Missing These Guys

Thankfully I have been able to keep up with them this summer through letters!!  I will love seeing them next year even if they are in the big second grade hallway!

*LRW*

The Other Brother

While Michael was graduating in June, Matt was gearing up to be done with middle school and be the low man on the totem pole as a freshman next year.  Matt has chosen a different path than his big brother and big sister.  He wants to pave his own way, by attending Jesuit High School, an all boy catholic school.  The coaches there wanted him to come to play football there.  I think it was a great decision, because he is his own person and nothing like Michael.  He will not be in anyone’s shadow!    He is so excited and we are thrilled for him!!  When growing up I had many “big brothers",” who were family friends.  I would go and watch one of these “big brothers” play football at Jesuit, so I am ecstatic to watch Matt run out on that field come fall.  Even with the 10 year age gap I am closer with Matt than I am with Michael, because of his fun loving personality.  He loves to laugh and be sarcastic and that is so my kinda person!  When I was home in early June I had the opportunity to meet some of his friends and they had a “bright” idea…..

 

Matt shaving Jackson’s head!

Everyone wanted to have a part in shaving Matt’s head!

They did it on the dock and said they should keep the hair for hair mats for the oil spill. 

Matt loving the new doo which was not quite done!!

The MACHO boys, or not…haha

 

My grandma and I had the best time watching them shave each others head.  Matt is now advertizing $5.oo haircuts.   So if you make your way down to Tampa look him up...ha!

 

*LRW*

A Noise Here and There

These noises I speak of were coming from my non other than my Volvo.  I ignored them because I wasn’t ready to give up my car,   but Adam was not willing to do that.  He started the search to find a new car.  For years now I have  told Adam that my dream car is the Cadillac CTS, but was not thinking that would happen until I was much,much older.  Adam had different plans, and he found the perfect “new to me” car I could have ever wished for. 

Yesterday I said good bye to “The Black Cobra” (my name for my car).   Oh yes I name my cars, have since my first car the Green Ribbet (VW Cabrio).

 

The Black Cobra….It has some love bug gunk on it :( Bye Bye!

 

I would like to introduce you to my dream car,

“The Grey Chameleon”

 

 

                              It puts the Volvo to shame doesn't it!!

                                                   New car owners!!

                       Annabelle had to check it out!! She loved it!!

 

                                    Happy Wednesday everyone!

 

*LRW*

A Breakfast Nook that Came to Be

Back in February I wrote about my dream breakfast nook, now we have one!  I am still looking for a light for above the table and a rug.  I didn’t take a before picture but thankfully the other part of the foyer is bare.  Oh yes we have plans for that area too, but we can only do one area at a time. 

So here is what it looked like before….

Here is the breakfast nook now…

 

 

The table and chairs are from Ballard Design.  I love the pedestal  legs of the table!  The parson chairs have chair covers that can be removed, which will be great for one day if we have little hands around.

 

These topiaries are from Home Goods and I loved them!   They look great on this wire tray I got for Christmas.

  

Found this picture with the help of Annie at Home Goods as well and the sconces at Kirkland's.   Still need the rug and the light, but I love to eat breakfast, lunch ,or dinner there.  We can look out the front window and see our gorgeous new landscaping :). 

 

*LRW*

Some Curb Appeal Please

          Like was mentioned in my birthday post we had some professionals come in to give our home some curb appeal.   We have tried to be creative and have changed the shape of the plant beds in the front but, it seems to always look boring.  Now remember we have been neglecting the house a lot lately so the before pictures have “cough, cough” plants from the fall in them.  Do not judge!

 

BEFORE:  At this point the Landscape people had already been and sprayed plant killer, so things had begun to turn a shade of brown. 

 

 

 

Drum Roll Please……THE AFTER:

 

So what do you think?  We love it, the butterflies love it, the birds love it,  and even Sadie loves to go and smell the flowers.  Too bad Sadie is scared of the camera and runs as soon as she sees it because, it’s sweet to see her sniffing away!  One thing I am hoping though is that the deer don’t love it because,  I will be fiercely mad if they come in and snack on our new landscape.  

 

Happy 4th Everyone!!!

*LRW*

Turning a Quarter of a Century

On June 18th I turned 25…a quarter of a century!!  It was hard to believe because,  it was like yesterday I got the keys to my green VW cabrio on my 16th birthday.  The party came to happen while on a late night fishing trip at the mouth of the Suwannee for some tarpon.  I always wanted to have a big bash, but never said anything about it.  My friends Torie and Christina helped me orally plan it all out,  all “Adam” had to do was put it all together for me …haha!  We found the invites  at Hobby Lobby and they had all the colors I loved for the tables.  I think they were perfect and all my friends laughed when they got the invitation in the mail and complimented Adam on his invitation skills.  Now we hadn’t had a big “ta da” at the house for some time.  The house and yard had been a bit neglected so a party meant WORK time.  We borrowed the pressure washer from Adam’s dad and I LOVED IT. I am not much for working outside, because I grew up in a house where my dad paid someone to do that kind of stuff.  It was a very rewarding job because, once your done pressure washing you see the difference.  Now I won’t say my body wasn’t bad sore the next day, but then I walked out the front door and smiled at my hard work.  We worked in the yard and dug up trees, cut back limbs, planted flowers, weed eated, and blowed!  I learned how to use a pole saw, weed eater and the blower too!  Who knew  how much knowledge I would gain by my 25th!  Check out the track hoe we used to dig up trees.   Adam used it, but I had to get my picture on it.  Yes, I look like a bumble be with my yellow shirt and black short, but they match my yellow bee boots! 

Now we had some professionals come in an fix up the front of the house to give us some curb appeal, but that will come in another post.  Once we finished up the yard it was time to get the party started.  Annie got here prior to the party when I was running around doing last minute things and took pictures which I am so thankful for.   Hear goes….lets start with dessert its the most important part of a birthday party!  Torie and Jimbo ordered me a cake from Betty Cakes in Ocala, Florida, who did their wedding cake.  It was delicious and I could go and order another one sit eat the whole thing myself right now..no joke (that’s another post)!  My mom and dad were able to come up from Tampa and join us for the festivities.  My new love in Tampa is the Peanut Butter Cake from Wright’s Gourmet, so mom picked up a small cake so I could indulge!  Yumm!   

 

I love yellow and green they are my favorite colors, so I wanted to incorporate lemons and limes into the table scape.  Thankfully Annie and my mom have all these wonderful glass display dishes I was able to use for the lemons and limes.  Adam and I got a pedestal beverage dispenser for our anniversary  so we used that for some sangria and Torie let me borrow hers for the sweet tea.  We ordered food from Backyard BBQ in Newberry, Florida.  Oh it is making my mouth water as I think about it…RIBS, BEANS, GARLIC BREAD….YUM, YUM, YUM!!   On the food and drink table I was able to use the sweet frames that were used for our sisters Kelsey’ sweet 16th a few days earlier.  At her party they had her pictures in them but,  I put in a piece of paper with what each item was and they turned out so cute! 

 

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Now that you got the set up lets get the real party started!  It was great to have everyone come and celebrate with me!! I will never forgot my 25th.  I even blew out 25 candles in one breath!  The cake was amazing I had two pieces that night and much much more later on that week.  

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View Full Album

What a great night we had!  I am thinking come February 10th we will have to have one for the hubbster!!!

*LRW*

Tampa for a Big Event

Graduates turn your tassels!!!  The phrase every senior with senioritis wants to hear.  My brother, Michael  graduated from high school last Friday, June 4th.  Adam and I headed to Tampa for the big event and his graduation party.  I was excited because this was the first high school graduation I had been to since my own 7 years ago.  It was at a different venue, but I was looking forward to the ceremony and comparing it to what I remembered of my own.  I would have to say it probably was more meaningful now than when I was a 17 year old sitting down on the floor with the graduates.  Some teachers and administrators were the same, and the PHS chorus sang the national anthem, which made me smile.  I was in chorus all four years and loved it, so I sang the anthem quietly as it was sang.  I was proud and I think my parents were relieved when Michael walked across that stage to get his diploma, and he definitely got a shout out even though we were asked not to yell (it was said it embarrasses the graduates).    Later in the day he had a drop in graduation party which was a blast to see people I hadn't seen since our wedding.  In all he is very much loved and people are rooting for him next year as he begins this next phase in his life at College of the Holy Cross.

The stage...I was happy to see ramps and not stairs like mine!

Half the chairs...over 500 students graduated!

Proud Parents!!

Michael walking across the stage!!

Its hard to believe he has graduated high school and is going to college in the fall.  Michael and our parents leave today to go to college orientation until Friday.  I hope they have a good time because orientation makes the college experience finally seem real.  No more cheering for PHS it will be Go Crusaders this fall!!

*LRW*