Puppies!!!

And there I was just minding my own business and I stumbled upon a post from a high school friend titled "Puppies!!!" Those that know me well, can attest to the fact that there are two things in life that make me absolutely gush - 

babies and puppies. I should add that puppies of any kind I find adorable but lab puppies make me want to own a farm with lots of land 

so I can have about 12 dogs running around.

See the porch? There would be dogs there. 

See all the green grass? There would be dogs there, too. 

But I am still a city girl and must try to remain composed and not bring home every single dog I see. Also, I kinda' like my husband 

and I don't want him to run away and leave us! 

So, we talked about it...well, it was more of a question "you know my friend with the puppies?" that led to the hubby looking up from dinner and saying "um, yeah????" Then, the look - maybe you know the look - Oh, here it comes.... and I quickly followed with a series of "here's why it would be great" comments. And just like that, the very next day - we had a new puppy!

Just tell me, how do you resist this?? I fell instantly in puppy love!

Such a cutie!

Project Weekend!

Maybe it's because I grew up around lots and lots of projects as a kid, or maybe it's because I was lucky enough to get my parents' creative genes, 

but I almost live for "project weekends." 

Creating something out of nothing always inspires me to do more. 

Much to my husband's dismay, I'm collecting quite a bit of lumber. Stacks of it here and there, and projects in several different stages strategically placed around the house, yard and garage. 

And lumber isn't all I am collecting.....somehow these chairs ended up here, too. Oh, I wonder how that happened? Sure to be followed by other pieces of furniture soon - all needing some love.

Mason jars keep appearing, too. 

But who doesn't love a mason jar? 

Especially when you can do something really creative with it.

With several boutique shows coming up, we're busy building and having fun! We can't wait to share some of our favorite project pieces with you!

Stay tuned! 

The Blessings of Christmas

Each and every year, like many families - we look forward to Christmas. With the house filled with the aroma of fresh baked cookies and the cheery red decor, it feels warm and inviting. Friends stop by to visit, family get-togethers are plenty and everyone's spirits are lifted. 

It is a time for us to reflect on the year, spend quality time with family and be thankful for all the blessings that we have. As our boys have gotten older, some of the traditions have been replaced with new "more modern" ones, but the real meaning of Christmas still rings true in their hearts. 

For years our home has been dubbed "that" house with all the lights. When the boys were very small, my husband bought me a reindeer for the front yard. I was so happy to have that little reindeer in front of the house, slowly moving his head from side to side. Up until last year, that reindeer was still in our yard. The boys referred to him as "Grandpa Reindeer." When we moved, we chose a corner house with a large, grassy front lawn. We moved in on March 3 that year, and I was already planning the Christmas lights. We aren't the Griswold's - 

but there are LOTS of lights! 

It is a major production to hang all of them, but the neighbors always stop by every year commenting on how nice it is to see the lights and 

how much they enjoy them. 

While the boys work outside, I work on the interior of the house - where I have the most fun. Decorating the house with tiny "Christmas stories" is my favorite thing to do. And this year I mastered the home-brewed gingerbread latte to make decorating even more enjoyable!

Taking the chill out of the morning air near the fireplace, wrapping presents and listening to Christmas music - this is how some of my weekends were spent. 

Here's hoping your holidays were blessed with moments you will 

cherish for years to come!

Happy Holidays!!!