Unexpected Expenses

Its been a crazy few weeks! Our baby girl had to squeeze in to the dentist last week due to a severe tooth ache. Its an abscess! She was started on antibiotics and scheduled for a root canal but she couldnt wait until  the appointment! We ended up making an emergency trip to the dentist today and they started the root canal. They found good reason for her pain! Now, we will have to make three total trips over the next few weeks to finish this procedure but hopefully after today's procedure she will finally start feeling better. 

In other news, NC keeps bouncing from 70 degree weather to down in the teens! 

Im so ready for spring!

Decor Help Needed

I might be a good 'ol southern girl that loves sweet tea with a twist of lemon but I am NOT good at decorating! I can see things that I like and wish mine looked like that but I cannot seem to recreate what I like or want in my house.

Can you help?

I grew up being raised by a single father who didn't really "decorate" 

Everything in the house was neutral in color and we were NOT allowed to put anything on the walls! (no holes in the walls! )  So here I am all grown up and still am no good a decorating. 

Recently Ive fallen in love with the color red (various shades) and the chevron pattern. 

I painted my wall red awhile ago and recently was on the look out for gray furniture but came across this red set that I loved and bought it! Now, I have too much red! 

Above you can see a quick snapshot of my living room that I took with my cell. 

I have moved a few minor things around since and you cant see the other angles from this shot but I was wondering if anyone out there had any suggestions for me. 

What should I change, add or remove?

I have a few ideas and I'm curious if anyone will have any of the same ideas! 

Id love your suggestions and after I get suggestions I'm willing to make changes and retake photos to share. (even use this on your blog! ) HELP! 

I'm no decorator! Are you?

St Patricks Brunch

Today is the day after St Patricks Day and we are home with winter weather falling.

Thats unusual here in the south but I took advantage of this lazy day by making brunch for my girls.  I cute a bell pepper to make these "four leave clover shaped" rings. 

I added them to a hot pan with just a little oil. 

I beat some fresh eggs I collected from the chicken coop and poured in the pepper ring. 

I added salt and pepper and topped it with cheese. Some of the eggs ran out of the bottom but thats ok! I cut around the pepper to make it cute on the plate for my girls. 

We had grits with salt, pepper and butter.

I topped mine off with my favorite hazelnut coffee from the Keurig! 

The girls had chocolate milk. 

Happy St Patricks Day! 

Post Spring Ice Storm

 Its hard to look out our window today and know that we had a winter ice storm two days ago (if you were judging by the weather) Its 70 degrees today!

 There is a lot of damage left behind! For two days we heard sounds like gun shots but it was the pine trees snapping in two.

 The ice is always so beautiful, it looks as if we were living in a glass house/world.

This is a good example of why you cant judge by looks alone because ice is damaging to our trees, homes, power lines etc...

 Our inlaws live next door and they have a generator! When our electricity went out we stayed home until is started getting cold. (My husband was working as most cops have to do when there is bad weather conditions)

 Finally the girls and I walked next door with books in hand. The tree below fell right where we had walked just minutes before.

 We stayed there for two days and eventually took our dogs over since our house was getting pretty cold! There was 6 people and 5 dogs in her house!

 It warmed up yesterday and neighbors came over to help get a tree of the inlaws house! 

The dogs got to play outside, and while it was warm outside we continued to hear trees popping in half through the woods! They are weak from the weight they have had over the past few days.

Last night we set our clocks forward for spring daylight savings. 

Hopefully winter is over now because we are all ready for spring! 

Today as my washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher are running; the chickens are free ranging and doggie treats are cooking in the oven, I also hear frogs which is a good sign! 

Welcome Spring! 

Goodbye Winter!

spring ice storm

Tonight we spring our clocks forward. We should be seeing daffodils and butterflies but instead we have been slammed with an  ice storm. We have  had no electricity since yesterday morning.  Trees falling sound like gun shots all around us! I really want spring weather!

When Did it Change?

My birthday is coming up and I always think back to elementary school. In the brick building heated with coal there was a large bulletin board in the cafeteria. Every month the bulletin board was filled with seasonal decorations with the names of all the children who were celebrating birthdays that month. Of course every March it was filled with shamrocks and it was always fun to find your name on your birthday and pull it off the board to give it to the cafeteria lady in exchange for a cupcake!



Like everyone else birthdays became a celebration of "me"  time to think about my life, and time to think about what I want as a gift for "me"  There was a time when I wanted clothes, perfume, and pedicures. These days my list seems to consist of .....

• A set of steak knives
• Painted walls in the future laundry room.
• Tiled floors in the bathroom
• Pressure washing of the house
• and the ultimate request.... bring my son home. I want my children together with me.

When did my birthday list change? Its no longer about "me" but about my family and my home.

Does this mean I'm getting old? Or does it simply mean Ive grown up?

Christmas in March (with Nascar)

 For Christmas I gave my husband a certificate to ride around the Charlotte Motor Speedway in a Nascar.(thanks to Groupon!) I got a very good deal and I knew he would love it!  My Artist daughter wanted to do this with her Daddy and she paid her own way.  So, yesterday we got up at 5:30 am and drive to Charlotte, NC for this exciting event.

 They got to ride 5 laps side by side at 165 mph around the track.

She was number 1 and he was number 2

 They enjoyed it! It was money well spent and the memories will last a lifetime!

Chickens dont like snow

 When the snow started I was leaving work. It takes me about 40 minutes to get home but on that day, it took two hours (and then I got stuck on my road !) As I walked up to the house I heard the chickens squawking! They were not happy about this weather! They wouldnt even leave the coop!

 The rooster has really blossomed ! He used to be small and ugly but now he's pretty handsome!

Above is our hen that the girls have named "Goose" shes an Americana and she lays green eggs.

I took them special treats during all this snowy weather. They wouldnt even go into the run and had the added bonus of the heat lamp on during the cold snap. 

Im sure they will be happy when our weather reaches 70- degrees in the upcoming week.

Snow Day

 The girls and I had fun playing in the snow. (until the sleet and freezing rain started)

 We took care of the chickens, we played with dogs and made a snowman.

Lucky Snow

 Here in the South we dont get a lot of snow. In the past few days we have gotten about 10 inches! 

Lucky loved eating and playing in the snow!

 He's so cute, and getting so big!

 He's also chewing up everything in site! Like my new shoes, the base boards and more! 

Not sure Ill survive the puppy stage!

 He had a lot of fun in the snow with my girls.

(and the other dogs)

Do you want to build a snowman?

 last year I bought a snowman kit, complete with eyes, carrot nose, hat, scarf buttons and a pipe!

 We never got to use it. I guess pipes arent very popular these days but the Frosty that I remember, had a pipe! My late Uncle Melvin used to smoke a pipe so I didnt mind the pipe so much. (My kids thought it was cool)

 Finally this year, we got enough snow to make a snowman! He would have been larger but the snow was covered in ice and hard to make a snowman out of. In fact, it started sleeting again while we were making Olaf.

 I didnt realize my setting were off on the camera so Im sure they would have been a little better than this but you can still see that hes pretty cute.

 It was the day before Valentines Day when we got our second blast of snow. It started on the 12th in the afternoon and then we got more on the 13th. (bye bye spring break!)

 It was nice to make snow cream, and other goodies during our two day snow storm. 

As I type this its February 15th and alot of snow has melted alreay. Its very windy and within 7 days we should be in the 70s!

Smores French Toast

 I saw this recipe online and knew that I HAD to try it. I love Nutella, and I love marshmallows, and I love french toast! Putting them together is heaven!

 I did put a LITTLE syrup on top and it was so good!

 Almost as good as Peanut Butter French Toast :)

This is how we do French Toast

 Growing up, the only way my family ever ate french toast, was with peanut butter. 

Peanut butter on hot french toasts, melts just right and topped with syrup ... its amazing! 

Have you tried it? Do it, NOW!

Spring Chickens

 The hens are working hard at providing tons of eggs now that we are having more and more daylight! Our youngest hen is laying now and as most first eggs, they are tiny but getting bigger with each egg. 

We are expecting a lot of snow and ice in the next few days so we have the heat lamp on again. Im excited about the large amount of snow we are expecting (we dont get a lot of snow here often) but after this, Ill certainly be ready for spring. 

(and my chickens will too)

Rescuing Lucky Bear

 Lucky Bear isnt so little anymore. He is bigger than our Dachshunds!

 The Vet was surprised that he was 9.6 lbs at 8 weeks old! He is going to be a big boy!

 We Love him so much, but I.m not loving the fact that he chewed up my new shoes!

Remember when he was tiny?

Just 8 weeks ago? 

TAKE A LOOK BACK BY CLICKING HERE and read his story!