A Wee Bit of Irish!!

We're Seeing Green in our House!
I've seen so many of you out there in blogland are already decorating for Easter. I wish. With about 6 more weeks of winter left for us Michiganders I just couldn't go from Valentine's decor to spring Easter decor. We have to have something in between.

So, out comes my St. Patrick's Day decor. Are we Irish? Well, maybe a "Wee Little Bit." My dad's mom was English and Irish. But, are we all not a Wee Bit of Irish for St. Patrick's Day anyways? I only wish I could prove that we are also a "Wee Bit of Native American" too so our kids could get free college. My other grandmother's great grandfather was an Indian Chief. That's all I know. Everyone is now deceased so I'm stuck with paying for college. . . like everyone else :) I guess if you can prove that you are 10% Native American the tuition is free. I don't think by the time it filtered down to my kids it would be 10% anyways.

I found the above (some type of liquor) decanter at a garage sale this summer for $2. It was from an Irish lady. It has all kinds of Irish symbols on it. I thought it was kind of neat. Not too neat though when I went to place it under my cloche, put the cloche back on top of it and it promptly broke my cloche top (yeah, the decanter was too tall ~ I didn't think to check before ~ CLUNK~~!!).

The first photo has our fireplace, with green lights, St. Patty's garland and my St. Patty's little Fairy. Isn't she cute? I found her at T.J. Maxx last year.

Here's what it looks like lit up with my green after Christmas sale lights on, which I wrapped in St. Patty's green transparent ribbon.

I also had an extra sting of green lights so I added it to the large vase by my lamp table. Yes, the one by the remaining "cloche!"

Blessings (& Irish blessings too). . . until next time,

Back from Florida Nightmare/Vacation!!

Oh Boy, Where Do I Start?????

Well, we were initially delayed in Detroit on Valentine’s Day prior to take off for our nightmare vacation. I called my dad from the plane to let him know we were delayed and perhaps he would like to leave to pick us up an hour or so later than he planned. I found him home, sick, very sick. He had already sent my mom and her friend to pick us up from the airport. That should have been my first clue to get off the plane!

We arrived in Florida, drove to mom and dad’s place to find my dad sick, very sick. Both ends sick, um, yeah. Mom doesn’t drive, much. But she tells me how to drive. Always. So I had to drive her to Wal-Mart to get some things for my dad. Like Vernors and Pepto-Bismol. Sunday Dad still wasn’t feeling too well to do anything.

Sunday night it just kept getting better. . . I woke to hear someone sick in the bathroom. Thinking it was my dad; I got up and asked if he was alright. It was my mom. She wasn’t alright. . . now I’ll speed this up. She got sick and sicker, we had to drag her (unwillingly) to the hospital on Monday morning, NO ONE at the Emergency Room desk to greet us. Can you believe this? I called her Doctor. Took her to her office. Doctor admitted her to a different hospital. Thank God!! Mom was in the hospital for 4 days. They gave her the wrong IV. They gave her an IV for a Diabetic. My mom is not a diabetic. Her blood sugar is 93 and it was up to 178!!!

Wednesday, our youngest daughter who accompanied me on this nightmare vacation got sick. Wednesday night, I went to take a shower, got sick and passed out; hit my head and who knows what else. Um yeah. Dad panicked called 911. I, in no way, was going to any hospital in Florida!!! No way, no how. The ambulance, fire truck and various technicians showed up. No thanks. I sent them on their way to find another victim. Of course, this gave the senior community some entertainment and we had approximately 500 in the streets wondering what was going on. Dad and I were up all night caring for my youngest. I did laundry all . . . night. . . . long. . . on and off. . . um yeah!! I cleaned up after dad, mom, our youngest and myself. Um yeah!!

Friday, after mom was released, we headed home. Praise the Lord!!!

I’m kidding folks. I do Praise the Lord! I’m very thankful He willed this to happen as it did. I was certainly needed in Florida to help my parents. My mom needed me to help with dad and dad needed me to help with mom. My mom is stubborn and it really did take two of us to get her to go to the hospital. She was dehydrating FAST and the elderly can die quickly from the flu if not treated. My youngest and I got our turn too so we won’t, hopefully, pass this on to my hubby and our oldest daughter back in Michigan. I also had a wonderful opportunity to talk individually, and then together, with my parents about the necessity of them learning how to do things independently. Like my mom can drive and she needs to do it a little more often. My dad needs to learn how to operate the washing machine. . . so if something happens to my mom he can have um like. . . clean underwear! You know that kind of talk, those kinds of things. They were receptive. They understood the necessity. The child becoming the parent. . . the parent becoming the child.

. . . and as bad of shape that Michigan may be in right now I LOVE IT AND AM SO GLAD TO BE HOME. It gets cold here. Cold to kill the germs and viruses. Not like Florida where it’s warm and humid and they just multiply and multiply. It’s cold and sunny and beautiful here today and I thank God He’s placed me right where I am. Thank you Jesus for taking care of all the tiny details last week for us and thank you for bringing us home safe, healthy and happy.

Sorry, I have no wonderful vacation pictures to share. I didn’t take a one. I also instructed our youngest daughter in the 9th grade, that if in English class she has to write a paper on what she did on her Winter Vacation. . . to make something up. I don’t think anyone would believe her LOL.

Blessings. . . until next time,

Another "Thing" to Love!

I just may NEVER get out of the shower again!

Look what my hubby installed in our master bathroom!! Our other shower head was starting to leak. . . ever. . . so. . . slightly. This baby ROCKS! It can be adjusted to have the water flow out of one head or both. Both heads are adjustable and can be positioned up or down wherever you want on the shower bar. Then, they also tilt. One of the heads is a hand held removable jobby which comes in handy when I clean the shower. Having the water flow out of both heads at the same time suits me perfectly! There is also a mirror attached so hubs can shave while showering!

I'm in HEAVEN!!

I'm also leaving. . . on a jet. . . plane. . . don't know when I'll be ****Oh, never mind. I'm leaving Saturday morning for Florida with our youngest daughter. I won't. . . be back again***until the following Saturday. . . SO I'M TAKING A BLOGGING BREAK. Mom and Dad don't have Internet connection (I know, I know, how do they survive?) But on top of that. . . they don't even have a computer (gasp). Our youngest will be going through some computer withdrawal symptoms, that's a given. I told her to bring books. Lots and lots of books. You should have seen the look I got from her.

Until we meet again. . . .

Blessings. . . until next time,

I'M IN LOVE!!

I'm sure you thought you would be seeing a picture of my husband, or my children. But "No!!" They don't help me :), but she does!

Instead here's a picture of my newest love. . . HAZEL!! Hazel actually helps me clean by vacuuming up messes! It's my iRobot Roomba. I know I'm very much dating myself, but somewhere wwwwaaaayyyyy back in my childhood memories there was a sitcom named Hazel. She was the maid. So, I thought it was appropriate to name my iRobot "Hazel."

She's wonderful. She's a robot and I programmed her to clean the floor every day at 9:00 AM. She vacuums carpet, tile and hardwood floors. I mean is this a miracle, or what? One day she does the Kitchen, Laundry Room and Powder Room. The next day she moves into the Great Room, Dining Room, Den and Master Bedroom.

Now, if I could just teach her to fetch my slippers. . . I'd have it maid, ur I mean made :)

Blessings. . . until next time,

NEEDING SOME FLORIDA SUNSHINE!!

I need the sunshine of Florida NOW!!

Do any of you remember that TV commercial from years ago. . . a little boy sitting at the kitchen table, snow visible out the window and telling his parents. . . "I need it bad!!" Remember? The commercial was for Florida. I think the kid must have been in Michigan! It's been a long. . .cold. . . and snowy winter here.

Well, I'm flying out on Saturday, the 14th, Valentine's Day, for Florida with our youngest daughter!! We're off to visit my parents for an entire week. Up here in the north some school districts have what we call "winter break." I think it's so we can visit someplace warm. I heard Florida had a cold streak last week, but my mom called me this morning (anxious for our visit) and to tell me it's warming up!

My hubby and I are planning on celebrating Valentine's Day on Friday the 13th (did you know that this Friday is Friday the 13th for those of you who worry about such stuff LOL). His gift to me is Florida!! Yeah!! He'll be working while I'm in Florida and our oldest is in college so it's just our youngest this trip with me.

We'll have some nice mother, daughter, granddaughter bonding time. And THAW!!!

Blessings. . . until next time,

CARDINAL LOVE!!

For the BIRDS!!


Don't you just adore this cute, little chubby pair of cardinals? They make me smile each and every time I pass by them! They are sitting here and patiently waiting for Spring. Well, here in Michigan they'll have a long wait. February and March are sure to bring snow. . . hopefully, by April we'll have at least the start of Spring.

So. . . until then, I just keep plugging along with my home projects. I really don't mind winter much at all. I get so much done in this "down time" as I call it. Cleaning out the closets, basement, under bathroom cabinets, purge, straighten, donate and organize. Baking, cooking and trying new recipes. That's my role right now.

What about you? What do you do to make it through the long winter months? That is if you live in a state with long winter months :)

Blessings. . . until next time,

A Little More Valentine's Decor "Tweeking"

I just can't help myself!!

I found these adorable puffed heart Valentine's ornaments at Michael's and just had to have them.

I added them between my angel wings. . .

Over my white rose hearts. . .

And to this adorable little cherub vase.

Yes, I do believe Cherub has gone and bitten me right in the behind :)

Blessings. . . until next time,

Adding a Monogram to a Plate/Platter

It's so simple!! (But first, what about those Steelers???? Yeah!!!)

Monograms are so "IN" right now. Monogram towels, pillowcases, blankets, purses, diaper bags, coffee mugs ~ you name it, it's monogrammed!

Here's my "cheap" way to monogram a display plate. I went to T.J. Maxx and found this wonderful white small platter for $7.99. I could have probably purchased one cheaper at a thrift store, but I really like the border on this plate.

I purchased some enamel glass and ceramic paint from Michael's with my 50% off coupon (Michael's gives you a 50% off coupon at the register now with each purchase. The coupon is valid for the following week. Must be Michael's way to get us into the store to purchase more items. Well, it works for me ;) ~ I'm there every week! I then found a lovely monogram font in Word that I wanted to use. I played around with the font and finally settled on a 250 font size. I printed it out, found two paint brushes in my stash and a piece of carbon paper. All I did was center my monogram on the plate, place the carbon paper underneath it and traced around the outside of the letter. I then carefully filled in the "M" with paint. I followed the directions on the paint label. . . let air dry for 1 hour, then place in a cold oven, turn oven to 350 degrees, let "bake" for one hour, turn off oven and leave the piece in the oven to cool down.

I'm telling ya folks. . . it was that easy!! Give it a try!

Blessings. . .until next time,