Stories from a soccer mom...

Many of you are moms like me.  Some of you are just beginning on this blessed journey,knee deep in sippy cups, diapers, tantrums and all the sweet moments and challenges that come along with that.  Others are facing their babies leaving the nest...... Me?  Well I consider myself at the midway point of parenting children, cause I knowparenting never ever really ends{nor would I...

Awwwww shucks!

Just returning from our trip to California {which was awesome btw}.  While we were gone, we had some cute friends stay in our home with our two puppy dogs.  Well, who am I kidding, while they are friends, I am old enough {gasp!} to be their mother!  Anyway, they are an adorable, recently engaged couple who we met when Anne's dad worked with my husband in Minnesota.  We are happy...

California Dreamin'....Can ya help a girl out?

Our family is heading to southern California (Temecula area)this weekend to watch this girl and her Oregon team play soccer. I am hoping to escape the soccer fields for an afternoon and explorethe area.  One of my favorite things to do when we travelis to find fun home decor and antiques stores. So, southern California readers {or visitors}.......any shops I MUST visit?I would love suggestions!! PS...

Ya just never know....

I'm a pretty predictable kind of gal.....When doing my decorating thang, I tend to stick with my oldtrusted sources.....which can be such a snooze! But with our move and my mojo all back in businesscause I'm livin' where I want to and doin' what I want to do, with theones I want to do it with {don't go there!}.....I am feeling my style shifting a bit. I am drawn to more contemporary rooms, the...

Curb Appeal

We have been in our new home for about one month.  For the most part, the boxes are unpacked and we are feelingsettled.  I have even been doing some fun decoratingprojects.  But with summer's arrival bringing warmer temperatures, we have found ourselves spending more timeoutside.  I am ready to up the curb appeal of our new home. Can you guess what I am thinking? It's...

My gallery wall...

I had the rare good fortune to spend this past weekendalone in my own home.....Don't get me wrong, I did miss my family......just a little bit...But if you are a momma, you know what a little slice of heaven it isto have the whole house to yourself for an entire weekend.  I took the opportunity to work on the massive staircase wall in our new digs.I knew I needed to have time and and a peaceful...

If you need me, I'll be in my office...

I had fun doing a mini-makeover of my new laundry room.  Don't get me wrong, the laundry roomwas pretty good when we bought the home.  Although not very big, the room camewith a built-in front loading washer and dryer, lots of cabinets for storage, and even a built-in ironing board {which sadly, will get ZERO use from me}. The previous owners had placed hand-painted {by their grandchildren}...

Farm Chicks Finds....

Do you see it? My favorite Farm Chicks find happily placed in my dining room? Here is the beauty!  {circa 1880, Austria} I have long admired European benches but had never taken the leap andpurchased one.   When I saw this one at a fabulous booth {a new vendor, no less}I knew she had to be mine.  I had thought a bench in my dining roomwould provide some additional flexible seating...

my happy place...{aka} The Farm Chicks!

{Carrie, Pam, me and Ki} What can I say?Don't the smiles on our faces {that's me next to Ki Nassauer!}say it all?We took this picture as we waited in line for "early bird" admission to really one of the most fabulous antiques{event!}show! Serena really outdid herself this year!  There were more vendors, fabulous newvendors, better food service, more people, an early  bird option...