You might be a redneck if......

......you buy something you don't particularly care for just because it has a cool name.

a girl, her cat, and some doll clothes

Could life get any better?

The more you know (bum. bum. bum.)

Those "bum. bum. bum."s are to the tune of that old NBC jingle.

Except it's not really a jingle.

Whatev.

Just thought I'd share a photo exemplifying stage four of a

Lake Superior Immersion Experience.

Stage 4: REGRET

bum. bum. bum.

Welcoming us home

We just returned from a little mini-vacation up North where we enjoyed the company of wonderful old friends, napped on our favorite rock beach, and braved the big city crowds to visit the zoo. Our last day was the one spent in the BIG city, making our return to the peaceful countryside even sweeter. We were welcomed home by some exciting torrential rain, 4 hungry kitties, 14 still living chickens, and a flower bed just full of blooming zinnias.

I am already planning

rows

and rows

and rows

and rows

and rows

of next year's zinnia gardens!

what "Back to School" means to me

Can you believe it!?

The summer just started and already it's about time

to hit the books once again.

Schools in this area start on August 19th!

AUGUST 19!!!

Let it be known that I am not ready.....

physically (I haven't even ordered our 4th grade books yet),

or emotionally (how am I going to juggle teaching three this year?)

I've even wondered if it's too late to send them to school.

Hmmmmmm........

But really, the point of this post was to tell you

what really excites me about this time of year.....

back to school sales on

COMPOSITION BOOKS!

Composition books mean journal making at our house.

There is nothing the kids like more than

hauling out my stash of

pretty papers

and ribbons

and sparkly glitter letters.

Throw in a little hot glue,

double sided tape

and a dash of creativity

and we have personalized journals

and very proud little girls!

These are their latest creations.

And I know I'm not allowed to have favorites,

but I especially like the way this one turned out

(minus the dark shadow from the window.)

And yes, that is a piano in the background of picture #1!!!

An adorable man from church lost his piano-playing wife recently

and he thought we should have it.

We. are. so. honored.

Thank you Pinky!!!!!

A Poultry Pedi-Party

So apparently this is what country girls do to entertain themselves at their country sleep overs.

Doesn't Gina look smashing in hot pink?

And no worries, the girls didn't discriminate against Ruby

(now called Mr. Reuben since he turned out to be a boy.)

Of course they chose bright red to compliment his bright red comb.

Not sure what Ella thinks of the whole ordeal.

A poultry pedi-party.........

It's a

"good thing."

On feeling sorry for inanimate objects

So it started when I was a kid.....
You know, I had my stuffed animals take turns sleeping with me in my bed

so none of them would feel slighted or left out.
Tell me I'm not the only one........

It's been years since I felt sorry for a non-living thing,

but a few months ago at an auction

where I was waiting to bid on my kitchen chalkboard,

an old painted brown dresser with long spindly legs hit the block.

The bid might have started at $20......I don't remember.

It was ugly, yes, but a solid piece of wood furniture nonetheless.

I watched, heart racing as it tends to do at auctions,

while the bid dropped to $10.......

then $5.......

then $2.......

I inched my way toward the dresser to inspect it more closely......

drawers worked....

no water damage......

why didn't anyone want this poor abandoned dresser?!?

The bid dropped to $1

and STILL no one flashed their bidder number.

And so, feeling sorry for the poor unloved dresser,

I involuntarily flashed my number and announced

"my husband is going to kill me!"

Of course, in my excitement to transform the poor dresser into something fabulous

I forgot to take a "before" picture.

I unscrewed the long 60's style legs,

primed it,

painted it, (thanks Betsy, for sharing your wonderful paint color)

added some vintage hardware I had saved from another fab find

and had Steve attach some garage sale casters.

VOILA!

Our new, extremely functional entertainment center!

Meet Taffy.......the newest MOUSEBUSTER

EEEEK!

WHAT IS THAT??

WATCH OUT!!!!

HERE HE COMES!

LOOK AT THOSE POWERFUL HAUNCHES!

DEATH IS IMMINENT!

THOSE TEETH WILL BE THE END OF ME!

RAAAAAAARRRRRR!!!

Bonding over Blackberries

Thank goodness for ponytails!