My High School Homecoming

I am so excited! I received in the mail awhile back notice of the upcoming SB High School Homecoming on Saturday, October 6! They are having a craft show, school tours, and football game with the Band and Brigade performing at half time. My brothers went to this school and I went there for 3 years and because of attendance and other financial reasons the school was closed and I had to go to another school my senior year. I know traumatic! Anyhoo, I have called my friends to let them know I will be there. Also, one of the teachers that I work with, Viv, her sister was my big sister in the drill team. So I still have contact with her. I'll have to dig up some of my old dancing photos and post them. My girlfriends asked me how come I'm not joining the drill team at half time. I don't think I could kick my foot over my head or do the splits anymore! The football game and half time show is quite entertaining, watching grown people acting like they are in high school again. It's cheap entertainment on a weekend!
See you at the game!

Saturday

What a productive Saturday! I got up early (okay 8 am) cooked eggs and toast for my boys since DS was having a soccer game later that morning. I met my friend LC to get our spa pedicure and catch up on the latest gossip and news from work. We both work at opposite ends of our school and rarely see each other, so it was a real treat! Thanks LC!

Then I hurried to the soccer game, which they won 8-0. I hope the boys have another awesome year! My DS made a goal and did a great job passing the ball to other team members. We had lunch at one of our favorite burger joints. DH had to go downtown for the Astros game, so DS and I went to Toys R US looking for littlest nieces birthday gift. My sister finally decided to celebrate her birthday. She turned one in August. We got her a toddler swing for the swing set that my siblings and I enjoyed growing up. My sister got the swing set when she moved into her home and had the first grand baby between her and I.

Before going out to the party DS and I came home to watch Breakfast at Tiffany's. One of my favorite movies. I just love Audrey Hepburn. Her style, elegance and how great she looks. DS wasn't too interested in the movie and found something else to due shortly after it started. BOYS! The party was fun and we had a great time.

Also, I want to share with you another thrifty find. I found these bushel baskets and can't wait to fill them with fall foliage. I will be heading to the garden store soon. When I get them filled, I will show you. I must admit I got the idea from the very talented and creative Tina at Cherry Hill Cottage. She had found some earlier in the month and I had been searching for some at my thrift stores. Please go visit Cherry Hill Cottage, just click on her link in my Daily Inspirations, when you get a chance.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Friday Fill In

1. Chips or Chocolate?
2. Pickles on your hamburger?
3. Baked potato: with everything or ______.
4. The perfect meal ______.
5. Martinis, wine, beer or ___.
6. Your favorite pirate is (technically not food, but still yummy) ____.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to ___, tomorrow my plans include ___ and Sunday, I want to ____.


1. I'm a girl~chocolate!
2. I like everything on my hamburger!
3. Baked potato with everything, even chopped beef!
4. The perfect meal is with friends and family with good conversation and laughter!
5. I prefer a cool glass of sweet tea!
6. Your favorite pirate is Johnny Depp!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to soccer practice being over and catching up on my shows on the DVR, tomorrow my plans include a soccer game and pedicure and Sunday, I want to relax and enjoy the day with my DS!

Pillows

I have been getting lucky with the thrift stores lately. Let me start by saying I would have never ever thought about thrifting in my life before blogging. I love to shop the malls, browsing the displays and trying on designers that I adore. My family and close friends think it is so odd that I have turned into a thrift store junkie. I love antique stores and don't mind throwing down some money for an item I really love or want. Recently I was with a friend and we had gone to a craft show and I had to stop on the way back home at a thrift store to see if they had any treasures, which they didn't. I think I am forming an addiction!

Let me show you this two cute pillows that will grace my front porch once I paint my rocking chair. (That will be another post later.) I was a little skeptical buying pillows, thinking were have they been, but since they will be for outside and have to endure the weather why not for $3 for both. They look clean and smell clean.

The sunflower pillow will grace my porch in the Fall. And the beach cabana will have a spot in the rocking chair during the summer. I'm on the lookout for more pillows, one for each month and/or holiday.

Are you ready for the weekend?

White Platters

I have found my thrift store MOJO. I can't believe the luck I'm having. Just about every store that I have stopped at lately I have found a treasure. I am new to this thrift store experience but I'm loving it! The thrill of what will I find today. Planning my afternoon errands around certain parts of town to venture into a thrift store. To all of my blogging friends you have inspired me to get creative, get thrifty and re purpose items. I have brought a lot of items into the home but only paying a fraction of the cost. Slowly our home is turning into the cottage of my dreams.

Check out these lovely platters I found. The first one has crabs, lobsters and shells all along the edge. I love it and can't wait to use it next summer. I have safely packed it up with all my summer items.

The second one has vegetables all along the edge. I plan on using this one for Thanksgiving unless I find a turkey one between now and then.

What have you found lately at your local thrift store?

Angel Collection

My collection started with my sister giving me one and then I started to receive more. A few people have given me angels because they have seen then around the house. Even my DH has given me one. I really do like my Willow Tree Angels. I like to think they are protecting our home. The last picture is a picture of my parents nativity set from Willow Tree. They are still collecting pieces so it's not complete. Someone in the family will usually give them a new piece for Christmas. My parents keep theirs out all year long in the dining room. And if my family is reading this I would like to start a set as well~~HINT HINT

My parents:

Thanks for looking!

I Finally Did It

My friend finally convinced me to join CTMH. I am now a consultant. This is the card at the make and take at the Open House I co-hostessed. My up line has an open house in the fall to introduce the new catalog. It was fun to see how things are ran and make this card. This card had to grow on me. I didn't like it when I first saw it. The only thing stamped on it is the small squares. The bottom half is patterned paper from the Caprice set. I joined mainly for me. I have no plans to fully sell since I love my day job! But you never know! I love getting the discounts and being the first to know whats coming and being around other ladies that enjoy stamping and scrapbooking. Thanks for looking!

Name Game

OK so I copied this from Lakewood Manor... Go visit her site, you can link it from the right side



1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car), Hannah Jeep



2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie), Mint Chocolate Chip Sugar



3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name), C-GAL



4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal), Red Bear



5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born), Kaye Houston



6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first), Galcy



7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink), The Black Cosmopolitan



8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers), Ernest Elmer



9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy), Lovely Musketeer

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ), Ernestine Clyde

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter), Goodfriend Grand Rapids

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower). Autumn Tulip

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) Watermelon Pajamay

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree), Doughnut Oak

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”), The Scrapbook Rain Tour



Leave a message for me to check out yours if you do this too!

Friday Fill In

1. I think _______.

2. I desire _______.

3. What if ________.

4. The best thing about ______.

5. When will ________.

6. The best thing that happened to me so far this week _____.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to ______, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to ______!

1. I think my scrapbook room is calling me.

2. I desire a spa day.

3. What if my dog could talk to me. I wonder what Devil Dog would say to her family.

4. The best thing about teaching is the goodbye hugs at the end of the day.

5. When will I every get all my scrapbooks finished.

6. The best thing that happened to me so far this week was my friends came over for Bunco and my dinner turned out great. No one died!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to shopping at the mall, tomorrow my plans include a craft show and Sunday, I want to hang out with my family and watch movies!

Let me know if you play so that I can come read your fill in. TGIF!

Recipes

Here are two recipes I think you might enjoy. The first one is for the cheese dip that I took to the Bridal shower and the second one is what I fixed for the Bunco Babes!

Cheese Dip:

1 gold foil Kraft Cracker Barrel cheese

16 oz Hellman's mayonnaise

small chopped onion

round loaf of bread

bread sticks or crackers to serve with dip

Melt cheese in microwave. Add mayo and onion. Stir to mix well. Hollow out bread and fill with cheese once cooled. Place on a pretty platter/plate and serve with bread sticks or bread hollowed out of loaf.

King Ranch Casserole:

4-5 cooked chicken breast

In a pan saute 1/2 chopped onion, 1/2 chopped bell pepper in 2-3 Tablespoons of butter. Add 1 can of Rotell, 1 can of Cream of Chicken soup, 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup. Mix all together. Add about 1/2 cup of milk to make a little bit thinner so it pours easily.

Spray casserole pan with PAM. Cut 6 corn tortillas into strips. This is the bottom layer in the dish, Add 1/2 of the chicken. Next layer is 1/2 the soup mixture. Next layer is 2 cups of grated cheese. Then you will repeat-6 tortillas, chicken, soup mixture and cheese.

Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Are you ready for the weekend?

BUNCO!!!!!!

I can't stay long. I have to pick up my house for Bunco tomorrow night. Also, I am preparing the dinner tonight so when I get home from school, I can just heat it up. I am fixing King Ranch Casserole. I have never cooked this before so we may have several teachers out on Friday!!!! My sister assured me that it was easy. If your in the neighborhood please stop by, when need a couple of extra players since some didn't want to play this year.

Have a great evening!

Soccer Season Has Started

I don't know much about soccer other than my DS loves to play it. His favorite position is goalie, imagine that! He loves using his body to stop the ball that is kicked very hard and coming straight at his head! We have started practices twice a night with a clinic on Friday evenings. So trying to schedule soccer and tutoring is getting trickier. Plus DS has informed me that he wants to take piano lessons so that will be another day trying to juggle our busy schedule. Oh well, as long as he is happy, right? I really can't complain about taking him to practice since it's close to some great shopping. He practices at our district science center and then I can drive down the highway a bit and have some fun shopping at Michaels, Marshalls, Charming Charlies, Best Buy.

Last weekend after the Bridal Shower, DH and DS went to the Houston Dynamo soccer game. I was too tired from the shower to go so I stayed home and relaxed! They arrived before the game started and the players were warming up. As the players were making their way over to start the game, one player kicked his ball up into the stands. My DH is tall and has long arms and he stretched up on his tip toes but the ball went right over. The lady a couple of rows up had her hands up but she was stiffed arm and the ball bounced off her hands and my DS had turned and the ball landed right into his arms. I wished I had been there for that Kodak moment. He was so excited when they got home to tell me all about his soccer experience. Here are the pictures of my proud DS and his autographed soccer ball. I couldn't tell you who had signed it and I can't read the writing.

Bridal Shower

Last weekend, my mom, sister and I hostessed a Bridal Shower for my cousin. She is one special gal. She was my flower girl and now she is getting married! They are getting married in October. Her brother will be marrying them. Isn't that sweet. My brother officiated the ceremony for my wedding and my sisters. The shower was held at my moms house. Below are some pictures from the party and you will get a peek into my moms house. I had to bring 4 things. Four easy to make things since I don't cook. I was in charge of bringing a fruit tray (which I purchased and put on a pretty platter), a cheese drip (which I'll share the recipe below), flowers for the dessert table and a bag of ice. Pretty simple and easy. Everyone had a great time. We didn't play any games. We spent the time eating, watching her unwrapped her loot and chatting.

The food table:

The fruit tray I brought:The flowers for the dessert table:

The punch bowl my sister and I fight over. It's Candlewick!The dessert table. My dad made the cheesecake and the chocolate cake with white icing and caramel filling! My sister made a lemon dessert in the rectangle dish.
Another view of the food tableThanks for looking! Hope your week is off to a great start!

Thrifty Find

I found this at one of my thrifty shopping places. I was so excited when I spotted it and it only costed $5.00. I already had one. I had received mine from my cousin, Marilyn. She had purchased it from a flea market around the Dallas area a couple of years ago. I had first seen it when cousin Paige brought it to the family reunion filled with cookies and feel in love with it.

There was some speculation as to what exactly it was. Some thought it was from a church used for communion, others thought it was for camping. Well, in the September Country Home magazine, in the cool junk section, they have one pictured. They say its a camping tin. It breaks apart into several sections. In the magazine they have it re purposed as a catch-all-organizer.

I gave this one to my mom. She was happy to receive it. I think she has been wanting one for awhile. Mom and Dad filled it with homemade cookies to take on our trip to Missouri. We all enjoyed those delicious sweets.

We will be heading to the dog park later today so Devil Dog can run and play. And then get ready for the up coming week. I hope you are enjoying the last bit of your weekend!

Friday Fill In

If you play, please link back to me and leave a comment letting me know you played so I can come visit!

1. I met him/her ___________.
2. We dated _______ before we got engaged.
3. I knew he/she was the one ________________.
4. The thing I like best about him/her _____________.
5. When he/she proposed _______________.
6. The song we had/want at our wedding ____________.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to ____. Tomorrow my plans include ___, and Sunday I want to ____!


1. I met him at College.
2. We dated 2 years before we got engaged.
3. I knew he was the one because it just felt right. And he spoils me!
4. The thing I like best about him is his commitment to me, us and our family.
5. When he proposed it was outside my parents house. Nothing very romantic. I knew it was going to happen so every time we would go somewhere I thought, this is it, but it wasn't.
6. The song we had/wanted at our wedding, we couldn't decide on one so we went with old songs that were in older family members weddings. These songs were played during the ceremony as we didn't have music and dancing at our reception-not allowed at the church.
7. And as far the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching a movie on the couch. Tomorrow my plans include going to a friends house in Katy and then a date with my DS, and Sunday I want to take Devil Dog to the Bear Creek Dog Park.




Have a great weekend!

Thursday Thirteen

13 things I love about Disney. I said I was done showing pictures but not talking about it. And since I just finished several days sharing my scrapbook pages I thought this would be appropriate.

1. Meeting Mickey Mouse and his friends.
2. Riding rides that are fun and that remind you of Disney movies.
3. Fabulous themed hotels that are spacious and comfortable.
4. Parades that bring a smile to your face and have you clapping and singing on the sidelines.
5. Shows that are of Broadway quality.
6. Food that is fun to eat like Mickey Mouse waffles and ice cream bars.
7. Parks that offer something for everyone.
8. Cast members that are friendly and helpful.
9. A Main Street that is lined with quaint building preparing you for a fun filled time.
10. Transportation to move you around from place to place and not having to worry about how to get there and where to park.
11. Shopping til you drop especially in the Downtown Disney area. The largest Disney store is located here.
12. People watching and wondering what were they thinking!
13. Cooling off at a special themed hotel pool.




The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! This is where I got the idea from.

Animal Kingdom

Here are the last of the Disney pictures I'm going to share. I promise! Well, until I start working on the next album. Enjoy!
Thanks for looking!

Epcot and MGM

Here are some more pictures from our Disney trip in September 2002. Enjoy!

Epcot:


MGM Studios: