Merry Christmas!

I know that the next few days will be very busy for me so I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, in case I don't get online again!

Here are a few photos of what I have been up to:

Our annual trek around town looking for the yards with the most lights! The tackier, the better, except in my yard! We pile into the car with our take out cups filled with hot chocolate and turn on a christmas cd and head out to places I've scoped out ahead of time, hoping they have their lights turned on! My kids think I am crazy, but they appeased me and went along for the ride!

Next to the last day of school we put on a party for the teachers at daughter's school. There were such yummy dishes!

Only have this photo of daughter getting ready to go to dress rehearsal for The Nutcracker. The performance was wonderful!

We had christmas with my family at my parent's beach house. Here are the presents before we tore into them! We had a great get together this year, everyone got along great and no feelings were hurt!

Today I am covered in wrapping paper, ribbon and gifts to be wrapped!

I am going into work with husband tomorrow for the annual christmas lunch. While I am waiting for lunch time, I think I will hit up main street and all of the antique shops.

We still aren't sure about our after christmas plans! But, I am hoping we can stay in town because I have a favorite blogger I would like to meet in person for lunch!

~peace

I Am Starting to Feel a Little Frantic!

We went to the lake after daughter's rehearsal on Saturday. I had not decorated the house there so I took care of that! We won't be back until around New Year's Eve, but the house will be festive when we get there!

Yesterday I spent all afternoon decorating the outside of the house! I never used to do very much outside but the kids finally guilted me into doing more!

I "thought" I was almost finished shopping for christmas, but every time I go out I find something else that someone would like! And this week the UPS guy has been by the house everyday with packages that were ordered online. Now I just have to get started wrapping!

This morning I had a great phone conversation with my bf's mom. BF died over six years ago and I normally try to make a visit to her parents sometime over the holidays when I am in hometown. Well because of The Nutcracker I won't be going to hometown and I am going to miss our visit. But we were able to have a great talk and have plans to get together after the holidays!

Thursday is the christmas lunch for the teachers at the middle school. We have asked parents to prepare their favorite party food and we will have a nice setup in the media center for the teachers to come eat during lunch. And we have arranged for volunteers to monitor their classes during that time so they have a break and can enjoy themselves.

I love christmas cards and almost run to the mailbox during the holiday season to see who we have received cards from that day! Would you believe that it is the 15th and we have only received 2 cards so far? I am really getting bummed!

So, have you noticed a decline in the number of cards you normally receive? Or have we just made everyone's black list?

I'm Getting A Little More Into the Spirit!

Last night was our annual neighborhood women's club Christmas party. In years past I have been in charge of the party, then I took a few years off and just enjoyed attending! This year I got back on the committee.

It was a great night and everyone had a great time. I think it was just what I needed to get in the spirit of Christmas!

Here are a few photos from the night:

Our theme was an Old-Fashioned Lowcountry Christmas. We used plant materials native to our area for decorating. I picked some cotton when at my friend's house for Thanksgiving and we used it along with spanish moss and camillas on a small tree wrapped with burlap around the base.
The buffet table with an arrangement made by my neighbor.

I was in charge of the desserts! I made pecan tassies, mini Red Velvet cupcakes and spicy molasses cookies. I had another girl help me out and make a chocolate-raspberry trifle that we served in individual glass cups.

We made centerpieces using a pineapple and greenery. I liked the way they turned out!

Some of the furniture really leaves a lot to be desired! We took antique coverlets and quilts and covered it in keeping with our theme!

As much fun as it was, I am glad that it is now over and I can focus on my next "event"!

Today I finished up some painting in the dining room that was started MONTHS ago! And tomorrow the only thing on my To Do list is decorate the house!

~steph

Why Can't I Get In The Mood?

~Steph

One Down!

Last night the vocal students and the dancers had their winter performance. The dance students did parts of The Nutcracker. Daughter was a candy cane!

So now we have one performance down, and one more, "the biggie", to go!

Countdown to Christmas

We had a great Thanksgiving!

We spent Thanksgiving and the day after at my friend from college's farm in Georgia. My roommate from college and her husband and children were also there. The weather was perfect and we had such a great time catching up.

Unfortunately my camera battery was dead so I got no photos! I had specifically charged my battery the night before we were to leave and when I put it in the camera I must have accidently turned it on! But, you would think with everyone else there would be someone that could get a few photos to share...not a chance! It was like we were in the bermuda triangle of cameras! The hostesses camera died after taking one photo and when roommate went to get her camera it just wouldn't take a picture! Daughter ALWAYS has her camera with her, but not this time! There were several opportunities for our christmas card photo and I was so disappointed that I couldn't take one!

When we got home on Friday night husband and I thought we would go to the movies to see Blind Side. Every show was sold out! And not just for that movie, for every movie that was playing except for New Moon! We decided to just head back home, which was really fine with me. I am not a big movie goer. I don't like to hear others moving around and I don't like sitting right beside someone I don't know! I'm weird that way!

The rest of the weekend was noneventful. We did watch the Clemson game on Saturday and were very disappointed in their loss.

This week I have to start baking desserts for the neighborhood women's club christmas dinner. I am making mini red velvet cupcakes, pecan tassies, and molasses crinkles. If I have time I may make some sea-salt caramels.

Can you believe that tomorrow is the first of December?

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all!

Life has been so hectic here, with Nutcracker rehearsals, school performance rehearsals, volunteer duties, normal life stuff, etc, etc! I am way behind reading blogs and behind in posting!

Life isn't going to slow down in the next few days, so I thought I had better send my wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a wonderful day and safe travels!

See ya next week!

~Steph

No More Blahs for Me!

Still dreary here and now it's cold! But I love to be able to put on a sweater and something other than flip-flops!

Got up this morning, grabbed a coffee to go and did some serious shopping! Can you say 3/4 of the way finished with Christmas shopping? YES!!

While I was busy crossing off my list, I just had to pick up a little something for myself! And since I was all out of my favorite body wash, I stopped in the new Ulta that opened last week and treated myself!

I've got to get busy planning the table for Thanksgiving! After the horrible dinner last year with my family, we are doing Thanksgiving with people we actually like this year! We are heading to my friend's farm where we will be met my one of my college roommates and her family.

I am in charge of desserts and the table settings and decorations. We thought since we have such great weather here we would take advantage and plan to put tables outside! I am thinking burlap tablecloths, tea stained napkins that I will paint with some sort of thanksgiving-y thing...just can't decide what exactly I want for the centerpiece(s)

I have always loved this basket of pears with the greenery, so I am thinking I may do my take on this! Decisions, decisions!

One another subject, do you live near an IKEA? Next week I am going to drive 3 hours to the closest one to me with a friend. We are taking her vehicle which has plenty of room to bring back some great things! I can't wait!

Just remembered that I need to order some things online for gifts... have a great day!

I've Got The Blahs!

I rainy and grey here today, same as yesterday.

Would love to just stay in bed and pull the covers over my head!

Is It Friday Already?

Where did the week go?

Oh, I remember...

One day was spent getting ready for and setting up the principal's luncheon at daughter's school. Which went very well! Except for the new beverage dispenser that I brought to put the iced tea in which had a sloooooow leak! If it hadn't been a private lunch meeting and I could have monitored the situation I would have be okay with it. As it was I had to instruct our principal what to do if the leaky spout got worse. Today I am ordering replacement spouts for three of my glass dispensers!

One lunch this week spent at a cute little place in our downtown planning the christmas party/lunch for the middle school teachers. (Paula you would LOVE it at daughter's school! We treat our teachers like they hung the moon! Which they pretty much did in our opinion!)

One evening spent at women's club making arrangements using clippings found in our yards...it's a lot harder than you would think!

One day spent driving to court house in town at the lake to file liens against two properties in our lake house neighborhood. I am HOA president and these homeowners are WAY behind in their quarterly dues and the houses are for sale and don't want to be stuck without these much needed funds!

One afternoon spent with son who had a half day of school. We went to lunch at the restaurant of his choice to reward some good choices he has been making. And since he is 15 and constantly eats, food is always a good reward for him!

Sprinkle in the daily clothes washing and house cleaning and driving kids to and from activities and BAM....the week is gone!

What a weekend!

Friday night the husband and I went to a tennis party. It was a lot of fun! It was held at one of the local tennis clubs. There was so much food.. grilled chicken, BBQ pork, cole slaw, sliced tomatoes, green beans, red rice and rolls! Then, of course, there was all the beer and wine you could want! We enjoyed watching some of the pros play and visited with some old friends. The weather was perfect! Sometimes when it is on the warm side we have a problem with "noseeums", but not Friday night

Daughter had gone to the high school football game and son was at a friend's house. I kept texting son to tell him we were on our way home but he wouldn't answer. Finally when we were about five minutes from the house my phone rang and it was son asking when we were coming home. I saw that the number he was calling from was our house phone and since he doesn't have a key, I asked him how he got in. Um, it seems the dinning room window was open and he just took off the screen and climbed in! I couldn't believe he did that! If we had set the alarm, he would have set it off! What a way that would have been to end the evening!

I spent Saturday morning and afternoon sitting in traffic off and on! It seems that the tree guys thought Saturday would be a great time to come back to clean up the mess they had made over the past few weeks cutting down trees as we prepare for road widening. So everytime I had to go out to drop off and pick up from Nutcracker rehearsal it took FOREVER!

Husband had gone out looking at new cars. He has been looking for over 6 months and couldn't decide what he really wanted. He was gone most of the day and had taken the title to his car with him when he left, so I knew he was serious! Well, finally he found a car! I am so happy that the car hunting is OVER!

Saturday evening we went one street over to a Halloween Block Party. It's an annual event and we all bring our candy to give out over there! This year daughter went to a friend's house to get dressed up in her costume and trick or treat in the friend's neighborhood. We didn't even get to see her in her costume! Husband and I had a great time at the party, even though it was about 85º when it started! Too hot for Halloween!

Sunday morning we all got up and got ready to head to Charlotte for nephew's birthday party. I will just say it was interesting! Big nephew and his wife planned the whole thing since birthday boy nephew's day is a single parent and not really good at that type thing,

The children did seem to enjoy the pinata:

When we got home it was after 8:00 and had been dark almost the whole ride home!

When we walked in the door, 15 year old son looked at me and said "our house is so pretty, don't you think so mom? Look at this nice rug and all the nice things we have." He has never commented on the decor of our home, but after seeing how some other people live, I think he has a new found appreciation!

You can't tell by this photo, but husband ate a cupcake before he was supposed to! I don't think the "party planner" was happy!

Today was a cool day, a big change from the almost 90º on Saturday! Tonight I am going to the neighborhood women's club, we are making fall arrangements. And since I offered to help with our annual christmas dinner I will be reporting to the membership our plans.

Tomorrow I will be at daughter's school setting up for the principal's luncheon. And as soon as that is over I am heading out for a pedicure!

I am hoping for a fairly quiet week, but if I know my life, it will be as busy as ever!

Hope everyone has a great week!

We made it through the weekend! It was busy, but a ton of fun!

Friday night we went to the Halloween thing. The event is held in/around a huge pasture and it had rained earlier in the day.... which translates to huge mudbog! I just knew my car was going to slide into a ditch or just get stuck! When we got home it was very dark and I really didn't think about looking at the car. In the morning when I went out I was shocked to see it covered in black mud! I wish I had thought to take a photo before I washed it, it was unbelievable!

Saturday evening was pokeno with the girls! So fun! And I won the hostess prize which was a pretty fall arrangement that the hostess had created!

Our annual pumpkin walk was a huge success! There was so much food and lots of little ones running around in costume!

Just finished looking at my November calendar and noticed that I have only three days that don't have something written on them! Some girlfriends planned a weekend at Amelia Island, but I had to pass as I had too many things already going that weekend! At least I don't have to host Thanksgiving, just have to decide where we are going to go!

Now I have to get dressed and meet some friends for coffee! A fun way to start the day!

Is It Friday Already?

This has been such a quick week!

I guess because I was so busy getting ready for the lunch we had for the teachers at daughter's school.

Every October we plan a "Tailgate" lunch for the teachers and staff. We solicit food from others and ask that they prepare their favorite tailgate recipe. If you could have seen those tables! They were filled with such yummy foods! We were setting up by 9:30 and I think I pulled out of the parking lot at 2:30 with a car full of dirty dishes!

We like things done a certain way and ask that food donations come in beautifully plated and if they aren't we re-plate! Normally we wash everyone's things in a tiny little sink in the library that doesn't even have hot water..you can imagine how fun that is! So yesterday it was getting late and everyone else on the committee "had to leave", so instead of being stuck, hunched over a tiny sink full of cold water, I decided to take everything home and just run it through my dishwasher! Don't know why we never did that before! Easy-peasy! I just ran back by the school early this morning and put all the clean dishes in the pick up spot.

Next, in two weeks we are cooking and setting up for a district principal's meeting that our middle school is hosting! Then two weeks after that we are doing lunch for the speakers at career day! Do you think they have a lot of confidence in us?

Busy weekend....

Tonight we are going to a Halloween Extravaganza that one of the local private schools puts on every year. They have a haunted hay ride and our kids love it! The school has been doing this for about 30 years and I think we have been going for about 20!

Then, of course tomorrow is Nutcracker rehearsal!

Tomorrow night is Pokeno! Yea! I'm looking forward to a night out with the girls. Though I am kind of bummed that the weather has turned warm again and I really don't have anything to wear!

Sunday night is our neighborhood's 3rd annual Pumpkin Walk. Daughter is helping with crafts and I have to prepare some food.

I think Monday will have to be a day of rest!

Have a great weekend!

It's Chilly Outside!

I am LOVING the outside temps! This morning it was a cold 44º when I woke up!

I am so ready for Autumn. I am ready for my japanese maple to turn it's brilliant red. Right now it is still green!

After a slow start to the weekend, things started looking up! I enjoyed my quiet time Friday night and hit the road running Saturday morning!

Daughter had Nutcracker rehearsal on Saturday morning. After she was finished we picked up one of her friends, came back to the house and finished loading up the car and then headed to the lake.

The lake was great! We were the only ones in our little neighborhood, so it was very quiet. Other than two little 13 year olds and the giggling they can do!

Son and husband made a big bonfire in the firepit and we made s'mores for dessert! It was getting cold quickly, so we headed back inside and watched a couple movies: Yes Man and Slumdog Millionaire.

Sunday we all got up and went to the little catholic church in one of the nearby towns. It's funny because everyone there knows we are "lake people" and one of the little ladies came up to me as we were leaving and said "Summer is over! Will you be making it up to the lake much?" I told her we were hoping to get up at least once or twice a month.

I made brunch while everyone relaxed before heading home. We devoured pancakes, eggs, grits, fresh fruit, bacon and sausage!

Our son is hoping to travel to Australia next summer with the People to People program and had his application interview yesterday afternoon in Charleston. We turned in all his recommendations and should hear if he is accepted by Wednesday. I hope he is, because he is really looking forward to it! They will be gone for 20 days...now if I can get daughter to go back to summer camp during this time I may have to make some travel plans for myself!

This morning I have been a busy bee! I already have dinner going in the crock pot! I don't do a lot of crock pot cooking, but Paula had a great recipe on her blog the other day and it looked wonderful!

Tonight is a busy night with husband's tennis match and daughter's ballet, so having a meal ready to go will be great! I also have an apple pie baking in the oven, so my house smells delicious right now!

Hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!

~Steph

When Did I Get So Dull?

It's Friday night.

Kids are off with friends grabbing something to eat and

then heading to high school football game.

Husband is at his Tae Kwon Do class.

I am home alone...

Drinking a glass of wine and preparing a meal for ONE!!!

I'm actually looking forward to a quiet night at home!

Does this mean I am old?!

My week didn't have a very good start. Yesterday I had the son home from school with some intestinal distress! But, everyone seems to be well this morning and are off at school.

One of the son's friends is staying with us at night this week. For those of you who have been with me for a while, this is the same friend who stayed with us one weekend a year or so ago, after his mom reconsidered leaving a 13 year old home alone for the weekend!!!! This time she did ask me about a month ago if he could stay with us and I said sure. She and I are not close friends and it always strikes me as strange that she would ask me to watch her son. But, a friend said she probably knows that we have "rules" here at our house and her son would be well looked after!

After a gloomy day yesterday, today the sun is shining and it is nice and cool this morning! I did a morning walk before I had to get everyone up for school and actually had to wear a jacket! LOVING IT!!!!

I have seen so many cute things done with pumpkins, I am on a mission this week to find some and do a little decorating on the outside!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

It Was A Beautiful Day!

Yesterday I took a little drive over to South Eastern GA to visit one of my college friends. She lives on a 500 acre farm...all by herself! I would die of fright being alone, in the dark, out in the country!

It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky! When I arrived she had fresh brewed coffee waiting! We filled our mugs and headed to the porch for what turned into hours of talking! When we finally got a little hungry we headed to town and ate at a gas station turned cafe! The food was great and after a quick tour of her town, we headed back to the farm so I could pick up my car and get ready for the drive back to my family!

I had such a great time and we are planning to get together again soon. But, we think a sleep over is inline for next time!

Saturday is the beginning of rehearsals for The Nutcracker for daughter, so we are planning a very low-key weekend!

How about you? Big plans?

Remember These?

I've been friends with some of y'all for over two years and I posted photos of these back in 2007!

For my new friends, I made these pumpkin topiaries two falls ago. I didn't put them out last year because I had stored them in the attic (they are big y'all!) and the heat from the summer did a real number on them.

This year I decided that I had put a lot of effort into them and needed to bite the bullet and re-do them. I decided to use them on the hearth in the family room.

I like the way they (there is another one on the other side) and if I can keep the cats away I'll be happy.

I find that I don't do much decorating for Halloween, but I think a little bit for fall is a nice touch.

How about you? Do you go all out for Halloween or are just a few pumpkins and gourds more your cup of tea?

It's Almost Monday

I love Mondays! The beginning of the week, so many possibilities!

Our weekend was filled with quiet time, shopping, helping friends move, dinner for two, church, Sunday dinner with homemade chicken pot pie and lots of driving kids back and forth to two different youth groups at church!

The weather was beautiful today, supposed to be rainy tomorrow!

I just love this time of year!

How was your weekend? Do you love or dread Mondays?

PS. That little pumpkin on my header? It's an older photo, but I have one out just like it this year! It was one of the pokeno prizes a couple years ago. And it lasted forever!

I have to say, this weekend was just PERFECT! We headed to the lake house on Friday night. Hubby and son and I watched a dvd. We watched "Knowing", creepy but I enjoyed it!

Saturday morning hubby got up at 6 o'clock to head to the upstate for a Tae Kwon Do tournament! He just started back in late spring and he is a yellow belt. Well, he got a bronze medal for his forms and a gold medal for sparring! I was proud! It was funny, he wouldn't let us go with him to watch! But, he called as soon as he won!

As soon as he was done at the tournament he headed to the Clemson game. He was one of those that sat in the pouring rain to watch them lose! It was around 10 o'clock when he got back to the lake.

I had a very nice, quiet day on Saturday! The kids hung out with their lake friends and I sat on the porch and read! It was overcast all day and a little on the cool side, which was perfect for me!

Sunday afternoon I went to my Pokeno group. Had a great time! Here is a photo of the pokeno card, some of you had not heard of this before!

You play it like bingo. One person takes a deck of cards and calls out the card as they turn it over. If you have that card you place a marker on your card. When you get markers in a straight row you yell out "POKENO!"

In our group everyone brings a prize worth 10-12 dollars and it is wrapped. Then you attach another prize worth around $2 to the outside and it is not wrapped. When you win you get to select a prize. You get to keep the outer prize, but we play a second round after all the prizes have been opened and your prize you unwrapped can be "stolen" then! I like it a lot more than Bunco, you can play pokeno and don't have to pay close attention!

Yesterday, one of the outside prizes I got was one of the dark chocolate bars I posted about on Friday! Yummy! I ended up coming home with a really cute silver pumpkin slide/pin. It will be so cute for fall!

This morning when I got up it was a chilly 65 outside! Yea! I love cooler days and nights!

I don't have much planned for this week, just some projects around the house. I already checked off two! I painted a bookcase that I am planning to use at the lake house and I recovered the barstools in the kitchen! Not too bad and it is only 1:15 on Monday!

When the seasons change do you get motivated to do projects around the house?

~Steph

Oh.My.Word!

If you like dark chocolate, and you like sweet and salty together, this is the BEST!

I am trying very hard not to eat the whole bar today!

Heading to the lake later today and will be back on Sunday just in time for Pokeno!

Have a happy weekend!

~Steph

I Stopped Myself

See this kitchen? I ab.so.lute.ly LOVE it! This is what made me start thinking, yesterday, about cleaning and packing. Today, forget it.

Background: Yesterday hubby sends an email with a few mls numbers and says "take a look, what do you think?" I immediately look and see the house that this kitchen belongs in, and realize it is a house I had looked at online several months ago, when the price was more than I liked. Now, it is at an unbelievable price and I love, love, love the house! I am already mentally placing my furniture in the house and planning parties! When hubby gets home I start talking about The House. Then hubby says, "Well I don't want to have to finance that much."

The amount that we would finance is NOT that much. I know how frugal hubby is, but thought that he was finally seeing the good buys that we were letting slip through our hands because of his reluctance to spend any money. See, we paid off our mortgage, gosh, it's probably been almost four years ago. Then we bought the lake house and paid that off almost two years ago. Hubby likes not owing anyone anything! And, I do too, but it's not like we would be doing something that was putting a strain on us. He keeps talking about how he wants to move to a bigger house and he doesn't like our neighborhood. The guy that owns the company hubby works for just bought a house in Lake Lure and one of the other guys in the office is closing on a new house in Bluffton next week (and they had just moved there and bought a house a little over a year ago, but this was a deal they couldn't pass up!). So I guess I thought he was feeling a little more confident about making a move. But, I thought wrong. I have decided that he can look all he wants, I'm not going to get sucked into the possibilities that never materialize!

There are some things I would like to change around the house, you know, small cosmetic things like the lighting fixtures in some of the rooms. So, I am going to enjoy my present home and be happy that we continue to be totally debt free!

~Steph

I am Dragging Today!

I woke up last night around 2:30 and could NOT go back to sleep! I was supposed to go visit one of my friends from college that lives not quite two hours away... can't do it, too tired to drive!

I was really looking forward to our visit too! I'm hoping we can reschedule in a couple weeks.

The moving bug has bitten again! I am in "getting-the-house-ready-to-put-on-the-market mode". Somebody stop me!

~Steph

We Are Going To Have a Busy Fall!

Last Saturday daughter auditioned for a small part in the Charleston Ballet Theatre's Nutcracker. I just received an email saying that she will be a "party girl" in this year's production! We are excited, even though rehearsals start in a few weeks and will be EVERY Saturday until the performance in December! Yikes!

~Steph

She's a Teen!

(Age 6)

This little cutie turns 13 today!

I can remember 13 years ago today, at this time she was about 10 minutes old and I was so relieved that I didn't have to have a c-section even though she was almost 10 pounds! I had had a c-section with her brother two years earlier, but my sister was getting married in four weeks and I was in the wedding and couldn't risk having the rough time as I did with the first one! I was adamant that I didn't want a c-section! Even though things progressed so quickly there was no time for an epidural, in the end I was so glad because my recovery time was so much quicker!

Gotta run and pick up the birthday cake, from Marble Slab, no homemade this time! ;)

~Steph

Well, The Party Is Over...

I can finally sit down and relax!

Saturday night was daughter's birthday-slumber party. We ended up with a total of twelve girls, which makes for a VERY loud night!

I think they all had a great time and after I had to tell them to be quiet at around 1:30, I really didn't hear much from them the rest of the night! Hubby said he heard them around 3:30, but it must have not been too loud because I didn't hear a thing!

Hubby was worried that they would try to sneak out of the house during the night. I quickly solved that problem by setting the house alarm, which my daughter does not know the code to disarm! If anyone tried to leave, I would be quickly alerted! :)

A few photos from the big event!

(my first attempt, and probably last, at decorating a cake using homemade fondant!)

(The birthday girl)

(The girls, quiet for about 5 seconds!)

Daughter's actual birthday is this Wednesday, so we will have a little family celebration, just the four of us on Wednesday night. I told her I would prepare her favorite meal for dinner, we will have another cake and open presents.
Hopefully this will be a quiet week, I don't really have much planned so I may catch up on somethings that need to be done around the house! And, since I was away from the computer so much last week, I have tons of blogs to catch up on!
Have a great week!
~Steph

Everything Didn't Go As Planned

Hope everyone is rested up from the holiday weekend!

Daughter left straight from school on Friday to head to the lake for the weekend with a friend.

Hubby, son, and I got up Saturday morning and started getting ready for our trip to the upstate to the Clemson game!

Since we have diabetic kitty we never really went anywhere that he couldn't go too! Until a few weeks ago when we finally found a place to board him that could handle giving him his insulin. So a little over a week ago I called and got him a "room" for Saturday and we would pick him up on Sunday when we returned home.

The kennel is on the way out of town, so I thought instead of driving over and then going back home, we would just drop him on our way out. We leave the house, the cat in his carrier, and drive over to the kennel. When we pull into the parking lot it is strangely empty! I looked at the door and saw a big CLOSED sign! What?!?! Oh, yes. They close at noon on Saturday and it is now 12:30! I couldn't believe I didn't think to ask what time they closed on Saturday, it just didn't cross my mind!

We CAN'T take kitty with us! What are we going to do? Hubby says he will take us back home and just go by himself and I'm like, NO WAY! So we drive back to our house and I run to our neighbor and ask her if she will feed kitty and to just not worry about his insulin since we will be home the next day. She says she'll give him his shot if I will show her what to do. We need to get on the road and I tell her not to worry, he'll be fine until we get back! So, we dump kitty in the yard, give neighbor the cat food and the opener to the garage, where kitty will eat and sleep, and hit the road...by this time an 1 1/2 after I had planned!

We drive to Greenville and drop off son, who is so mad that he had to go with us, with my sister and BIL. We get to Clemson an hour before the game starts! AND, we DON'T have tickets! When we get to the stadium, apparently there are many people who don't have tickets and we see no one selling any! About 30 minutes after the game kicks off, we score two tickets for $15 a piece. Not bad, but they are so high up in the stands that we are almost out of the stadium! Good game, other than it started raining and I was a good girl and sat through it all!

Had a great time visiting with my sis and her hubby after we got home and the next morning before we left.

Monday we went to the neighborhood pool party and had a blast. Had a great turnout and the weather was perfect!

And today this little fellow turns 15!

So I ran out and finished up shopping for his birthday gifts and picked up an ice cream cake for this evening.

Starting tomorrow, I will have to get going on daughter's birthday party plans!

~Steph

Nothing Like Doing Things at The Last Minute!

Daughter turns 13 this month. Last year we did the slumber party thing and I think 8 girls came. A month or so ago she started talking about "her party" and I told her that since she had a pretty big deal last year that maybe this year it would be better to go low key. I said she could invite a friend over and I'd take them out to eat and to a movie, or something along those lines. Hubby never had big birthday parties growing up and he thinks if they want one we should do it.

Well, guess what we are doing instead of my idea?

Thirteen 12-year-olds have been invited to a slumber party next Saturday! I was running around like a crazy woman trying to find some cute invitations and even though this is last minute, I think it is going to go okay! Just ask me what I'm thinking around midnight next Saturday night!

We are heading to the Clemson game tomorrow and I can't wait! We are going to spend the night with my sister and BIL that live near Clemson. Daughter is spending the Labor Day weekend at the lake with a friend and will be home on Monday. I think hubby and son and I will hang around the house and then head to the neighborhood pool party on Monday.

Big plans?

Have a great weekend and be safe!

~Steph

This Stuff is Fantastic!

One day a couple months ago, I looked down at my hands and they looked like the hands of someone 20 years older than me! They were full of age spots and really dry looking! Oops, guess I should have been putting sunscreen on them as well all these years!

I had seen this product mentioned in a few magazines and read some reviews and thought, why not?

I was telling hubby about it and he said that one of his receptionists sold avon and he would order some from her.

Well, I have been using it for about 5 weeks and talk about a difference! I wish I had taken before photos! I can't stop looking at my hands!

I have also been using it on my neck and face at night, even though it says it is for 50+ skin and I am still six years away from that. Guess my face needed it too, because I can see a difference. Not as much as my hands because my face wasn't in as bad a shape! :)

I just thought I would pass on this recommendation. I love to hear what works and doesn't work for my blogging friends!

~Steph, who now has hands that look like they belong to her!

I love Mondays!

(Can you see the raindrops reflecting the flash?)

It has been pouring here since about 6:00am and I am trying to figure out when I should make a trip to the grocery store!

We had a great weekend at the lake. The rain that we had on Friday had stopped by the time we got there and we had great sunny weather the rest of the weekend! It was very quiet as a lot of our neighbors weren't there. They are all planning to come up for the Labor Day weekend, though we will miss all the festivities as we are planning to attend the first Clemson game of the season!

We grilled teriyaki-lime chicken on Saturday night. It was yummy, even if I did burn one piece completely up! I am not as good on a charcoal grill as I am on the gas grill!

When we got home yesterday daughter and hubby went to buy fish for her new fish tank. Well, already two of the four are dead this morning! I'm almost afraid to go check on the remaining two!

Wel, it sounds as if the rain is stopping so I may need to head out to tackle today's errands...

~Steph

My Bag Is Packed!

Finally, we are heading to the lake house this weekend!

We haven't been there in over a month!

My bag is packed and waiting by the door and as soon as everyone is home we are heading out!

Have a great weekend!

~Steph

I love my old silver tray and containers that I use in my bathroom. They are tarnished and the tray is pitted, but I love them anyway!

And in keeping with the "old" theme, I love the Boots Cleansing Milk and the Skin Tonic! They come in old fashioned looking glass bottles and they have such an old fashioned smell! They remind me of my grandmother. The scent of the Cleansing Milk is Geranium and the Skin Tonic is Damask Rose.

Oh boy, I have such a long list of "To-Dos" that I have to tackle today... most of them are phone calls and those are the ones I dislike the most. I don't know why, but just the thought of sitting down and dialing the phone makes my head hurt!

~Steph

Don't You Just Love a Giveaway?!

I have been gathering a few of my favorites for a giveaway, but I 'm not quite ready yet!

BUT, Belle, over at Life of A Southern Belle, is ready! You must go and check out all the great things she is giving away!

Is It Monday Already?

We had a nice relaxing weekend, didn't make it to the lake as I had planned, but still had a nice time at home.

We kicked off the weekend with a high school football game. Son's school won, so that was nice.

Saturday hubby and I drove to a few furniture stores looking for bedroom furniture. I have found what I want, but of course hubby thinks I need to keep looking "in case I find something I like better", which translates to "cheaper"! We enjoyed lunch, just the two of us, which "just isn't fair" according to daughter!

Saturday night we grilled steaks and ate yummy salads, thanks to Melissa and her post of the salad with the strawberries! Delish!!

Sunday morning we were up bright and early for church. Sitting in front of us was a family with six small children and another on the way! I have my two and they were always enough for me, I can't imagine having seven! Hubby said they must be "good" catholics! I said I would rather not be good! ;)

Yesterday afternoon, hubby and I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I had a lot of people tell me how much they enjoyed the movie, me not so much! I really couldn't wait for it to be over.

Getting ready to meet some friends for coffee~

Happy Monday!

~Steph

Back to School

Son and daughter started back to school on Monday. I just want to know "where did the summer go?" Time really flew by!

Son started high school this year. He is attending the new high school that just opened last year. So, this year there are just 9th-11th grades. Last year it opened with just 9th and 10th grades.

Hopefully he will have a good year. He turns 15 next month and we are using driving and getting a car as leverage for doing well in school. Bad grades=no permit. We'll see how that works!

Daughter is in her second year of middle school. She loves school and was ready to go back weeks ago!

My days are starting at 6:00! This is rough for me, as I am one that really needs 9 hours of sleep! During the summer I was going to bed around 11 and sleeping until 8, which was perfect! Last night I could barely keep my eyes open past 10!

It's 9:30 and I am showered, have had my iced latte and am ready to start my errands.

~Steph

Amelia Island

If next year I start talking about going on a weekend getaway the weekend before school starts, someone please stop me!

In my mind it seemed like a fun thing to do. In reality, I was running around like a crazy woman trying to get everything done by Thursday and it was NOT FUN!

Our trip to Amelia Island was great! The Ritz was not very crowded, or at least not as crowded as I have seen in the past. The weather was supposed to be rainy, but other than a little bit on Friday, it was quite nice.

Friday night the son and daughter had room service for dinner and hubby and I went to Salt, one of the restaurants there. It was FABULOUS! I wish I had taken my camera with me because the food was soooo pretty! I had a melon and heirloom tomato salad that was out of this world! Then I had the scallops that were melt-in-your-mouth great! After finishing off our decadent desserts, we waddled back to the room!

Saturday was spent getting a much needed pedicure and then relaxing by the pool, drinking mojitos! The kids had fun hanging around the pool and the teen room making new friends.

Though the highlight of my trip was meeting Pat Neely from the foodnetwork's "Down Home with the Neelys"! There was a wedding that took place outside and I was waiting in the hallway for the bride to come inside. ( I wanted to see her wedding dress up close!) While I was waiting a familiar looking man walked by me. Well, stalker that I am, I followed him into one of the shoppes! He was taking a long time so I went just outside the doorand waited.(I missed the bride when I went inside) When he came out I approached him and we spoke for a little. He was so nice and very gracious. If I had had my camera with me, I would have asked for a photo, but I had left it in the car and hadn't yet called the valet to have it brought in.

Saturday night we left the hotel and ventured into Fernandina Beach for dinner. We ate at the Crab Trap, one of our old standbys when we're in town. For dessert we went to Fantastic Fudge. Hubby and son got fudge and daugher got Blueberry Cheesecake ice cream. I was still so full from dinner, I passed!

The weekend was fun and a great way to end the summer. Just don't think I want to do that next year!

~Steph

(View from our room)

(Yummy!)

(when I was done getting my pedi, I couldn't find Hubby. Finally, I spotted him in the hot tub. He is the one with his back to the camera!)

(Saturday night in Fernandina Beach)

(Son eating more fudge back in the room. And looking at his dad and wondering why his mom wants to take a photo! I couldn't believe how much fudge he ate. If I ate that much I would have been so sick)