Frugal Challenge Update-The Proof is in My Electric Bill

Well, it had been a month since we had unplugged our refrigerator in the garage and made a few other changes to save energy and keep our electric bill down this summer. You can find the complete post here.
Though I never look forward to getting my electric bill I was curious to see if the changes we made would make a big difference. I was pleasantly surprised. Our bill for the previous month which included most of June which was fairly mild was $194. We had run our a/c but not daily. The latest bill where we had ran the air everyday was only $4 more. I was so excited.
 To be able to run the air and keep the bill down that much was so worth the efforts. We will definitely unplug the fridge in the garage for the summers from now on. It really has not been hard to squeeze everything in. I mostly just have not bought more than the meat I need for the week. That bill should have easily been much more.

Linking to:
Girl Creative
Homestead Revival
DIY Project
Coastal Charm
The Saved Quarter
Bowl Full of Lemons

Winner of Sunny Simple Giveaway

The winner was:

gbarcw said...

Cute site and trays are my favorite color!!

Please e-mail me so I can send you your box.

Thanks for entering everyone. How fun. Will have to do this again.

Last Look at the Colors of Summer

As we head into September and the lovely colors of fall, thought I would take one last look at my favorite shades of summer.

Bright ribbons ready to tie a gift or be used in a fun craft. 

Lemon yellows and tomato reds. The combination screams summer.

I think this was my favorite shot of the whole summer. Untouched, the color of the sunflower just popped so brilliantly.

I think this is one combo we will all miss. The vibrant fruits of summer ready for a backyard barbecue.

Lastly, this bouquet my hubby gave has all my favorite colors of summer. Purples, reds, yellows and that rose that looks like a brilliant summer sunset.

The girls are helping me with the drawing for my giveaway. I will post the winner tomorrow.

Linking to:
BNOTP
BoogieBoard Cottage
Home Savvy A to Z
Show off Your Cottage Monday

Touched Beyond Words

Loyal Dog Mourns, Lays at Casket of Fallen Navy Seal

If you have not seen this story it will tug at your heart.

http://blogs.discovery.com/daily_treat/2011/08/loyal-dog-mourns-lays-at-casket-of-fallen-navy-seal.html

Weekend Update

We are under a heat advisory here and it is like a sauna outside. Yuck! I am hiding indoors with the air on and thankful I have an escape from this heat. Did not get to go to the Fall Open House at my favorite store as I have not been feeling too hot so I will go later this week. They will have loads of fall stuff for months so no worries.

Did get to the store. Could not put that off another day so now I am done and watching the weather channel and the news of the hurricane while enjoying an iced coffee made from the left-overs and some sweet cream creamer. Yum! Perfect summer drink.

That's my motto. The simpler I keep my sights, the happier I am. It's true. Why did it take me so long to realize this in life? I try to share this with my girls but I see that they will find out on their own. I guess youth gives you the energy to make a lot of twists in the road and mistakes along the way. Have a great Sunday everyone. 

Prayers to all on the East Coast. Stay safe my friends.

Protector in Chief

Well, this is what I found when I came in the door from my little trip. She is supposed to sleep in her dog bed but I see she snuck into Lindsey's bed but couldn't even give the girl her good end. This kid is going to freak when she sees the dog is in her bed. She is very neat and picky and does not like the dog even in her room. That is why I had to share because this is just too funny.

Almost Time for Tea

In my boredom (bliss)  last weekend with nothing to do, I cleaned out and moved things around in my little glass doored cupboard. I brought out my little English tea pots. In the cooler months I love to have a pot of hot tea ready for the girls when they get up in the morning.

Their favorite is Earl Grey.

This cupboard is where we keep our everyday mugs.

The fridge got a good scrubbing and I decided to add a little color to the top. This gal needs as much decorating space as she can squeek out.

To me there is nothing like a little red and white, no wait, a lot of red and white in the kitchen.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

Linking to:
Inspiration Friday
Common Ground
The Charm of Home
French Country Cottage
Fridays Unfolded
On Sutton Place
Farmhouse Friday
SNS
Seasonal Sundays
Rose Chintz Cottage
Tabletop Tues.
Tuesdays Treasures

Wood Bowl

Plain and simple...a wood bowl. I love this bowl I snagged for a few bucks at an antiques shop. I believe it was carved out of one piece of wood. I love to imagine what it was used for.

Too small for a dough bowl I think. If you know please share.

Has a lovely old warm patina.

Linking to:
The Charm of Home

Compromise

I decided to put one of my trays in my green vintagey bedroom. Now do you see how it is squeezed in there barely hanging on? That is because my hubby has my entire dresser covered with a TV. That was all he cared about was the size of the TV. Men are so funny. The room is small. We could have done with half the TV but I just stayed quiet and let that man have his big ugly TV. He deserves it for how hard he works and his infinite patience in this house of estrogen.

I placed a sweet little nightlight I found up in one of the cupboards on the tray. I am sure it was his grandma's.

Life is about compromise right?

A Visit

Q and I are heading out the door to go spend the night with daddy. We will have dinner and take a dip in the hotel pool tonight then enjoy a playdate with some friends on Thursday that live up there.

The kids will wait until the last minute to clean up the house and this girl, the protector of my babes, will most assuredly be sleeping on that red toile couch while momma is gone. She is so protective of us girls. If hubby even tries to tickle us she will get in the middle of it and has given him a warning nip on the butt once. As long as she barks loud if anyone comes near our house she can sleep on my couch while I am away.

Daily Pickings

Everyday, and I mean everyday, my littlest one picks me flowers and needs to make sure I am putting them in some water. Half dead, weeds, doesn't matter, she sees some sort of bloom and it makes it to the kitchen counter. Little ones just love giving flowers. They learn at an early age to give. When they do we better accept joyfully as the memories can last a lifetime. I can clearly remember picking these lovely yellow flowers from our lawn and bringing little bouquets into my mom. You would have thought from her reaction that they were roses and not  in reality just dandelions. I never realized until I was older that I was actually giving her weeds.

 It is the little everyday things isn't it? Kids are watching us all the time. Now that I have much older kids in my home and a little one I am always conscience of the fact that my reactions to the little one are not only important to her but I have older kids watching me as I handle situations with my youngest. Boy talk about pressure.

Linking to:
Raising Homemakers
We Are That Family

Cherries

Left to my own devices this weekend with the hubby gone working, I scrubbed down some more of the kitchen. This is the slowest paint prep ever. We will be diving into the blue paint this Labor Day Weekend. Can't wait to see what it looks like with its new color.

I sort of moved things around and rearranged little spaces here and there. The walls we will be painting are increasingly bare now so I am trying to perk up some of the flat surfaces.

My breadbox, ever in search of a good place to put it, has been over by the phone for a while. It is such a big clunky thing but a very necessary one as we always have so many loaves of bread in this house.

Could never get a good pick of this sweet little wax pie. My camera skills are lacking. Oh and don't forget to enter my giveaway. The details are on my sidebar.

Linking to:
Sue Loves Cherries
Very Merry Vintage Style
Creative Spark
Treasure Hunt Thursday
BNOTP

Wise as an Owl-Back to School Cupcakes

Remember these guys? I thought these wise old owl cupcakes would be perfect for a back to school treat for dinner tonight since my youngest school aged girlie starts school today. Boy, I said school a lot in that sentence. I originally made them for my daughter's birthday and you can see that post here.
She loves anything owl themed so these will be perfect.

Linking to:
Coastal Charm
New Nostalgia
Tuesday's Treasures
Bowl Full of Lemons
Eisy Morgan
Women Living Well
weekend-wrap-up-party
Comfy In the Kitchen
Nifty Thrifty Things
BNOTP
Stone Gable
Heavenly Homemakers
Time Warp Wife
Savvy Homemade
Terrific Under Ten
Wow Us Wed.
I heart naptime
http://todayscreativeblog.net/
Fantabulous Friday

Country General Store Fall Open House

 If you are anywhere in the area on Saturday, you have to come to my favorite store's fall open house. You will not be disappointed. I will be there when the door opens so come and find me and say hi. I will be the one with the big smile on my face and a bag full of goodies.

Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011   Halloween & Harvest Open House Saturday, Aug. 27th 10am-5pm It's time for our big Halloween & Harvest Open House! Fall bonus buys thoughout the store! Yummy Food ~ Fun ~ Prizes Chance to earn CGS cash! Join us for our best Open House yet!

Was There a Weekend?

I am serious. Was there a weekend? My hubby had to work all weekend and I didn't go anywhere but church. Not very exciting. I stayed home and wiped a few things down. My hands are proof. Why don't I wear gloves? I do love staying home though as you get so much more done. I did some re-arranging here and there. Nothing big. I will have to share in a day or so.

Patio Decorating

Every evening we are home, I head out back with the littlest one for a Popsicle or some ice cream. Our patio is like another room in our house as I spend so much time out there.

Just like indoors, I start dragging things around and rearranging. Just basic puttering.

My other pots that were by my door faded long ago so it was so boring to look at this area. I put a little metal table, some candle holders I had in another spot and topped it off with a sweet little angel.

I like to light candles out here in the evenings. So I always have a few sitting around the patio.

 A little ivy plant down on the base of the table adds some greenery.

Linking to:
Dittle Dattle
Met Monday
Mod Mix Monday
Coastal Charm
Tabletop Tuesday
Bowl Full of Lemons
Cottage Flora Thurs.

Fall Lovelies

Perusing the internet for fall inspiration. Love the vignette below.

                                                                          source

Aren't these just made of the best of the fall colors?

What is more perfect them a basket of pumpkins for fall. I just love pumpkins.

               

Isn't this the most perfect fall porch? Those urns are stunning.

source

Just wanted to share the fall lovelies I found. Almost here. Except here in SoCal it can stay pretty warm for a while so I will live vicariously through all of your upcoming posts.