Saturday Shoutouts

A Stripped Down Version

Moving Forward When You're Afraid to Fall Apart

Appreciating What You Have

Must I do "Enough" to earn the right 'To BE'? 

Share the Road

Pack your suitcase for the HP- Vol 37

1. July is National Ice Cream month...your favorite flavor? Soft served, hand dipped, or frozen yogurt...which do you prefer? And technically yogurt is not ice cream but its hot outside so I'll let that slide for today.   Breyer's strawberry! 

2. When you travel do you tend to pack too much or too little?  Usually too much--experience is a great teacher.

3. What's your favorite cleaning product?   I was going to say my maid, but since I don't have one, I'll go with....nope, can't think of anything.

4. Which is the greater tragedy-an innocent person imprisoned or a guilty person set free? Explain.  An innocent person imprisoned.  The guilty person who gets away with something will eventually be judged by a higher court than here on earth, not to mention having to live with what they've done.  Maybe I'm naive, but I can't help but think they'd sooner or later realize the significance of what they did and suffer from it.

5. What's the longest trip you've taken by car?  Last year we racked up about 2000 miles driving from Zurich, down the western coast of Italy, then up the eastern side back to Zurich. 

6. tennis-golf-canoeing-biking...pick one.  Guess you've not heard about the very first time I was in a canoe and almost killed my husband.  That's a post for another day.  I'll go with biking.

7. What sound drives you crazy?   The boom boom boom of a pathetic person's bass system in his car as he drives by my house at 3am.  Who is he trying to impress anyway?  The elderly couple in the house behind mine or the toddlers in the house across the street?  I'm considering tack strips....

8. Insert your own random thought here.  

The Thrill of the Hunt

My name is Beverly and I'm a thrifter.  I love yard sales and flea markets.  Most of you already know this, but they say recognizing you have a problem is the first step toward recovery.  Not that I really want to recover.  In fact, my addiction has gotten worse.  With the opening of my flea market booth, I am constantly on the lookout for stuff.  Last weekend, I spent roughly $40 in about an hour and came home with lots of goodies!  Here are a few:

Can't tell you how tempted I am to keep this little beauty!  Very victorian.  Looks like she has chocolate kisses hanging from the apron (though a couple are missing).  I think she probably sat too close to the fire at one time, because she has some scorched places on one side, but nothing too bad.  Paid $15 for both this table and the next.

Also got this pretty side table.  Would you believe someone stuck wood grain contact paper on the tops?  Luckily, it came off easily and now just needs a little sanding.  I'm thinking some Heirloom White and a little distressing.....maybe a glaze....

I'm keeping this guy.  Paid $8 and he'll look great hanging along the back sidewalk.

Been looking for an end table with some storage for the living room.  This guy fits the bill perfectly and only cost $5!  After a little dusting, he was good to go.  Now all my books and magazines are right at hand.

Remember this little tray?

I spray painted a light coat of green and then a coat of Bahama Sea blue.  The humidity is making the dry time take forever, so no final picture yet.  But here's the during...

Don't ya love my painting "studio"?

Observations

Hello, my peeps!  Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I'm on the computer while I should be doing other things--like dishes and laundry.  As soon as THEY find out I'm blogging, THEY will want their turn on the computer.  As Elmer Fudd would say--be vewy vewy quiet...

Hey, you know what?  It's HOT!  I mean, good grief!  Heat index is over 100.  If I were home alone, I'd never leave the house, but there's something about 4 kids under the age of 5 that makes my house shrink.  If only that worked on my waistline!  After a few hours inside, those sweet kids start to get a little crazy and we have to go somewhere.  Last night, we drove over an hour to see my favorite daughter-in-law (okay, okay, I only have the one--stop nitpicking!) who was in for a few days visiting her family.  Darrell was running late in Nashville, so the rest of us decided to ride together in Lauren's van and meet him there.  About 20 miles into our trip, the AC in the van started giving out.  Seven people...melting...ssllloowwwlllyyy...but the kids were troopers and didn't whine much.  I'll be honest--we almost turned around and went home.  Fortunately, we persevered, because the company was great and the food was wonderful.  Plus the kids got to swim and cool off. 

Have you seen this?  Yep, pretty much sums it up around here...

Still Here

I'm still here....just finding it hard to blog lately. More people in the house = less time at the computer. Seems I have to wait my turn or something....

Saturday Shoutouts

Poptarts in Paradise

Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels....

What's So Awful About Good Grammar?

Cruise Control

Tips for a Safe & Successful Road Trip 

IYHO

Just a couple things I've put together lately.   I bought this little cheese dome a while back for maybe 50 cents.  Spray painted it green, then scuffed it up and put a brown glaze on it.  Still needed a little sumpin' though.  Out came the E6000 and a dollar store candleholder. 

Add a couple of croissants from Hobby Lobby and I'm a happy girl!

I had this little wooden tray from Goodwill that I've been wondering what to do with.  Found the pedestal at a thrift store, brought out the E6000 again, and voila!  Just what I pictured. 

Now for the $64,000 question...what is it?

Hmmm....

Daughter Lauren did this with it and I thought YES!

Here's where you come in--hence, the title of this post (In Your Humble Opinion)--what color to paint it?  Black?  White?  Yellow?  Turquoise?  Pink?  Purple?  Mod Podge something in the bottom?

Dare I be daring or stick with the tried and true?

No lie... it's time for the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 35

1. How has your hometown changed since you were a kid? What has changed most about the neighborhood you grew up in?   So many things have changed.  What was a two lane road when I was growing up (which my parents wouldn't let me cross with my friends to buy candy at the little store) is now a six lane highway with a turning lane.  Along that same road, were two small family owned grocery stores, a family owned restaurant, a little bank, my elementary school, and a factory.  Now there's a mall, several factories, and just about every retail store, hotel,  and restaurant you could imagine.  It's crazy and I avoid it whenever possible!

2. What song makes you laugh?  Saturday Morning Confusion

3. Are you a fan of Harry Potter? Read the books? Seen any/all of the movies? Will you be standing in line somewhere close to midnight later this week? For those of you playing along today who live outside the US or UK is Harry Potter a phenomenon in your part of the world?  No.  Just the first one.  No and won't.  Not a chance.  Don't understand the phenomenon of Harry Potter or Twilight.

4. If the truth hurts, will you tell a lie? Are we better off as a society in a world that allows no form of deception whatsoever?   While honesty is always the best policy, I believe a little white lie can sometimes be a good thing.

5. What is your favorite 'sauteed in garlic and butter' food? Or garlic and olive oil if that makes you feel better.   Don't like garlic, so I'll pass on this one.

6. Attending any reunions this summer/year? High school? family? Other? Do these events stir up excitement or dread?   AAHHH!!  You had to remind me!  My 35th high school reunion is this Saturday.  Think I can drop about 20 lbs by then???  Anyone know a good liposuctionist?  ;-)

And most of you know I recently had a reunion with a half-sister and half-brother I have seen in 40 years!  Visiting my birth mother and another half-sister was wonderful--just wish it could have been longer.  We hope to go again before the year is out.

7. Lilac, hydrangea, peony...pick one.  Hydrangea because it blooms longer than peonies.  I've never had much luck with lilacs.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Last night, we were having spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.  Three year old Grant dropped one of his meatballs and was quite upset, until I started singing "On Top of Spaghetti".  That got some smiles.  I thought all was well till 4-year-old Alexander asked me to bend down so he could tell me a secret.  "Beeba, that song you were singing?  About the meatball?  It was sad."  I could barely keep a straight face.  I had to think fast and told him it ended happily when the singer found the meatball.  I had forgotten that it was found under a bush and turned to mush! 

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Whew!  I don't see how you people with kids at home get anything done--much less blog!  There was a time when I worked full-time and had four kids at home, along with a husband and at least one pet.  And I know I accomplished things.  The fact that the kids and husband are still here reflect that.  We won't discuss the pets....I kid, I kid...

Anyway, this past week has been full to the brim.  Let's get a quick recap.  At the end of May, my daughter Holly and her 4-year-old son Alexander came to live with us temporarily.  Having a young'un in the house after so many years of an empty nest is exhausting overwhelming interesting.  But fun--most of the time.  My youngest daughter is also here with her three wee ones (all under the age of 5), though they are staying with her inlaws.  It's been great to have almost our whole family around!

Last Friday morning, Darrell and I left for WV to visit my birth mother and other family.  We had a good trip--which means no bad weather, no backed up traffic, and no vehicle maintenance issues.  My mother and sister had warned us that they lived in the country and they were not kidding!  If you look in the dictionary under 'back of beyond', there will be a picture of their little town.   The closest hotel was 30 mins away and the nearest McDonald's and Walmart a little farther.  Despite this--or maybe because of it--we hung around the house and ate and talked and laughed and ate some more.  It was a wonderful visit and I'm so very glad we went.  I think bonds were strengthened and memories were made.

My sister Sheila, my mom, my sister Sharon, and me

(these 2 are twins, believe it or not!)

My friend Liz and I rented a booth at a local flea market just before our trip and we spent several days this week getting it set up.  You'll probably get sick of hearing about "Lizzy and the Bee".  It's been a hoot so far and I've already sold some stuff!  You can like us on Facebook, if you're so inclined--and I hope you are.

Guess that's it in a nutshell for the time being.  Only other news is that we seem to be living near the gates of hell lately and the prediction for next week is that someone will push us over the edge and slam that gate!  The high for Monday is supposed to be 97!  I will indeed be inside under the AC!

Saturday Shoutouts

56 Men and a Savior

An American Boy

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way?

16 Ways to Find Personal Rest

Saturday Shoutouts

Not Friends....Yet

The Power of Forgiveness

I Have Lived