Family Pictures Debut

WOO-HOO!  

Today, I am dancing like no one is watching!  

And even if someone was watching I wouldn't care (Unless they're a peeping tom and then we might have some issues)!  Sorry.  My mind just automatically goes places and my typing fingers follow.  :P 

Anyhoo... 

I just got a sneak peek of our family pictures and I cannot believe how good they turned out!  And since I know everyone is highly anticipating seeing how they turned out, after I posted this craziness on Sunday, I'm debuting them right away!  :)  Well, that and I am really super proud at what a great looking family I have.  My children are gorgeous!  Of course, I'm partial though.  ;)

Please everyone chime in and let me know which of these is your favorite!  I'm going to have a hard time choosing!  She said she had more, but these are the only ones she posted on Facebook.  I can't imagine any of the others being any better than these!

Without further ado...

Heise Family 2011

This one in black and white?  And I can have her "pop" the blue?

Or should we go color?
And I would definitely crop it some.

Or this one?  Landon really isn't looking at the camera.
Photoshop it?

Adore this one of my boys!

This is obviously when things were getting a little harry.
Notice Noah is pouting on the left.
Or does he just look serious?

This was right after Donna had to chase Landon down.  He hid behind me and I had to coax him in front of me.  My smile is a little forced at this point.  LOL!

I think I'd like to cut Eva out of this one and then paste her back in, in the same pose as the picture before this one.  Its good of everyone, but her.

I don't even think our engagement picture was this good!
Is my hubs a hottie or what?  LOL!

I posted this one just for laughs.  Typical of what Donna had to work with.  LOL!!!!
Ian is totally being Ian.  What a stinker!

And I'm the one pouting in this one.  LOL!
Does it look like it???  ;)

So, what do y'all think?  Which one(s) should I choose?  Thoughts?  Ideas?  Please help me out!  Any and all comments are greatly needed and super appreciated!  :)

Be Thankful!

Is it too early for Thanksgiving Wreaths yet? Naahhhhh... Everyone should be thankful each and everyday, not just when a date on the calendar says to be so (even I need to remind myself of this). Besides, I don't know about you, but I'm ready for Halloween to be done and over with. I can only take so much of the black and orange. And pumpkins. And bats. And skulls. And let's not forget the witches! I know, I know. I'm no fun. I'm like the Ebenezeer of Halloween. Bah Humbug!

Anyhoo...

I was bored this afternoon and decided to whip together a quickie wreath. It literally took me all of maybe an hour. For real.

I started with a grapevine wreath I bought a few weeks ago. Its just been sitting begging me to do something with it, since I denuded it of its fall leaf and holly berry combo.  It obviously had some kind of split personality disorder because it couldn't make up it's mind whether it was a Fall Wreath or a Christmas Wreath.  Maybe it was just going through a transitional stage from one to the other.  Either way, its personality issues caused it to get donated to our local thrift store.  I scooped it up to give it some psychotherapy and it only  cost me $2.00.  It loves me now.  ;)

Then I hot glued on some Spanish Moss that I bought at Wally World for $3.00. Really glue it good peeps, or it'll fall off. I would even glue it in small sections and layer it. I didn't do that and had some sagging issues that made me kick myself a few times.

Next, I hot glued on some "Dried Fruit & Pinecones" courtesy of BH&G for $4.97, that I also found at the advertiser of lowest prices.

I've got TONS of burlap left over because I bought like 7 yards, just in case I needed it. I have to admit its come in handy on a lot of little projects. I cut a rectangle out, fringed the edges, and then placed it over the word "Thankful" that I printed off my computer. I quickly traced it with a black paint marker and called it good enough. I glued the burlap to the wreath, hung it with some "Waverly Essence" ribbon that cost about $4.00 for a roll. Done. TAH-DAH! A quick and easy Thanksgiving Wreath for under $15.00. Not too bad, eh?

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful...  Hebrews 12:28

Take care,

Furniture Painting: Just Do It

On Sunday's post, I told you about a little paint job I did on a turn of the century chair that I picked up at the local thrift a couple of weeks ago for $15.00.  Unfortunately, I don't have any in between pictures because I was in such a rush to get it completed.  I literally started like 3 hours before our family photo shoot.  And you know what?  I am so glad I did!

Usually, I so over think things.  I'm like a teenage girl with a crush...  "Do you think he likes me?"  "Did he just look at me?"  "He said blah-blah-blah."  "What do you think that means?"  Seriously, I analyze every little thing I do and worry I'm doing the wrong thing or going to do the wrong thing or pick the wrong color, so there are several pieces around here that I haven't touched for that very reason.  I might come across very "Uh....  Like whatev-ah!  Let it all hang out type" on my posts, but when it comes to doing something in the house or making a decision to do something in the house, I paralyze myself with doubt and it either doesn't get done or takes forever to get done..  Does anyone else do this???

So, it was the morning of the pictures and a few days earlier I had picked up a sample of BH&G "Peacock Blue" paint from Wally World on a whim because it was the exact same shade we were using for our "pop" color.  Then once I got home, I started overanalyzing it...

"Do I really want to paint this chair this color?" 

"What if it looks horrible?"

"Am I really going to want to have to re-sand and 

repaint it just for a few pictures?"

"What if it just looks tacky?"

"What if it ruins the whole feel of the chair?"

"What if I just plain hate it and 

we won't have a prop for the pictures?"

"I should just leave it like it is and use it."

I tell you what, if I took inner dialogue to the next level, I might really be dealing with some mental illness issues.  I literally have done nothing with a few pieces I've picked up because I don't want to ruin them - even though logically I know that anything would be better than how they are now.  Are you paralyzed with indecision when it comes to a few of your pieces too?

Well, Saturday morning, I had a staring contest with one of the chairs.  I mean, it would have been a staring contest if the chair had eyes...  Nevermind.  Anyway, I thought and thought and thought and did a few things around the house, only to come back and look at it some more.  Indecision, indecision, indecision.  Make up your mind already!

So, about three hours before the shoot, I googled dry brushing techniques and grabbed the sander.  I wiped it down, sanded it lightly all over and not very well,  and then I just went to town.  Snagged the blue paint and a brush.  Didn't think about it.  Didn't analyze every single stroke.  Just did it.  That's going to be my new motto...

Furniture Painting:  Just do it.

And because I didn't like how the dry brushing was looking on the piece, I started using a technique similar to glazing, but I didn't slop it on.  I still went light on the application, but then I went right behind it and rubbed the paint into the wood to "stain" it.  There was no rhyme or reason.   No thought.  Heavier in some areas, lighter in others.  And because the feeling of our pictures was going to be a little funky, I threw the thought of a seat cushion out the window and left the pressboard bottom with the huge nail heads.  And painted that too.  And then sanded the rust off tops of the nails, so they were silver.  Then I lightly sanded it all over with a sanding sponge before calling it good.

To save you from scrolling back up, here's before:

And the after of one of them...

I am totally loving it!  And plan to do the other one the exact same way.  Who would have ever thought???

Another lesson learned:  Don't think about it so hard.  Trust your instinct and just do it.  You might just be surprised.

Now just to figure out where its going to go!

Have a great day, y'all!

Take care,

I Was Awarded {Again} and Now I'm Passing It On!

I'm dancing a jig this morning ladies (and am so thankful and appreciative), because I was given another award!  WOO-HOO!  Award in da house!

One of my most favorite bloggers and a wonderful new bloggy friend has hooked me up with:

The Leibster Blog Award!

Nicole at Davis Domestications bestowed me with this award and for that I'm sending her a huge shout out and a lot of blogger love.  :)  Thanks, Nicole!  You rock!  (But you already know that, right?)  I am so thankful to have met you and so honored that you thought of me.  Nicole has some ah-mazing furniture restorations.  Still waiting on one of those buffets...  Ahem...  ;)  But she's got some excellent taste, let me tell ya!  Oh yeah.  Good stuff! Go check her out!

According to Miss Nicole, the Leibster Award is given out to up and coming bloggers with 200 followers or less.

<-------------------No problem with that here, folks!

Errrrrr....

Anyhoo...

"Liebster" is Deutsch (that's German in German -HA!- and about the extent of what I remember from high school German class, other than to ask what time it is:  "Was..."  Nevermind, I don't remember that either).  It means dear, sweet, kind, nice, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.  Awwww!  Thanks, Nicole!  Ich liebe dich!  And that means I love you!  Okay, so I remember more than I let on, but where's the fun in that?   

Moving on...

So as with the Versatile Blogger Award that I was given last week, there are a few stipulations with receiving the Leibster Award.  (If you haven't figured it out yet, nothing in life comes without stipulations and I guess blogging awards aren't any exception.  Poo.)

I have to do the following things:

1.  I must recognize five (5) other bloggers that have less than 200 followers.  (Thank God it's not another 15 because I would be in trouble.)

2.  Reveal your top five (5) picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog announcing their award.

3.  Copy and paste the award on your blog.  (Done!)

4.  Have faith that your followers will spread the love too.

5.  Well, actually there's not a five, but there should be because it just seems more copacetic to have five winners and five things you have to do, but okay, whatever.  (Is that what you mean by random, Nicole?  LMBO!)

Let's get to it...

My Top 5 Schön Bloggers

(Schön is German for beautiful.  And yes, I totally googled that.)

1.  Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage.  My super nut-so, freakin' hilarious, totally love her - blog friend.  I've known Shannon a little while longer than Nicole, but if you put the 2 of us together in close quarters I'm pretty sure we'd be in trouble in no time.  She frequently likes to embarrass me in front of the world via her Facebook page, but I adore her anyway.  LOL!  Shannon has fought cancer and WON!  HOLLA! So this is a woman who's seen the dark side and still has a happiness and sense of humor that never ceases to amaze me.  I wanna be just like her when I grow up.  I {heart} you, Shannon!  Be sure to check her out and become a follower.  :)

2.  Amy @ The Salvage Collection.  I've just met Amy this week, but WOW-ZA!  This woman has got some awesome taste!  Like Shannon, she's an absolute riot.  Her blog always makes me LOL! (with an !)  If Amy, Shannon, and I got together, I'm pretty sure something would blow up.   She's got this fantastic armoire that I would kill to have - well, maybe not kill, but I could probably be talked into hurting someone.  JOKING!  Well maybe...  Ahem...  Yeah.  So take the time to check her out (like now, but be sure to come back here),  and I know you'll be her newest follower!

3.  Shari @ Turnstyle Vogue and Design.  I really, really wanted to give Shari the Versatile Blog Award last week, but alas, Amanda at Between the Rafters beat me to it.  Shari and I couldn't possibly be more different.  She has an understated elegance and poise that shows through her blogposts and all her furniture debuts.  However, we've bonded over a love of our children's sports and she never fails to encourage me and leave me a comment or two.  If it wasn't for Shari's encouragement and faith in my abilities (or lack of) I would have never had the courage to tackle my buffet, which has led to me being featured in three separate blogs and gained me some of you as followers.  Be sure to go check Shari out and become a follower, so I'm not in debt to her forever.  You'll be oohing and ahhing in no time!

4.  Amanda @ Between The Rafters.  Last week, Amanda bestowed me with the Versatile Blogger Award, so I'm showing a little love back.  Amanda is super creative in her own right and I just adore the pillows she recently recovered.  LOVE!  LOVE!  Is there anything better than black, gray, and white with a pop of yellow?  Are your thinking about it?  Well, the answer is "No."  Okay, okay... If I'm being honest, maybe anything with aqua, but that's besides the point.  Her little yellow nightstand is awesome too.  I'm totally lovin' it!  Swing by and become a follower!

5.  Sandi @ Making It Homey.  I really don't know Sandi, but I'm an avid follower of her blog.  She really does some neat things with furniture.  I particularly love her window facelift!  Stop by to check her out and start following.  She doesn't post very much like some of us other blog addicted people (Who me?  No, I don't have a problem.  I don't know what you're talking about.), but when she does, her stuff definitely is unique and has her own stamp on it.  And now that she's got her own workshop (LUCKY!) I bet she'll be posting all kinds of stuff.

Well, that wraps it up.  Five fellow bloggers that I admire.  An FYI for some of you...  I know that when I tried to upload the pictures of the awards to add to an Award Gadget to my page (Does anyone know why they don't make HTML codes for these things?), Blogger told me I had exceeded my allowable picture amount and wanted some $$$.  What-eh-ver.  So, the way I got around that was to left click on the picture, download to my computer, upload it to photobucket, and it automatically creates an HTML.  FREE!  In your face, Blogger!  So try that if you get the same message when you try to add the award pic to your gadgets and it won't let you.

And while I'm at it...  Today is a super special day!  Eleven years ago, our lives were blessed with the arrival of our 2nd son!  After five and a half hours, 15 minutes of pushing, and with the help of one heck of an epidural  (Thank the good Lord!), Ian Dawson arrived to make our family of 3, a family of 4.  Happy Birthday to one of the most cocky, arrogant, funniest little stinkers I know.  Your self-esteem never ceases to amaze me and I am so glad that you have confidence in spades, but a good heart to balance it out.  I love you, baby boy!

At the risk of freaking some moms out, here's a pic which shows perfectly the self-esteem I'm talking about (Totally his idea, not mine - puh-lease give me some credit - and I agreed to take it so we can look back years later and laugh about it - and show it to the young lady he falls in love with. Hehehehe)...

To answer your question...  Yes.  He's a handful.  Yes.  He's going to give me gray hairs.  And I love him for it.  Life is never dull with Ian around.  LOL!  I can't believe 11 years has passed!  WOW!  Time's just a flyin'.

Have a great day y'all!

Wanna Laugh? Try Taking Family Photos with 5 Kiddos

Okay...  So yesterday was the highly anticipated family pictures for our annual Christmas cards.  Yeah.  I still haven't recovered.  :P

You know how there's those days when your children just seem to be looking for trouble?  I don't know if they wake up on the wrong side of the bed or what, but from the time their little feet hit floor, they're gunning for it.  Yesterday was one of those days.

It started out with Noah and Ian refusing haircuts.  That much wasn't really a big deal because the hubs had cut their hair like 2 weeks ago, but this is a Marine Corps family and if hair even touches the ears its considered long.  Wanting to not start the day out on the wrong foot, I didn't push the issue with them, but made Greyson go with his dad to go to a professional barber.  Then, I found a zit.  A big one.  On my cheek.  That no amount of concealer was ever going to cover up.  (What is it with mid-life acne??? I have more zits now than I ever had in high school!  I think its payback for those of us blessed with flawless skin during our teenage years.)  Thank God for photoshop!

So then I agonized with how to do my hair...  Up?  Down?  Half-up?  I chose half-up.  Should have gone with down.  :P

However, what I should have really been worried about was the state of mind of my kids.  Noah and the little man in particular were  "just not with it" to put it politely.  Picking on each other, attitude, crying...  Of all days!

Noah didn't want to wear the sweater that two days early he had deemed  "cool", nor the fedora.  The little man didn't want me to fix his hair.  The diva is bouncing around asking every 5 minutes (literally) if it was time to get dressed yet.  And Ian didn't want to do anything with his hair either - this from the boy that spends 20 minutes getting his bangs "just right".  The hubs had tried to squeeze a tree job in after the haircuts and I had no clue where he was.  Greyson was over at the in-law's where the hubs had dropped him and I still had to go get him.  And its 2 hours before the shoot.

I'd like to say things got better, but they didn't.  Five minutes till when I was supposed to be there, Noah was still refusing to wear his sweater.  The little man was trying to hide and get the "sticky stuff" out of his hair.  I think Greyson, Ian, and Eva were reading the signs that Mt. Momma was gonna blow and were doing everything they could to help.  And I was standing there with my hair not done, in underclothes and pantyhose, still not dressed because I'd been chasing everyone around and getting them ready.  And where's the hubs?  No clue.  I hadn't heard from him.  I only knew I was supposed to meet him there and he'd be ready.  Oh my life!

Somehow we make it there at the appointed time.  No hubs.  5 minutes... No hubs.  I call.  No answer.  Get a text.  "I'm leaving J'ville."  WT...  He pulls into the drive 2 seconds later.  The photographer is laughing, but I'm not liking his sense of humor.  At all.  {Insert evil wife glare here.}  Thankfully, he was fresh shaven and his outfit looked fantastic.  Thank you, dear!

The trouble starts with pictures on the railroad tracks.  The little man, after 5 shots is having none of it.  NONE.  We decide to leave him out and do a picture of the three older boys.  Then one of the diva and the hubs.  Then we manage to coax him in again.  Is he smiling?  Not a clue.  ARGH.

We leave there after 20 or so shots and head to a farm for a different background.  We get about 4 pictures off when the boys start goofing off throwing their hats at each other, the diva is twirling around watching the sparkles in her skirt, and the little man is pouting, refusing to do anymore.  Oh.  My.  God.  REALLY?!

The boys start reading the sparks that are shooting out of my eyes at them and get subdued real fast.  I speak to the diva and she starts paying attention (after like the 100th time).  But the little man?  Not having anything to do with it.  Nothing.  He wants to run and play.  He wants to pick berries.  He wants to climb on the roof of a low-lying shed.  He does NOT want to stand in line with the rest of us for the very pose that I wanted in the first place.  He does NOT want to stand next to Noah...  Or Greyson...  Or Ian...  Or ANYONE!  I manage to coax him in front of me from a few shots, but he's pouting.  And then he starts crying.  And we're done.

I don't know that we got a single good shot.  I will be thrilled if there is one.  Ahhhh...  The 3's.  If you haven't had children yet or you have infants, I am telling you that the 3's are by far worse than the 2's.  Hands-down.

The photographer assures me that with photoshop we can work wonders, but I'm not convinced.  We've done some cutting and pasting before and you can tell when you look close enough.

I know there will be one day when I will look back and laugh.  Today though, I'm still not happy.  Not as upset as I was yesterday, but disappointed.  I think the older ones knew that I was highly irate by the time we got back in the car.  When I'm extremely mad, I get quiet.  Really, really quiet.  And the little man?  Well, he was asleep before we were a quarter of the way home.  Aaaahhhh...  So that explains a lot.  He's still at the age where he can take or leave a nap.  Sometimes he needs one.  Sometimes he doesn't.  I guess he needed one yesterday.  Of all days.

I cannot wait until the day my children are old enough to have children of their own and they call me and complain about their son or their daughter has acted terribly in public and embarrassed them.  And then I can just laugh and tell them all about yesterday.  I have heard some stories about me from my mother, so I guess its all in a day's work of being a parent.  Or the ultimate payback.  :P

The only good thing to come out of getting our pictures done was that I got one of those wooden chairs painted that I picked up from our local thrift a couple of years  weeks ago.  That was my idea for our prop.  I left the pressboard seat with the huge nails in to keep it "funky" and just painted over it.  Because I was short on time, I used a dry brush technique and I chose "Peacock Blue" from BH&G.  That was our "pop" color yesterday or I probably never would have picked it.  And you know what?  I love it!  I'm going to do the other chair in the same color.  And hopefully, if we get one single picture out of the whole deal, they'll be put with a small table beneath where I hang it.

{Stay tuned tomorrow for pics of the chair.}

I've got to wait a week to see the proofs, so we'll see.  I'm not going to think about it. Or worry about it.  It's done now.  And the margarita (beeline for the bar, peeps) and steaks the hubs took me out for afterward, did a lot to soothe me.  As did when he leaned in to whisper in my ear on our way out of the restaurant, "Did I tell you that you looked really good tonight?"  And that makes it all worth it.  ;)

Friday's Finds... #06

TGIF Peeps!

Thank the good Lord, because I don't think I could take another 6 am wake-up 
with the way little man (who is feeling much better BTW) has been sleeping all week!

Today's Friday's Finds is not the usual...  I went shopping!  Like, for real shopping - not thifting, so I'm going to tell you about the really fun items I picked up for our family pictures.  I'll save my thrifting treasures for next week, with the exception of a little tutorial at the end... Because after what I spent yesterday, I'm going to be holding off on any purchases for a while.  :P

DISCLAIMER:  Its a loooooooong one.

I braved the sun yesterday (I feel like a vampire with my injured eye's sensitivity to light) and headed out to the mall with Little Man in tow.  

Shopping =  Fun!

Shopping With 3 Year old =  Not so much.

As you'll remember from Tuesday's post, our family is having our pictures taken and I'm going for a vintage funk vibe.  Think this:

But instead of having an urban funk feel, we're going with an older chippier background - with similar clothing.

Its not too often that I have great success shopping for myself.  And I haven't quite gotten used to being a reasonable size again.  Six children back to back (and one miscarriage) has taken its toll on muscle tone and weight, as I kept on 10-15 lbs with each pregnancy.   Last year, I got serious about getting some of it off and have managed to whittle my Size 22 (225 lb) body down to a Size 16 (189 lbs).  For some, a Size 16 might not be considered reasonable, but for me its a huge deal.  I'd like to eventually be back down to my pre-pregnancies size of a 9, but I don't think these hips are ever going to go back there.  LOL! 

I still am jealous over all the skinny-minnies out there, but then I just remind myself how far I've come and hopefully since I've had a tubal ligation, my weight will eventually fall to a lovely Size 12.  At my largest in 2004, I weighed a whopping 260 lbs full term pregnant with the diva.  

Anyhoooooooo...

So, yesterday I'm at Dillard's (which is kind of like a Belk for those of you back east - Its an upper end department store, but not as upper end as say... Macy's) with a bored 3 year old duct taped strapped into a stroller.  I know exactly what I have in mind...  Pencil skirt, belted sweater,  and neck scarf.  For once I'm not going to try to hide my curves, I'm just going to flaunt what I got.  And believe me, there's a lot of junk in this trunk.  Just sayin'.  ;)

I had a wonderful associate helping me and when she asked me for my size, I paused and said, "Ummm...  18?"  She kind of looked at me dubiously and I thought, "Good grief.  Just how much have I gained back?  I know these jeans are getting tight, but geez."  (I haven't been exercising or watching what I eat too well for about 9 months - You know, life?  It got in the way.)  And she says, "You're at most a 16."  Whew!  Kind of had me worried there.  Then she asked for a shirt size, "XL?",  I said.  This time she just shook her head and started pulling XLs.  

So, for about 3 days 30 minutes I was trapped in a cell dressing room the size of a matchbox the eye of a needle with a vicious tazmanian devil three year old who figured out if he leaned his weight forward enough and reached out with his feet, he could tip the stroller forward and pull himself around on his toes to open the door, while simultaneously trying to try on about 20 5 different outfits and look at them long enough to decide if they were the look that I was going for.  Fun times let me tell ya.

The XL shirts swam on me.  YAY!

The XL and L leather jackets hung on me.  WOO-HOO!

The Size 16 skirt was too big in the waist and hips.  SCORE!

And the M/L belt which was the only size they had in the style I wanted actually fit!  DOING A TOUCHDOWN DANCE!

Its the little things peeps.  It really is.  :)

So, this is what I ended up with:

I did end up going with the Size 16 skirt.  The 14 was a bit snug through the thighs and rear-end and it wouldn't be a problem if I didn't want to sit down...  Ever.  LOL!  But at least I got it on!  I haven't been able to fit into a size 14 since I was 21.

I ended up spending more on the outfit than I planned...  Ummm...  A whole lot.  Probably more than I'll spend on the pictures.  LOL

Here's the breakdown:

NyGard Black Skirt:  $39.20 (20% Off)

NyGard Leather Jacket:  $127.20 (20% Off)

(The NyGard line was 20% off both items if you bought two.)

Investments V-Neck Sweater:  $29.00

Jessica Simpson (Ugh.  I know) Belt:  $36.00

Jessica Simpson Scarf:  $22.80 (30% Off)

(She might be an idiot, but her designers rock)

Total:  $271.99

I can't believe I let myself get talked into the leather jacket, but I saw it and fell in love.  Plus it was a Medium...  (Holla!  I haven't worn a Medium since high school!) You can dress it up or pair it with jeans and heels for a night out.  Plus, I love the statement it makes.

Here's a close-up:

The most fun thing about losing some weight has been the ability to wear stuff that's out of the ordinary for me and surprise the hubs.  Usually I'm wearing jeans and some type of sports t-shirt, so when I put on something like this and come down the stairs, the look on his face is priceless.  And then he usually asks me how much it cost.  (Way to kill the moment, dear.)  LOL!

I mean, before I lost 30-some pounds (60-some pounds total), I would have never gone for anything like these kick-butt shoes because my knees wouldn't have been able to take it:

Are those not sweet or what?!  I wish they had them in the same blue as my scarf!  That would have been awesome!  And I love me some heels!

I just hope the entire outfit looks as good in the pictures as it did in the mirror!

While I was out, I also picked up a few things for the kiddos and the hubs.  Unfortunately, the battery on my camera went dead before I could take pictures of all of their outfits.  :(  AND for some reason my camera is not taking a charge.  What is up with that???  Guess I'm going to be taking a trip to the camera store.  Great.

But, I was able to snap a few off before the battery went completely dead...

For Ian (Believe it or not, found at Sears.  Hat - The Children's Place):

Paired with a jeans, this is going to rock!  And I love the fact that he's not afraid to sport a fedora.  You should have seen him putting it on at an angle and down over one eye.  He's such a ham!

And for the little man courtesy of The Children's Place:

I'm pairing these with jeans, as well.  I tried to talk him into a hat too, but he was having none of that.  Poo!

For Noah I got a gray V-Neck sweater (The Children's Place), which he'll be wearing with a white undershirt and jeans.  Very understated, as is Noah.  Funnily enough, he wants a fedora too.  LOL!

The diva's outfit is totally the bomb and I wish I had had enough charge left to take a picture.  For her, I went to Justice.  Dummy me, I figured they were on par with The Children's Place pricing, so I didn't even look at the cost when I grabbed stuff.  OUCH.  I did a double take at the sales associate when she gave me the price.  Black tulle knee length sequined skirt, gray tank, black embellished long sleeved shrug, and a blue sequined flower headband (that I totally saw the exact same one at Walmart last night for an 1/8 of the price!  DOH!) was $100.23.  O.M.G.  But Children's Place didn't have anything that I liked in her size.  She'll be sporting a pair of black Calf high boots and the entire ensemble is smokin'.  A friend told me, after the fact, that the mall has this new store called "Crazy 8" that has way cute stuff for half the price.  Darn it.  And of course she took all the tags off.  Smart girl.  ;)

For the hubs I found a peacock blue shirt at Rue 21 that matched my scarf exactly.  However, he's really broad through the shoulders from all the physical work he does and it was too tight through the chest and arms.  Shoot!  And Greyson's gray button down with black pinstripes that I found at the same was too big.  Guess where I get to go today?  Yep.  Clear back to W'loo.  With the little man.  Lucky me.  Not.

So, now you'll know what I'll be doing today.  Ugh.  And my house looks like an F5 tornado blew through it because I was home all of 5 minutes yesterday.  Swell.

For all you crafty types that are totally disappointed with today's Friday's Finds, here's something for you.

Five plain wood blocks picked up at the local thrift on Tuesday for $1.25...

Painted with paint on hand (Chalkboard White, Smooth Slate, and Fairytale)...

Add some handmade stencils...

Traced onto the blocks and painted with a black paint marker...

Distressed and glazed for this final product (I have no clue why the blocks showed up blue instead of aqua, but no camera for a retake.  :P)...

I'm lovin' it!

I hope everyone has a fantastic Friday and we'll see you back here (hopefully with a fixed camera!) on Monday.  Take care, y'all!

Heaven on a Bagel Crisp

Boy, am I on a roll today ladies!  Two posts in one day!

No, not really.  I'm still dealing with the gimp eye and I have nothing better to do.  The chore board is going swimmingly, so the house is clean (with the exception of my bedroom which looks like Katrina came ashore...  And sat there for a week.)  Noah has amassed 55 points in 3 days and we're going to be broke.  LOL  You can read about my chore system HERE that I have started using for our kiddos.

Anyhoo...

Have any of y'all ever heard of Baked Bree?  O.M.G.  I started following her blog a few weeks ago and for becoming a follower, you receive an e-cookbook for free.  Today, I made her Blue Cheese Bacon Dip.  Heaven.  On.  A.  Bagel.  Crisp.  Seriously.

I have no idea how many calories this bad boy has and I don't want to know.  I don't want to know about the carbs or what its going to do to my arteries.  All I know is that I could roll around in the stuff. And then lick it off.  For real.

For one, its got all the main components of yumminess - cream cheese, bacon, garlic, blue cheese crumbles, and did I say bacon???

Since the recipe is already posted on her blog, I don't feel like I shouldn't be posting it here:

Blue Cheese Bacon Dip

Ingredients:

7 Bacon Slices
2 Cloves of Garlic; Minced
2 Packages of Cream Cheese; Softened
1/3 C. Half and Half
1/2 C. Blue Cheese Crumbles
2 Tbsp. Fresh Chives
1/3 C. Toasted Chopped Walnuts
Salt/Pepper to Taste

Directions:

1.  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Get your bacon frying.

3.  Beat the softened Cream Cheese with your mixer on Medium until creamy.  (Be sure the cream cheese is well softened or your beaters will seize up and you'll have to take a spatula to scrape it all out.  Yes, I know this for a fact.  Chef, I ain't.)  Add the Half and Half and mix it until its well combined.

4.  Mince your garlic and when your bacon is done frying, remove it from the pan (I used a griddle) to drain on paper towels.  Inhale the goodness.  Saute your garlic in the bacon grease for 1 minute.

5.  Crumble up your bacon while you're roasting the chopped walnuts.  I broiled them on low for 1 and a half minutes and called it good.

6.  Add all the ingredients to your cream cheese mixture, withholding some of the nuts, bacon, and chives for garnish.

7.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.  I added quite a bit of pepper, but I like a little kick.  Mix gently, but well.

8.  Place in a small casserole dish or 4 - 1 Cup Ramekins.

9.  Pop it in the oven and bake until golden brown.  I baked mine for about 25 minutes.

Bree says to serve it with crackers, grapes, apples, or a baguette.  I ended up using plain Bagel Crisps because I wanted a baguette and Wally World didn't have any.  I wasn't walking back to get crackers either.  As good as this stuff is, you could eat it on practically anything and it would be good.  I had to stop myself from eating it with a spoon - but I have a weakness for blue cheese and bacon.  And garlic.  And cream cheese.  LOL

Doesn't that picture make you want to lick your computer screen?  LOL!  But seriously, its a very delicious recipe and I plan on taking it to the next party to which I'm invited.  It'll be gone in seconds, I guarantee you!

For more amazing recipes, be sure to go check out Bree's Blog HERE.  I'm going now to figure out what to do for dinner tomorrow night.  Tonight we're having her Baked Potato Soup.  :)

Have a great evening y'all!