I know it is going to be a lovely day when I find something waiting for me in my mailbox...besides bills.

Today was a happy-mail day because I opened it up to find these waiting for me inside!

I love seeing those big blue letters staring back at me!

Have a great night girls...I'm off to do a little dreaming...one page at a time!  

Last month, I did a post about 92 WWII love letters I bought at a farm auction. I have been beyond thrilled to read through the words of Irwin & Helen...I read each letter he wrote her, then her response...it is like being in their converstation.

I love how he starts this letter...

Just like everyone before and after it...

and then he calls her his "little ray of sunshine"...isn't that just the cutest thing ever??

Well, there have been no exciting blog posts out of me the past few days. I am at a loss for creative ideas.

I am tired.

It has been a looong weekend. My Mom had a little setback...and she is back in the hospital about a week after her surgery. Lets just say a certain "Doctor" doubled one of her medications...in error.

How the heck does that even happen??

She was so very sick. My poor mother. Survives raising 8 children, but a pill almost "does her in." (Her words there, not mine.)

But...she is recovering from that little episode now...so I am choosing to dwell on the happy things.

I'm sharing another of my favorite "Mom" photos. It was May 1956. Mom & Dad were on their honeymoon in Florida. They had so little money when they were starting out. I love the thought of them tooling around South Florida in their old Chevy. Driving on the beach...sand on their feet and the wind in their hair.

You girls are the best...you really are!

I cannot say THANK YOU enough for all the well-wishes for my Mom! She was finally able to come home from the hospital today...but I think she has a long road ahead of her, and maybe one more surgery. But, she is a strong woman, so I know she will be back to her old self before we know it!

Since I am on the subject of "Mom"...I thought I would post my very favorite photo of her and my Dad.

It was the summer of 1956, and they had just returned from their Honeymoon. My Dad was 22, Mom was 20. This past May they were married 53 years. Can you imagine?

It has such a wonderful ring to it...doesn't it?

I am so happy today.

I crawled out of bed extra early to stand at an auction all day...and did I mention is was only 5 degrees here?

Yikes.

But it was all worth it...because I came home with these.

92 of the most beautiful letters...lovingly written back and fourth...from Irwin to Helen during WWII.

Have you ever really read a letter from that era?

 "Dearest Darling Helen,
Twilight is gradually coming upon us..."

They are so sweet...so romantic...so genuine.

That is why they made my list of "99 things I love".

Notice the letter was written 65 years ago...almost to the day. Somewhere out in the Pacific Ocean that night was a ship...with a lonely young man that missed his wife.

I can't help but wonder where Irwin and his bride are today. Did they live a long, happy life together? Do they have children? If so, why would they not want to keep the letters? In one of his letters, he mentioned he had written one to her every single day before he went to sleep.

Tonight, my hubby will build a fire...and I will curl up on the couch...immersing myself in the words of Helen & Irwin.

The most perfect winter Saturday night.

~ I'm blushing! ~

Janis, at White Alder Home tagged me with a Kreativ Blogger Award!

Wow!...thanks so much for thinking of little 'ol me and my take on life in blogland!

So here's my checklist of what I have to do to accept this most gracious award:

1. Thank the person who nominated me for the award.
 check

2. Link to the person who nominated me
 check, check

3. List 7 things people may not know about me
 I'm not sure there are 7 interesting things about me!

4. Nominate 7 creative bloggers, post their links and leave a comment on each
 I love them all...I have to pick just 7??

So here it goes...7 facts about yours truly...

~*~

ONE. I am ambidextrous. I use both my left and right hand for different tasks. That must explain why I can never make up my mind on anything. My brain is totally mixed up!

TWO. I need to multi-task at all times. It is impossible for me to sit and watch TV without doing something else. Usually, I am doing laundry, reading and magazine and planning my menu for the week...all while not missing a moment of my favorite shows. It drives my husband crazy.

THREE. My parents took me on my first trip to Europe when I was 9 years old. They wanted me to see how other parts of the world lived, and decided we would take the train into Czechslovakia. There is a story between the idea to go there and the end, but lets just say one little girl almost didn't make it out of that country. My Dad ended up having to pay off the guards on the train to let me go back into Germany. The guards were trying to take me away - saying I wasn't their daughter. I guess it was all about lining their pockets with a little extra cash. My mom was freaking out at that moment...but there were many, many times she brought this up during my angst-ridden teenage years. She would tell me to straighten up or we would take a little "trip"...oh, she's always a comedian!

FOUR. I love to do laundry. Weird, I know. It is my favorite household task. It must be the part of me that likes to have everything neat and orderly. I could do it every day and never get tired of it.

FIVE. I have never had a drop of coffee in my life. I love the smell, but will not even try a single sip. I just know I would hate it. People are always amazed at that for some reason.

SIX. I have a cousin that went to school with someone we all now know as 'Princess Diana'...and yes, I am being completely serious. They were friends and she attended her wedding, and later her funeral. I will sum it up like this...one side of our family did well in business and lives in Brentwood, CA...my Dad decided to "break out" on his own and move to a farm in rural IL. Needless to say we were not the side that did well enough to roll with the Royals. That is fine with me, to this day I can't figure out what all the forks are for on a formal place setting.

SEVEN. I was married in Las Vegas. Most people that know me have to pick up their jaw about now. For as much as I love all things beautiful, I never, even as a child, dreamed of the typical wedding...and I hate being the center of attention. I am a low-key kinda girl. A few members of our family and friends flew out for 3 days of festivities, and it was awesome! It is possible to have a beautiful wedding at a resort in Vegas...and no we did not use a drive-thru or an Elvis impersonator. 10 1/2 years later we are blisfully happy.

Whew! That was tough...I am a rather boring person, you know.

So, here are the 7 of my very favorite ladies in blogland. If your name is on my list...consider yourself tagged!

Andrea @ Faded Plains
(I am stalking her for her old truck)

Trina @ A Country Farmhouse
(Have you seen her farmhouse reno? WOW is all I can say...)

Holly @ In the Fun Lane
(She lives an all-around fabulous life.)

Jen @ Sanctuary Arts
(Uber-talented - this girl can craft like no one else!)

Martha @ Butterflies & Dragonflies
(One of the sweetest girls in blogland, love her!)

Anita @ Iowa Junk Gypsies
(She is hosting a trip to Paris, wanna go?)

Shannan @ Flower Patch Farmgirl
(She needs to bottle and sell that wit she has - I love reading her posts!)

Today, I am feeling stressed.

My mom is having surgery. A big surgery.

She is a tough lady, that I know.

So I am sure she will be just fine...but I still worry.

I wish I could keep her in a bubble and stop time.

So nothing would change...and time would not keep moving on...

Do me a tiny favor...if you would.

Send good thoughts her way.

 I'll take all I can get for her today.

making lists

mongolian beef from PF Chang

light filtering through white curtains

creaky wood steps

flea markets

the sound of old typewriters

disneyworld

dining al fresco

the rat pack

my dog jake

old glass door knobs

the farmhouse I grew up in

gravel roads

white sheets fresh off the clothesline

pencil starfish

love letters from WWII

camping at state parks

quotes

decorating magazines

old sliding pocket doors

labeling everything in sight with my label maker

down comforters

big tvs

road trips

old chippy paint

sprinkles cupcakes

typography

being home

the smell of fresh cut grass

subway tile

the ocean

beautiful business cards

squishy pillows

old crystal chandeliers

the smell of dryer sheets

rigatoni d from maggianos

shopping vintage boutiques

lake superior's shoreline

vanilla candles

the sound of crickets

outdoor summer concerts

cabinets with lots of little drawers

the smell of suntan lotion

white lights in trees

spending time “up north”

architecture

every dog I have ever met
english ironstone

jackson hole, wyoming

diamonds

a good hair day

lipgloss

old fireplace mantles

wrap around porches

the number 8

giving gifts

the las vegas strip

u-pick strawberries

every single song by kenny chesney

the smell of cooking onions & garlic

dinner out with friends

fall leaves

the sound of lawnmowers from down the street

seagrass

a good yard sale

cute elderly couples

someone saying ‘thank you’

white english ironstone

new car smell

finding a bargain

santa barbara, ca

singing in the car

falling asleep with the windows open

weekend trips

a success story

hgtv

planning a vacation

driftwood

being spontaneous

photography

a sundae with peanut butter & pecans from culver’s

reality tv

100% Grape juice popsicles

laughing until I cry

michigan sand dunes

fabulous sunglasses

lemon bars

a hug from my husband

the smell of fresh ground coffee

my dad’s hands

wedding cake flavor ice cream

walking around washington dc at night

jeans that are actually long enough for me

old white dairy barns

the smell of a campfire

dipping a new paintbrush in a fresh can of paint

tjmaxx, marshalls & homegoods

all white covers on a bed

simplicity

2009 was a great year...but stressful for me. I worked too much and enjoyed life too little. It was a blur. I just flew from one thing to the next in a quest to be everything to everyone. I couldn't say no to anything. I painted a record number pieces of furniture for clients...had a fabulous meal made for my husband every night...tried to do a reno on every room in my new house...took nieces and nephews on vacations in hopes of making fun memories for them. But, in the end, I found myself out of breath, out of shape and had no good memories for myself. To be honest, I am so happy there is official closure on one year to give a fresh start to the next.

So as I was painting some furniture today I had time to think. I promised myself that in 2010 I would enjoy the little things in life again. I made a mental list of crazy things...silly things...that bring me happiness. But, there is something about actually putting it in writing. Makes each thing seem so much more important.

My intention for 2010 is just simply slow down and enjoy it.

(photo found here...)

But then again...when isn't it around here?

I make it that way.
I am a change junkie.

My husband comes home from work and finds a new coffee table in front of the sofa about once a month. A few weeks ago we went to bed...he turned his lamp off...and about 30 seconds later says "I see I have a new nightstand." It doesn't even phase him anymore. Although he does think I should donate some of my extra time to being a case-study for a college Psychology class somewhere. He thinks I have some yet-unknown metal disorder that make a person constantly change their surroundings.

Thank goodness he so easy-going...because I need that constant change. That is one of the pit-falls of painting furniture for a living. Few things stay in the same place in my house for more than a couple weeks. But it feeds my craziness that I can do something different each and every day. Lets just say I am not a girl that can sit behind a desk in an office 8 hours a day. I have tried. Trust me on this one. Oh how I yearn to...I want to wear the cute clothes and killer shoes. It would be much better than the hoodies with paint all over them you would normally catch me in. I miss seeing people at work, the gossip, the day-to-day chat. It is just me, a radio and a paintbrush most days.

This year alone I have painted and sold over 500 pieces of furniture. Maybe doing this is what has made me a change-junkie. I am always needing to do something different...and better than the time before. Is this how extreme-sports get started? Mountain biking becomes boring after a while until you are doing it at high speeds next to a cliff? Will I soon be seen on a reality show for Extreme-Dining-Room-Set-Painting?

By now I am sure you are asking where the heck I am going with this long winded chat about change...so let me just say there are new things going on in my life right now. Professionally, that is. Exciting things...things that are keeping me up at night. And once I do fall asleep I wake up thinking about them as soon as I open my eyes. I'm plotting and planning. I can't tell just yet, but I want to soooo badly. I am busting to let it all out. I work so hard, it is such a wonderful thing with life rewards you with opportunity you didn't even see coming.

I am definitely a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants girl, but ironically, new things make me nervous.

 So, to escape all this stress of these big changes...I am making a pact to finish all the reno projects I have started during these winter months. To tie up loose ends, to vow to keep a piece of furniture in one spot for a long time. (Don't tell my husband just in case I relapse on this one.) I am going to finish my home rather than always work on other people's spaces. And I promise to take photos and post my projects as I go.

Whew, I was soooo good to let that all out. Sorry it was such a long one. That happens when I don't get much sleep.

Off to finish project #1. The hallway. How hard could that be?? Wish me luck. I am painting it the fourth color since I have lived here. Yikes!

(photo found here...)

Well my friends...it is finally here!

I don't know about you...but I've been shopping my socks off this week!

I unpacked everything today...getting ready to bust open a bottle of wine with the hubby tonight and crank up the Dean Martin Christmas album for a good old fashioned wrapping party.

As I was unpacking I was shocked to see just how many bags were piled all over my bed. Can one woman really kill the planet with plastic store bags?? If she can, I am the responsible party.
* Insert guilt here *

So this made me think...should I do the "green" thing and carry my own bags to the store? I have tried this in the past...I bought a few super cute grocery totes thinking I would carry them with me into every store...ha! I think I have forgotten them in the back seat of my car 99 out of 100 times. Seriously, I don't even remember I own one until the girl at the checkout whips out yet another plastic bag for me to bring home. Geesh! (I have a serious lack of short and long term memory...but that is another story...we could be here a while)



So I have to know...do you girls bring your own bags when you shop?

I just gotta know if I am the only one destroying the planet with these things.

I am so giddy with excitement I can barely contain myself!
We had a new arrival in our home today!

Just sharing a little recipe love with you all...

I am crazy in love with this receipe, so try it. You will love it. I swear.

You HAVE to try this one...it is super easy and fast to make. I serve it with crusty french bread....so yummy on a cold day! This is one of the favorites around our house.

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 grocery store rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 (6.2oz) box Uncle Ben's Fast Cooking Long Grain & Wild Rice w/seasoning packet

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter

2 cups milk

In a large pot, combine broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in contents of seasoning packet. (It will be thick.) Reduce heat to low, then whisk in flour mixture by a little at a time, to form a roux. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Cook until thickened - about 5 minutes.

Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

I've never been happier than I am right now...that I am a coupon clipper.

That's right girls...I am no longer ashamed to admit it.

I.use.coupons.

Just thought I would show you a little of what is going on in my house this week...its just another week full of building and painting...but I am super excited about this project!

You see, I fell in love with this desk from Pottery Barn...it is a simple, uncomplicated style and it was my favorite color...white. It was love at first sight....

...but I did not love the price tag. So, what's a girl to do???...build one herself, of course! (Or cook a week full of fabulous meals for her husband and ask in her most persuasive voice for him to build one for her. I went with that plan.)

So this week, after my sweet hubby gets home from his super-stressful, manly-man job...he gets to unwind and relax by spending a little quiet time with his tape measure and table saw. I am forever grateful he loves to do these things for me, and even more grateful one of us took math class seriously in high-school. I think there would be a few frustrated freak-outs if I was really the one that had to build it. Hopefully, by the weekend I will be painting my gorgeous Pottery Barn inspired...but waaaaay less expesive desk for my newly renovated home office.

Oh, and just in case he gets my desk done a day early...I have drawn out the plans for one of these, too!

 I have a wall in my kitchen just waiting for this. Each night, about 5:30, my husband hears me complaining about my train-wreck of a spice cabinet and how I can't find a freakin' thing in it! So I am sure he will be happy to accomodate.

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving...

I thought I would show you this very "Pottery Barn looking" dining room I found on Rate My Space tonight!I think it is pretty darn fabulous! She was inspired to throw a Thanksgiving dinner party after finding the table, which seats a whopping 12 people by the way, at her local thrift store for $29! I want to shop where she shops!

Hope you all have a wonderful day...

I am gearing up for Thursday...I will creep out of bed extra early that morning to start the turkey and all the yummy goodness that goes along with Thanksgiving. I love this time of year. Comfort foods...seeing my nieces and nephews...all the boys playing the annual family football game...its just a good old fashioned Holiday around here!

So that is why I need to share this recipe. Try it. Your guests will LOVE it. As in freak-out-when-they-take- the-first-bite-and-insist-on-the-recipe-so-they-can-claim-it-as-their-own - kind of love it.

I am not sure what kind of magic happens in that oven of mine....but when I combine some of this:

 with these: