Vintage Colors

Any project in our house leads to redoing vignettes. My hubby is awesome at this and he compiled this one for me when I told him I wanted to do it in a vintage look with red and green. These colors just pop when put together.

Vintage looking tins sit next to my perpetually homeless little red chair. I think it has found a home finally.

My vintage watering can with the red spout looks perfect up here in a summer time display.

You can see my new crown molding in the back. We have yet to finish painting it but those types of projects move slowly around here.

Linking to:
Savvy Southern Style
Rednesday
The Lettered Cottage
Good Life Wednesdays
Wassup Wed.
BNOTP
Vintage Thingy Thursday
Time Travel Thursday
Transformations and Treasures
My Romantic Home

The Reluctant Potty Trainer

The title says it all. Or really it should stay the stubborn potty trainee as I guess I am the trainer. Just wanted to give you an idea of what this post is about so you can move on if you aren't at all interested in the potty training of a three year old but here goes. Now as a disclaimer this is my fourth daughter. I had one potty train late just like this one and one that was completely trained by her second birthday, she is my favorite child of course, so I should know what I am doing here but nothing reduces a mother, college educated, life savvy (somewhat) woman to the level of desperation than a child that refuses to get potty trained. It is like I don't have a clue.
She turned three in May so I know I am not in foreign territory yet but come on all ready. I am READY!
Why isn't she?
What is the benefit of crappin' your pants? I'm just saying. I've tried the candy, treats, watching DVD's while sitting there whole gamut but no luck. She will sit forever when she agrees to actually get on there but no action and the funny thing is she will start to go and just stop it. Willful, maybe, frustrating for sure. So I am throwing it out there. If you know a trick for the most stubborn of children, I am all ears. I may resort to staying home for a few days and just let her pee all over I guess till she gets it. Not a thought I am relishing. Gross. We just never have two days in a row at home so I may have to wait until school is out for the older kids. Okay friends I am waiting for the magic trick. Let me know your secret.

A Simple Memorial Day - The Highlights

We worked in the house all weekend painting and hubby hanging my sexy crown molding. I mean my sexy hubby hanging crown molding. Well either way it is up. Anyway we have a family tradition of a BBQ, fun and  RIBS on Memorial Day so I had to pull it off. Usually I bake a cake but this year Loft House cookies were center stage.

Some ribbon from Michael's made an easy hair bow. Just had to shoot the back of her sweet little head.

No fancy centerpieces this year just some flags stuck in my pots.

Water balloons at the ready. $1 from Target. Cheap fun.

Grabbing some color with my oldest.

And the best part of the day. RIBS.

The carnage.

Even though I didn't have my prep time that I normally do this day was still special. The kids said the funnest ever since we all pelted one another with water balloons and then the hose. What our neighbors must think.

You don't have to spend much to make awesome memories for sure.

Linking to:

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Handmade Tuesdays

Not Just a Housewife

Rednesday

Raising Homemakers

A Collection of This and That

No Words Needed

If  you  haven't seen Pioneer Woman's post today, you need to. Link

Memorial Day Wishes

From my red, white and blue heart to yours, I wish you a blessed Memorial Day full of remembrance, family and hopefully some fun.
We will be barbecuing  and enjoying our family tradition of ribs and backyard fun. I believe some water balloons are on the docket for tomorrow. I hope it warms up a little, but first my older girls will take a run up to the cemetery where my father and two uncles, all WWII vets, are buried and place flags on their graves. They asked if they could go up and do this and I thought that was very touching. You should remember in whatever way feels right to you and this is what feels right for them. God Bless.

Linking to:
Mosaic Monday

Visions of Summer

Oh the food of summer. Some of my most favorite things.

Cold sliced watermelon. Refreshing.

Condiments waiting for our evening meal.

Grilled yumminess.

Sunshine.

Hello warm weather.

Enjoy the simple things. 

Linking to:

Sunday Showcase

Lamb Around

Pink Dandy

Relax and Surf Sunday

BNOTP

Show off Your Cottage Monday

Cherished Treasures

Oh Ya!

That's what I like to see. Men hanging crown molding. That's the hubby and friend. They are working in our entry way right here. My hubby says he loves seeing me in the kitchen cooking for him. Whatever does it for you honey but as for me, what does it is seeing my man get some household improvement projects done. Now that's hot!

My Veggie Patch

I scurried out to the front garden where my veggie patch lies to take some snaps in the late evening sun. I love this time of day. We are the last area of the inland valley to get a coastal breeze according to Sunset Garden Guide. We are zone 9. Every afternoon a nice breeze picks up and cools us down. 

One plant of zucchini I find is enough for us. Otherwise it is coming out of your ears. 

The first sunflower has opened. This is the multi branch variety great for cutting. It is so tall. The flower is around nine feet tall.

The tomatoes are ripening. These are early girl and true to their name, I have already picked three tomatoes. 

A ripening zuchinni.

Hiding in there is a cucumber blossom. The cukes are only about two inches long right now. Won't pick any for a couple more weeks. Last year I didn't buy one store bought cuke for months, we picked so many from our little plot.

Chives thrive year long here but are exploding right now.

This is it. My small veggie plot in the front yard. It had roses in it but I tore them out years ago.

I have so many volunteer tomato plants. I never know what they will be until I see some tomatoes on there.

I'm a bad gardener. My tools are always left where I was working last. 

Linking to:

Seasonal Sundays

Bowl Full of Lemons

Tuesday Garden Party

Simple Summer Supper - Taco Salad

This is really one of my favorite meals. I LOVE a crunchy salad and this has it all. This is a dinner you can throw together in minutes.

Just chop up some lettuce or use a bag of iceburg from the store.
Toss with:
1 lb ground beef or turkey seasoned with taco seasoning
1 c. shredded cheese
Two diced tomatoes
Two chopped green onions
I can of black olives
1 small can of red kidney
Salsa
Sour Cream
I bag of tortilla chips
Dressing of your choice. We like ranch with salsa and sour cream all thrown on top.
Crunch up some chips in a bowl serve your salad and dressing of choice on top and enjoy. I make this all year long but when it is hot this is perfect. You can cook up some ground meat ahead and freeze in batches and just take out to thaw the day you are going to make the salad. Ole!

Linking to:
Foodie Friday
Life as Mom
This Week's Cravings
Hodgepodge Life
Sat. Night Special
Gcc Recipe Swap
life as mom

Texture

Okay, before I get to my post this "lady" needs to "bug" you all. Help, I have lost my followers from my blog. I have done nothing to them they just disappeared yesterday. "Poof" gone. Anyone have this happen and how did you get them back? Oh Blogger why do you vex me so. I am not tech savvy and this is so frustrating.

I love lots of texture in my vignettes. Brenda at Cozy Little House is the master of this. I was doing some rearranging in the kitchen AGAIN. Not happy with it just yet.

I decided to add a plant to my little cookbook shelf to soften the look and color a bit.

I think it added just the right touch.

Linking to:
Sat. Night Special
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Addicted 2 Decorating
Mod Mix Monday

The House is Set

When you have a lot of red in your house it is easy to decorate for patriotic holidays. All it takes is some 3/$1 flags from Target. Snagged some little bags of them in the dollar section and placed them around the house. Our Memorial Day decor is done. Simple and Frugal!

Brought my wood tray back to corral all the knick knacks on the table.

For now the blue pillows have found a home in the dining room.

Flags tossed in a jug add a little USA to the kitchen.

These little boxes were a gift from one of the kiddos for Mother's Day.

Linking to:

BNOTP

Transformation Thursday

Open House

Common Ground

The Charm of Home

The Thrifty Groove

It's a Keeper Thursday

My Romantic Home

Handy Man Crafty Woman

Patriotic Link Up Party

Saturday Swagger

BNOTP

Frugal Challenge - Eating From Your Pantry

Let's face it, life is expensive and it is getting even more so. We had a very expensive May, so I decided to  save where I could in my budget and one flexible area is my grocery budget. In order to spend less at the market, we have been eating from our pantry. I have planned meals around what I have already purchased and filled in with perishables at the market. I do this occasionally when our expenses rise in order to preserve our out of pocket expenses. I am always trying to stock my pantry with staples when they are at their cheapest.

Meals can get pretty interesting. One night this week we are having a clean out the freezer dinner. All odd leftover things like those taquitos that need eating and some frozen leftover meals will be pulled out. I won't throw away good food so it all gets put on the counter and everyone chooses what they would like. Sort of like a strange buffet.

Can you feed your family for a couple of weeks from your pantry and freezer? I can now, because I stockpile things ahead and get creative with my meal plans but I think this is something we should all think about. With all the disasters occurring lately, this is a reminder to keep a well stocked pantry in case you should need supplies for a few days when none are available. We live in earthquake country so it is important for us to have items on hand to sustain us if we have a major earthquake. That would include water for us as well. We keep drinking water but need to store large drums of water and are shopping around right now for those.
Emergency preparedness is just one benefit of a well stocked pantry.

Faded Charm
Raising Homemakers
Tip Junkie
Alphabe-Thursday

Things I Love

It is important for me to focus on the positive. More keeping my mouth shut if I don't have anything nice to say like, " All this dog hair, I could have a rug," "The laundry is overtaking the bathroom." You know the complaints of life that are really not worth complaining about. So today I am sharing some things I love.

My family of course. If I didn't list them you would think I was a bad person. They are my reason. Enough said.

Flowers.

Food. Oh how I wish this weren't so.

Camping. Yes, I love camping. In our trailer of course but I love it. Just unplugging. The memories and laughter make the dirt so worth it.

Red.

Getting a good deal. Love when I hand over my coupons and watch my total drop.

Cozy corners.

Holidays.

Presents. (I know but I do)

Country General Store.

So much more but this is just a smidge.

Of course I love all the intangibles like kisses from my kids and date night with the hubby but those are a given.

Rednesday
Thankful Thursday

Color Rules?

I don't follow the rules. At least color rules where the garden is concerned. I just plant what I want. This year I am really into purple and yellow.

Zinnias are one of my favorite flowers. Like real life pincushions.

I do try to avoid putting orange and pink right next to each other. That would clash terribly.

I think you should plant what you like and it is only flowers. You can move them.

Generally, I am a good girl and always follow the rules but in the garden I am a rebel.

Linking to:

An Oregon Cottage

Take a Look Tuesday

Not Just a Housewife

Wow Us Wed.

Share the Love Linky Party

Blue Cricket Design

Time Travel Thursday

Question for Bloggers #4

Blogging is time consuming. Right? I think it is. It is coming up with ideas and taking pictures, uploading them and  finishing up the post. Then you have blogs you visit and that takes more time. So how do you find time to blog if you are an active blogger?

See my picture above? I am uploading pictures as I am folding laundry. For some reason I can only upload one pic at a time anymore. I used to choose and upload multiple so I don't know if it has anything to do with my new camera. Anyway, I multi-task. I have kids, chores, you know the busy stuff of life and don't find much time to sit and just blog so I try to squeeze it in. If I am laying down with the little one, I often have the computer on the bed somewhere. In the kitchen I might be cooking and uploading pictures then. Sometimes I think I could have a job for the time spent but it would be out of the house and not as enjoyable. So how do you make time to blog? I am dying to know.