeymoon.
Whatttt….I don't even remember drinking champagne??

I also found the WEIRD. 

What is it with Moms and saving the weird?

I found teeth. 

Yep human teeth. And not just one box….but three+ boxes.

I'm pretty sure one box contained MY teeth….because my weirdness does not fall far from the weird tree. 

I distinctly remember my Mom bringing down a box at Thanksgiving a few years back. 

  See, I came by the weird naturally.

(How can I possibly recycle teeth?)

So, what does a weird mom do? 
She puts them under the pillow of her 18 year old daughter while she is at work.

Along with the teeth…. 
I added a pamplet on how to give a self bre*st exam. 

(you NEED to know!)

The victim 18 year old was none too pleased… Linds didn't find the humor in the 'under the pillow surprise party.'

Me? I thought it was hilarious!!

Turn On Your Heartlight

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” 
― Josh Billings

It's no secret I adore our boxers. These sweet canines are awesome….but at times, they like to elude us on the property. {Mostly Cocoa}

Cocoa has not met a possum that she didn't want to chase. Just don't let her know she'll never actually catch one!

And you'd never guess that she could jump a four foot fence to keep up that chase!

 A few years ago I purchased reflective collars for them because these little expeditions always happen in the dark of night.  The reflective collars are great when I'm on the hunt for her with a flashlight…..BUT, yesterday I found these cool little LED lights for their collars as well. 

 See, how bright they are? WINNING!

My neighbors might thing we have aliens tromping around the property…. that will give them something new to talk about.  

***

 I posted this on Facebook the other night.
Cocoa and the Coach always share 'his' chair, but her expression on this night had us both cracking up. 

I wished I'd taken the time to get out my real camera…she actually sat like this for at least 15 minutes. 

I just realized….she is the one who's been DVR'ing MeerKat Manor!

Cocoa is a meerkat impersonator!

I can only imagine how boring life would be without these two.

Any critter hijinx around your house this week?

Last Party THIS year.

Oh, wait. It's only January 6th?

Nevermind…...

Me: Linds what do you want to do for your 18th birthday?

Linds: I'd love a surprise party.

Me: You know, I can't throw you a surprise party after you've asked for a surprise party.  How about I plan something for you, and you'll be surprised by what it is?

This conversation took place in November.

So, we planned a small party at Masterpiece Mixers. If you have one in your town, run there. NOW. 

IT's fun even if you aren't artsy fartsy. 

 She was happily surprised….as were her friends.  Ok, she actually figured it out an hour prior….and I can only blame myself. {all the weeks of secrecy and I blew it at the finish line!!!! I could poke myself in the eye with a grapefruit spoon!}

 Lolo and I had to pick out the art piece prior to the party….this was tough to do.
We finally went with what we thought Linds would like: The Sugar Skull….which is NOT a scary thing…we aren't satan worshippers here. anymore.

The sugar skull honors the deceased, your ancestry or whatever floats your boat.
Apparently our boats float on color. 

 The Coach is not a scary person…but for some reason, his sugar skull came out a bit scary.
 The girls got a kick out of his. "Daddy is SO funny!!" Apparently all the niceness in him disappears when he has a paintbrush. 

 It was a fun and memorable night for Linds, her friends and family. 

 Here is our family in sugar skulls. We might hang Coach's outside…you know, to scare the bad people away. 

So, that's it with the parties. I'm partied out for this year…..
wait, when is the Super Bowl???

Stick a fork in me….and more chalk paint!

Stop. Call the po-po or an ambulance…..

it's January 3rd and both of our Christmas trees are STILL UP. 

STILL BEDAZZLED!

I'm usually pacing at midnight on December 25th….ready to clean it all up.

A few reasons for the trees still being up.

1) Life is busy. Parties, family, birthdays etc…

2) I love our living room tree so much, I'm trying to figure out how to keep it up all year. 

We had Lindsay's birthday last weekend. Then on New Years day we had a *small end of the travel season party for Coach's softball team at our house. 

*35 people is small, right?

Anyhoo's….I've been meaning to share this with you since LAST YEAR!

My MIL and FIL also gave us this console table from their downsize/move. 

 I put it in the back hallway thinking it would be a great catchall table. 

And ten minutes later, I decided to give it a chalk paint makeover. I used leftover wall paint for this one..

 I loved it so much….that I decided to bring it into the living room: Front and center!

  Seriously, chalk paint is SO easy to do. Even a caveman blogger can do it. 

When I finally get tired of the Christmas stuff…it will look good with my regular stuff on it too. 

We have a lot going on this weekend but I might find time to box up Christmas…..well, perhaps I'll leave the turquoise, silver and white tree a little longer.  IT'S SO PRETTY!

Happy 2014!!

XOXO