why i love the internet

because i get a kazillion ideas.  and it gets my brain going.  and ideas flowing.  why sometimes it even gets my heart pumping.  i could peruse design and decor and crafting sites all day long.  and because of the many hours that i spend blog hopping i have seen some amazing stuff.  so amazing that i have done something i have never done before.  decorate for halloween.  ok, maybe not 'decorate'.  more like tablescape.
here's my dining room table decked out for halloween.

wish i could take credit for this spooktacular (yes, i amuse myself) idea.

but i can't.  it came from here.  check it out.  amazing.



he da man

 i fell in love with this face the very first time i saw it.  he (and his brother...i'll tell you about him later) had been on a plane for 24 hours.  his eyes couldn't have been bigger and the look of fear on his face couldn't have been more real.  he didn't know that he had a family waiting.  that he was loved beyond measure.  and that he was ours forever.  he had no idea that he was in for the adventure of a lifetime.  neither did we.

now he's all grown up.  almost.

 that's him playing the stand up bass with the cdo jazz band.  and he plays golf.  and he's in r.o.t.c.  he loves to fish.  he loves to hunt.  he plays a mean cornhole.  he's always happy.  he's very loved.

 you da man koll.

why i store stuff under the couch

i have this funky angled wall in my dining room.  it is only 31" wide.  it used to house the pool cues but since letting go of the pool table and actually getting a dining room the wall has been bare.  i have looked at several architectural pieces but just didn't find what i wanted.  while vacuuming tonight i came across two old ceiling tiles that i forgot i had.

bingo.

i layered them and i knew right where they needed to go.

i think they'll stay...for now.

holy cannoli

you have got to check this out!

i am stunned and speechless.  it is extraordinary and beyond words.  i spend oodles of time perusing design sites and blogs.  this has taken my breath away.
let me know what you think.

catching up

i was admonished today to update my blog.  thank you donna.  because it's not that i haven't thought of it...i just haven't taken the time to do it.  and there is so much i want to remember about the last few weeks.  trips to new jersey, new york, pennsylvania, a phillies game in philadelphia against the arizona diamondbacks (i cheered for the phillies...family loyalty trumps locale), a day trip to phoenix, 5 days in heaven on earth aka pinetop, arizona.  and then there was a beautiful, whimsical wedding reception where i got to plan and decorate and cook for 300 guests.  a full month indeed.  and the best part.  each of these events was shared with the people i love the most.

i don't even know what to write about my big trip back east.  it was wonderfully fabulous.  i went with my mom and sister.  we spent precious time together.  time that we haven't had together in years.  and we were able to visit family members i haven't seen in years.  i've tried to decide what my favorite part of the trip was.  impossible.  so here are some of my favorite pictures.

steel pier in atlantic city.  cousin brenda, sister joann, me, aunt thelma, and mom.

at the phillies game.  joann, cousin cissy, me, cousin in law anne marie, cousin junior.

the city of brotherly love as seen through the walt whitman bridge.

amish country.  stunningly beautiful.

the streets of new york.  in front of penn station.

new york city roof lines.

thank you daddy for the incredible gift of that trip.  i will remember it always.

and a few wedding pics.

 

and to my besties donna and deb...i love you girls.  you worked your bottoms off.  i can never repay you.  and donna...ditto...i would clean sewers with you too.

and one last picture.  4udeb

barber avenue, woodbury, new jersey

a pictorial

soon i will post a recap of my trip to new jersey, new york, and pennsylvania...it was beyond fabulous!

But here are some pics of my wonderful week.   

some of the new york skyline.  breathtaking.

broadway is waiting for me.

 

central park is beautiful.  green and cool.  and clean.  very clean.

my grandma's house in south jersey.  a million memories behind that door. 

 

268 elm avenue. mantua, nj. i grew up in this house.

and since i've been back i've been frantically working on a wedding reception.

today i had 200 gerbera daisies delivered for use in the centerpieces.

you can't tell in this pic because each head is in a protective sleeve,

but the colors, hot pink and tangerine, are so vivid.

i can't wait to see them in the centerpieces.

feeling special

we arrived in philly.  on time with lots of giggles and a 25$ voucher from us air.  which means our luggage flies home for free.  woot.  woot.  and mom never fell out of her wheelchair.  which is saying a lot.  joann is more than a little challenged when it comes to pushing a wheelchair and dragging a suitcase.

and look what was waiting for us when we arrived at our hotel.

i got a gift bag with food goodies.

but don't be too jealous...there was no chocolate.

summer fun

it never ends around here.  and while my dining room is still not done, and my chairs are still sporting their same english country themed fabric, and my baseboard replacing is still undone, and my garden needs some serious fertilizer if its ever going to produce anything, i am off once again. 

but not just to pinetop or palm springs.  oh no.  this is a big one.

drum roll please.

philadelphia, new jersey, new york city here i come!

(don't hate.)

ground zero, central park, madison square garden, statue of liberty, time square.

all in one day.

and the jerseylicious girls at the gatsby salon in green brook, new jersey.

i'll be stopping by to see you.

big hair, attitude and fashion.

because once a jersey girl, always a jersey girl.

we're back

pinetop was beautiful.  the parade was "small town" and entertaining (well, except for the belly dancers...seriously who puts belly dancers in a 4th of july parade?).  the fireworks were "small town"...which for fireworks translates to fabulously stupendous.  really, the best to be had.
the resort had everything we wanted or needed.  the pool was inviting.  the game room was hopping.  the kids were great.  and the temps never got over 80. 

so what could be wrong.

my picture taking skills.  my camera.  whichever one is the culprit doesn't matter.

these are the only pics i got.  not that i didn't take more.  i took dozens more.
they were just all blank.

jen, i'll ask again.  please help.  i need it.

p.s.  the thrifting was nonexistant.  so sad. 
guess i'll have to hit my favorite tucson haunts.

let freedom ring

headed to heaven on earth again.  get to stay the whole week this time.  we'll be staying at the timeshare.  and  the kids will be with us (sash, koll, and oksana where are you?) so this pool will be hopping with ball progeny.  

but the best thing about the 4th of july in the white mountains is the show low freedom fest.  old style, hometown parade, barbeque, farmer's market, artisan fair, rodeo, and fireworks.  the best fireworks known to man.

and then there's the thrifting.  which requires a trip to the bank before we leave.

can't wait to show you all my treasures.  because they will be there.  they always are.

can't get enough of that white mountain thrifting.