Project Monday - Photo Albums

For years I have covered photo albums and given them to those I love as wedding gifts,, Christmas gifts and baby gifts.  I even covered one to give to my sister in law as a recipe book for Christmas a few years back.  Here are some pictures of the most recent one I did.  It was a baby gift for a friend's brand new baby boy.  Welcome little Carter!!

Simple Sunday - Grandparents

I love my Grammie & Grampie so very much.  On Sunday my sister, cousins and I decided to spend the day with them to help them decorate their Christmas Tree.  Their old tree was broken so after a quick online shop and a stop at Lowes to pick up the new purchase my sister and I headed to Costco to pick up a couple of their yummy pizzas to feed us all for lunch.  Here is our efforts for the day.  All about making life just a little bit more simple for two of the most wonderful people I know.

Current Event Saturday - Snow & Freezing Rain

For the past 6 days the biggest news around here is the weather.  There is a leading article on every news outlet in town having something to do with the forecast or something going on that is affected by the Snow & Freezing Rain.

Here are some photos I took on my long hour and a half drive home Monday night and some at work on Wednesday morning.  The fog was freezing to the trees and made for a beautiful wintery sight.  Not much fun in the way of driving however.... it took me that long to go 7 miles just to get home on Monday night! I think you can see why.  Devin, my friend and co-worker is pointing at the tiny snow flakes on the windows that you can't see in the photo.  Small wonders make me smile, the beauty in each one of those tiny unique flakes.

(Devin at work)



(My view from the window closest to my cube)



(Hanford Traffic out of Richland on the first day of snow)

(Freezing fog & snow)

Favorite Photo Friday - Bubba

I love this kid! This is my nephew, I call him Bubba among other things.  He started off as Mr. Cute, then Bubba, Bubs, Bubba Love and many variations of his acutal name.  Either way he's just the happiest little man.  He's very explorative and is always on the move. 

These pictures are from the week before our wedding and are just so perfectly him.  Always either on a mission and happy about it or just chillin with some snacks.

Thankful Thursday - Thanksgiving Day!

I have so much to be thankful for! 

Thank you to all of my amazing friends and family and to my loving husband. I treasure and thank the Lord for all I have been given and blessed with in my life. I have so many wonderful reasons to be thankful. What a blessed year I have had!  I look forward to what is yet to come. 

Project Monday - Fireplace

This post is a bit bittersweet.  I worked extremely hard on my condo that I owned when I lived in Phoenix.  I remodeled nearly every last inch of that place.  It ended up that real estate values in Phoenix dropped so quickly and so drastically that keeping it wasn't a realistic option.  It came down to me giving it back to the bank after I made the decision to move back to Washington.  When you pay nearly 150K for it to be sold at auction for 70K and then find that to purchase a condo in the same complex right now three years later it would cost me somewhere around 40K.  It is nothing short of heartbreaking.

One project that I wanted to share is the fireplace facade transformation.  The condo had its original gray 6x6 ceramic tiles.  I decided I wanted to bring it into the new century and choose 1x1 glass tiles, in mixed shades of brown.  Take a look at the spectacular transformation.



(Before)

(Before)



















(All Demo-ed)

 



(The New Tile no Grout)



(Finished Fireplace Facade)

Simple Sunday - Boots

There are 7 pages of boots on Anthropologie's website.  7 pages!  Although Critter would not be happy if I bought a pair, that doesn't stop me from looking and admiring.  I was dreaming of which ones I would buy if I could actually convince Critter to agree to my purchasing a pair. 


I determined the answer is simple, I couldn't pick just one pair.  So no pairs was a better option.  Truth be told, there were only about 6 pairs or so that weren't quite my style.  Gosh, my style has nothing to do with Simple Sunday now does it? Ugh.... well anyway,  Here are a just a few to peak some interest.

Current Event Saturday - Favorite Things

Just in case you missed Oprah's very last Favorite Things Episode like I did... here's the link to the list.  Don't you wish you could've been so lucky to be in the audience that day?  Amazing...

Oprah's Favorite Things 2010

Favorite Photo Friday

(Skyline Road Lone Pine)

I took this picture the week before our wedding.  It was on the road on the way up to the woods and it was a brief moment of blue sky in between the raining it did most of the week prior to the wedding.  Critter Spotter and I had to go to town to get our marriage licence and to pay for the cupcakes and this was on our drive back to camp.  Its the little things that I remember about that week before that I'll treasure forever.  This image is one of them.  As we rounded the corner and headed up this little hill this was the breathtaking view.

Thankful Thursday - Love

Today what I am thankful for is quite simple.  I am thankful to be loved by an amazing husband.  I love being a wife and I am ever more thankful everyday to have found the love of my life.   And I am thankful for our photographer Suwanee that took this gorgeous wedding photo of us the day after our beautiful wedding.

Critter Spotter's Birthday Dinner

(Critter Spotter)

I asked Critter what he wanted for dinner on his birthday.  Keep in mind this just isn't any birthday, today my Critter turned a young 40 years old!  He is as handsome as ever and although I'll always love him no matter what, there is no doubt he does not look 40.  Here are pictures of the preparation of the requested birthday dinner, well ok, he just requested steak and left the rest up to me. 

(Good Morning Message to my Hunny)

I made up a cheesy potato recipe that turned out delish, steak marinated in his favorite marinade, sauteed green beans and mushrooms (and I can't stand mushrooms but he loves them) strawberry cheesecake (courtesy of Yokes) and sourdough bread with simple olive oil & basalmic vinegar dipping sauce. Without further ado... here are the pics of our yummy birthday dinner.  Oh yeah, and don't forget Critter and my favorite red wine, Red Diamond Merlot.  Tasty stuff!  Enjoy!

(Our Favorite Wine)

(Marinating Beef Sirloin Steaks)

(Chopping Onions)

(Red Potatoes & My Sweet New Food Processor)

(Sliced Red Potatoes & Cheese Cream Sauce)

(Yum, Tilamook Colby Jack)

(My awesome cheese grating attachment)

(Creamy Potato Cheese Sauce)

(Potatoes & Colby Jack pre cream sauce)

(Sourdough half of loaf in foil ready to be warmed)

(Mushrooms)



(Fabulous new cookbook holder/page protector)



(Rinsing the Mushrooms)

(Rinsing the Beans)

(Time to Sautee)

(Sauteeing the Beans)

(Ready to Eat!)

(Potatoes are ready)

(Critter's Birthday Dinner Plate)

(Critter's birthday cheesecake)

Happy birthday my love, I hope 40 is your best year yet, I love you much!