Beth's Blog ..... musings of my everyday life

Ohio Love

2012-01-28T12:43:00.002-05:00

wiww by bethcp14 featuring hand knit hats

I want this Ohio shirt for my upcoming birthday *hint* and I decided to come up with a fun out fit to go with it.

I love netflix

2012-01-27T15:59:00.002-05:00

yes, it is true, I really love netflix.

My oldest son Van has watched every episode of Lost Tapes and Monster Quest but I have been watching a bunch of series too.

For starters, my husband and I recently finished all four seasons of Mad Men and I cannot wait till season 5 starts.

I also started watching The Walking Dead and I got to catch up on season one that I missed.

via

I just finished watching season one and two of The Vampire Diaries. I got caught up on season 3 and I am now anxiously awaiting the new episode next Thurs.

( I am particularly obsessed with this one.)

I have also started watching the first season of Being Human.

Hunger Games

2012-01-17T12:48:00.001-05:00

well, I never thought that it sounded very interesting, but I finally gave in and decided to see what Hunger Games is all about. I started reading the book on Sunday and finished it Monday morning at 7am. Yep, I stayed up all night. It was a great book and I can't wait to read the next too.

Have you read Hunger Games? Are you ready to see the movies?

Loft sweaters

2012-01-17T12:33:00.001-05:00

I love these three outfits that Loft posted to facebook.

Three lovely sweaters. I love Navy blue. so pretty.

I am starting to dream of Spring, but I cannot give up winter clothes love yet.

What does your handbag say?

2012-01-15T11:34:00.001-05:00

What does your hand bag say about you?

I just took this quiz here

here is what the quiz says about me:

You are concerned with how you appear. Projecting your high status is important to you.

You tend to be relaxed throughout the day. You are naturally at peace.

You are a high maintenance person. You feel lost outside of your normal environment.

You are open and comfortable with who you are. You don't hide anything.

You are a very creative person. Your life tends to be a whirlwind, but you always seem to pull it together.

You are an outgoing and expressive person. You always speak your mind, and you're very approachable.

You are a very unique and special person. There's no one else who is anything like you.

What's warm and cozy?

2012-01-15T11:02:00.000-05:00

Hot chocolate with gingerbread men marshmallows.

perfect for this frigid day.

Game of Thrones

2012-01-12T13:25:00.001-05:00

I am reading this book.

via

I love it!

of course I am watching the HBO series too.

I cannot wait till season two starts. I just watched the trailer today.

I am also excited that Natalie Dormer joins the cast for the second season. I loved her in the Tudors!

via

Are watching Game Of Thrones?

Have you read the book series?

digging for dinos

2012-01-11T12:18:00.001-05:00

Van received this science kit for Christmas.

Last night he pulled the dinosaur kit out. There was a dinosaur in a dirt block and they gave him the tools to dig the dinosaur out and put back together.

He loved it.

Petey helped too.

and they are done

Great job boys!!!!

Van wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up .... that or he wants to be the one that discovers bigfoot..... :)

Octopus Love

2012-01-10T14:29:00.001-05:00

I found this cute little Octopus clutch bag on etsy the other day

found here

and this cute necklace

found here

wouldn't these be great to wear to the beach this summer???

a new year

2012-01-09T11:11:00.001-05:00

via

Hello everyone. I hope the new year is finding you well. I feel like the new year is starting off right. I don't like to make resolutions because we often make them unattainable and too abstract. The goals that we list for ourselves are usually too long to commit to all at once.

However, I do love the new year. I love to start fresh, wipe the slate clean. It is never to late to be who you want to be. If you want to make a change, the best way to start off the new year is with a lifestyle change.

Well, I haven't made a life style change yet, but I did take winter quarter off of school. I realized that I have been going strong for seven quarters now without a break. I have this drive to finish, finish, finish.

However, I felt that I needed to devote more to to my family right now, more time with my kids. They are only little once and this time seems to be flying by right now. I think I need to devote a little bit more time to myself as well.

I maybe ready to go back before spring quarter starts, but I think that this is a much needed break.

I also intend to start posting on here more, again. If you look back through the years, some years I post a lot and others I don't. Last year was not a big year of bloging for me. Every time I think its time to shut the blog down, I look back through the years and I just don't have the heart to do it. It is like a journal of all the things I love. So look forward to more posts this year as well. I also tend on updating Ollie's blog more.

NYE '11

2012-01-06T19:40:00.001-05:00

We enjoying spending New Years Eve at home with our family and this year was no different.

We ate pork and sauerkraut at midnight.

Tatum and I picked out some cute party hats and we watched Coldplay live on Austin City Limits.

Here are a few pictures I snapped of the kids that night:

Hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year.

heart of life

2012-01-06T11:01:00.000-05:00

I heard this song in the car this morning while I was taking the boys to school. What a great song!

her new bag

2011-12-28T19:45:00.005-05:00

Tatum heading off today with her new Hello Kitty purse.

Christmas morning

2011-12-28T19:42:00.001-05:00

well, the kids had us up at 7:30 on Christmas morning.

Van set up his video camera to catch Santa, however when he woke up in the morning his camera was off and he found this letter:

I am just going to post some pictures from the morning ...

Tatum got Josh a Steelers football, he likes the Browns ... their rival!

Van reading his letter from Santa.

Santa came

2011-12-28T18:54:00.003-05:00

our tree after Santa came.

Tatum's presents.

she loves horses.

Ollie's presents.

Ollie loves giraffes.

Petey's presents.

he loves snakes.

Van's presents.

he loves dinosaurs.

Daddy's presents and stocking, he loves the Reds :)

we put the stocking with the presents because they get too heavy to hang on the hook.

our tree

2011-12-28T18:41:00.002-05:00

Christmas is over and everyone is thinking about New Years, but I wanted to share our tree.

here is our tree Christmas before Santa stopped by.

and here are a couple of my favorite ornaments...

diet coke, we have a coke one too.

a gift from Petey last year

I got one too.

my ornament that we got in Virginia and one Ollie made last year in kindergarten.

Tatum's hello kitty, of course

Petey's Vader, of course

Ohio state

star fish from Virginia

Van's ornament from 2nd grade

Petey's ornament from 2nd grade

I could show you lots more, but I will save you.

suprise ...

2011-12-19T10:42:00.000-05:00

I am here. I didn't mean to take a little break, it just happened that way. I have taken a few of these this year. Don't worry, I have not abandoned my blog. There has been lots of things happening lately and I think my blog has become a little stale. I started out blogging about my kids and keeping family up to date with what was happening here. The blog has morphed a little from time to time since I started in 2007 ( fashion, home furnishings, crafts and organizing). Well, I don't think I am officially back yet, I probally will not be back till the first of 2012. The blog will have a fresh outlook for the new year! I really just wanted to tell everyone Happy Holidays! I hope that you get everything under the tree that you are wishing for.

via

If you miss me, I will be on Tumblr, and Pinterest.

o'Christmas tree

2011-12-07T12:05:00.001-05:00

Daddy, Van, and Petey choose our Christmas tree last night. In the end it was Petey's choice and he choose the fattest tree he could find.

believe me it is fat, the picture does not do it justice.

It is now decorated and I will share pictures soon. It took to trips to the store late last night to get the tree lit.

In a little while, we are off to play Santa. I hope everyone is having a happy Wednesday.

Holiday Wreath

2011-12-05T13:36:00.001-05:00

I made a Christmas wreath this weekend.

I made it the same way I made this one and his one.

I added a ribbon to make it a little more festive and I think that these are my best flowers to date.

little white tree

2011-11-30T14:02:00.001-05:00

yesterday Tatum and I put up a little white Christmas tree in our bay window.

we haven't put up our tree or decorated yet, but there are pictures to come when we do.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T17:26:00.001-05:00

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and get to eat one of these!

photos via

bloggie bash

2011-11-23T17:03:00.001-05:00

Laura Winslow photography is hosting a 10,000 Holiday bloggie bash.

stop by and check it out.

Angela's new do'

2011-11-16T13:10:00.001-05:00

Any of you watch Boardwalk Empire on HBO?

I love Angela's new haircut.

I love the cute little bob.

I think it is inspiring me to cut my hair off too.

here is her hair before the new do'

What I Wore Wednsday

2011-11-16T12:57:00.001-05:00

I love this gorgeous navy blue shift dress. Going out on a hot date?

I even complimented it with a pleated poppy wristlet.

wiww by bethcp14 featuring gray shoes

A little sad

2011-11-10T13:23:00.001-05:00

I have been a little sad this week. It started last weekend when a high school classmate of mine passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. She was only thirty seven years old.

Even my television shows this week have made me melancholy. ( you are sad when Sons of Anarchy and American Horror Story make you feel sad, haha)

So, I decided to share something that makes me happy.

My family always makes me happy but I wanted to tell you about the squirrel that lives in the tree in our front yard.

He had two nests in our tree, but a storm earlier this summer blew one away.

We have two dogs and an indoor/outdoor cat and our squirrel is not afraid of any of them. In fact, he teases them all. I guess he knows that he is faster and they are never going to catch him.

The other night I was raking up the leaves in our front yard and he started barking at me. He even climbed down the tree just out of reach from me and barked. I do not know what he was trying to tell me, but he was clearly trying to tell me something.

It feels like he is apart of this crazy zoo of ours and just watching him scurry around the yard brings a smile to my face. All of this is just a really long way of saying that sometimes its the small things that matter the most and that is what gets us through our day.

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-11-10T13:10:00.001-05:00

today's prompt is dinning room

I found a couple of dinning rooms on pinterest I would like to share.

I love the shelves and sea grass chairs.

via

I love the colors in this one.

via

I love the rustic table in this one.

via

I love the windows here.

via

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-11-09T12:50:00.002-05:00

I have been feeling the anthro vibe lately.

This would be a perfect outfit to wear to Thanksgiving dinner.

Petey turns 9

2011-11-07T12:11:00.002-05:00

Sunday was Petey's birthday party.

( he actually doesn't turn 9 till Tue.)

here is his cake:

24 cupcakes in the shape of a 9

I dropped off a $3 bag of army men and asked what they could do with them....

It is better then I could have asked for!!!!

Petey loved it and his was so surprised!!!!!!!

Petey had a happy party and he got everything he asked for.

Happy (early) Birthday my little Petey bear!

Rainbow tights

2011-11-03T17:46:00.001-05:00

Tatum wore her new rainbow hello kitty tights today and she was very proud!

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-11-03T06:57:00.000-05:00

Today's prompt is flowers.

I love flowers!

I love flowers in my home.

I love when Josh shows up and surprises me with flowers.

I have also spread my love of flowers to my little girl.

I love colorful flowers.

I love gorgeous displays of flowers.

I love flowers in mason jars.

I love roses in all colors.

I love flowers in terra cotta too.

I love these colors.

images here

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-11-02T09:20:00.001-05:00

Today's inspiration is Navy and Lime.

and one of my favorites!

Trick or Treat

2011-11-01T12:40:00.001-05:00

Last night was trick or treat.

Here is the gang before we left.

Josh took Tatum and Ollie home about an hour into it.

Van and Petey kept going.

Miss Tatum

Ollie through his glasses in the leaves before we left....never t be seen again.

Petey and his whip

my two hard core trick or treaters!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T12:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween! Which Goodies do you think that you are going to get tonight?

I hope that the sun stays out and it doesn't get too cold till the kids are done trick or treating tonight!

I am hoping one of them brings home a twix for me!

Ollie's Fall plays

2011-10-29T21:49:00.002-05:00

Stop by Loving Ollie and read about the plays that Ollie and his first grade class put on Friday.

Follower Fest!

2011-10-28T20:11:00.002-05:00

Hello! I am joining in on Follower Fest. If you are new to my blog, WELCOME.

I am a mother of four beautiful children and the wife of an American History high school teacher and football coach. I am also a part time Humanities student.

I have linked just the posts about Fall, but have fun and look around!

Target Style Halloween Costumes

2011-10-27T11:34:00.000-05:00

Yep, two posts today. Do you like to shop at Target? I do.

On the Target Style Facebook page I found these three great ideas for Halloween ideas.

Here is my favorite one, the 80's

I love the 80's, mostly because I spent most of my childhood in them.

Here is the 90's grunge one. I love this one too, probably because my high school years and early 20's was spent in this time.

and here is the 70's, which is also very cute.

which one is your favorite?

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-10-27T11:24:00.001-05:00

Today's inspiration is favorite recipe.

I know that I have posted this before, but it is my favorite and it is perfect for this cold rainy day in Ohio.

Baked Potato Soup

~3 cans of cream of potato
~3 cans of cheddar soup (Campbell's makes it)
~1 cup of sour cream
~6 baked potatoes cut up in to bite size pieces
~bacon bits
~scallions

~ shredded Cheddar Cheese

Mix soups, sour cream, and potatoes and cook in crock pot until heated through (maybe 2 hours). Top with bacon, shredded cheese, and scallions and serve.

Tip: fork stab the potatoes and wrap in foil. Cook in crock pot over night and they will be ready to use for the soup in the morning. (You can also do that during the day for baked potatoes for dinner). You could also boil them on the stove. Also, I found it way too thick so I thinned it out with milk.

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-10-26T12:24:00.000-05:00

This is a perfect Fall Day outfit. I love the color block sweater, it was my inspiration. Instead of Starbucks, I added Diet Coke because that is more my taste. I also had to throw in a little cheetah print, if nothing else, just for Tatum because she loves it so much!

Go Buccs!!!

2011-10-24T18:01:00.001-05:00

Sunday was Petey's last football game of the season.

They won 4-2

next Sunday is playoffs, GO Petey!!!!!

Cub Scouts Halloween Party

2011-10-24T17:55:00.000-05:00

here is Petey (Indiana Jones) and Van (Boba Fett)

Van and Petey had a Cub Scouts Halloween Party last Thursday.

brothers and sisters were allowed to attend too.

Ollie came as sponge bob (again)

and Tatum went as Rapunzel

Van had a blast dancing on the dance floor.

and they all had a good night!

bye bye!

rainy days

2011-10-22T15:53:00.004-05:00

Remember the other day, that I said that I needed a pair of duck boots?

Well, here are a couple of pictures I took on the hike that day.

I love rainy Fall days, it makes the leaves look so pretty.

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-10-20T12:30:00.000-05:00

Today's prompt is accessories.

Here are some accessories that I have had my eye on:

The Gina cuff from Gussied.

and the Mira cuff.

the Winfrey necklace from the Lovely Poppy

one of these Victorian Rose necklaces from Little Miss Momma

and this Burlap Tote Bag

What do you have your eye on?

What I Wore Wedensday

2011-10-19T10:46:00.001-05:00

Navy Blue is my favorite color and navy and pink is my favorite color combo.
so today I thought I would share my favorite pairing!

hiking shoes

2011-10-18T11:19:00.000-05:00

I walk three miles every weekday morning on a paved bike path, however there is an unpaved trail through the woods there too that is fun to walk.

This morning, with the ground and leaves wet, I realized that I need a pair of duck shoes.

so here is what I found:

These are from LL Bean.

They come in brown and black too.

I also found these cute wellies, also from LL Bean.

They come in hunter green too.

They also have these cute boot warmers.

and even though these are not hiking shoes, I had to show you because they are stinkin' cute!

hand me downs

2011-10-17T11:21:00.002-05:00

Last week I went through the boys closest and purged a lot of clothes that they have out grown.

Tatum, being the nosy sister that she is, helped.

She found a shirt that Petey loved so much that he kept hiding so I wouldn't get rid of it, but it is too small for him.

His beloved Star Wars shirt.

It was his first SW shirt.

here he is wearing it on his first day of kindergarten

and here is Tatum after she claimed it as her own

she thinks she is cool stuff!!

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-10-13T11:59:00.000-05:00

Today's prompt is RED.

I love the color red.

It is a great pop of color to add to almost anything.

It is so happy and fun.

I found all of thee great things from Pinterest.

top five Halloween movies

2011-10-12T17:56:00.002-05:00

I love this time of year.

There are certain movies that I love to watch every year at this time.

Here are my favorite Halloween movies:

I love Sleepy Hollow.

Have you ever seen an outside theater production of it? AWESOME

especially in the cold night with some hot chocolate.

One of my favorites since I was a little girl.

I always wanted to dress like Jill ( Lack & Jill) because of this movie!

Louie, Louie, Louie

another childhood favorite

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-10-12T17:33:00.001-05:00

Hello, welcome to What I wore Wednesday.

Today is all about Halloween.

Do you like to dress up for Halloween?

I do.

This year, I do not know if I am going to get to dress up or not, but here are a few ideas that I have.

( I personally do not like the super sexy costumes ... you know which ones I mean, especially since I have seen the same versions in teen and girl.)

I really love the little red ridding hood costume.

What are you going to be for Halloween this year?

Petey's Sunday

2011-10-10T12:05:00.003-05:00

Sunday, Petey had a really great time at Flag Football.

He carried the ball twice and he pulled a flag.

He was really excited when the game was over and he looked like he had a lot of fun during the game.

Yeah Petey!!!!

here is Petey and I after the game

I am so proud of you Petey Bear!

living room inspiration

2011-10-07T12:06:00.001-05:00

I found this living room on tumblr yesterday here.

I love this room. I love the wall paper, the furniture, everything!

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-10-06T13:37:00.003-05:00

Today's prompt is Fall.

so, I decided that I would post a recipe for Buckeyes ( I know I have posted it before) but it is great for Fall .... especially for those Ohio State Buckeyes!
These are yummy especially if you love chocolate and peanut butter like I do!

Buckeyes

1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup of butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups confectioners sugar
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl mix together peanut butter, butter, vanilla and confectioners sugar.
Roll into 1 inch balls.
Place balls on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.

Place a tooth pick on the top of each ball.
Chill in the freezer until firm.
Usually around 30 min.

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of barley simmering water.
Stir until smooth.

Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate ( holding onto the tooth pick).
leave a small portion of the peanut butter at the top so the look like buckeyes.
Refrigerate until serving.

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-10-05T14:56:00.001-05:00

Hello, welcome to What I Wore Wednesday again.

This week I was thinking about what to wear on Saturday afternoons to my Classics class this Fall.

I really love that sweater, so cozy!

I really love the carry and go for my phone and cash too.

Who needs to take a whole purse to class, especially with a bag for books.

I seem to have a purple theme for Fall and Winter clothes.

I am really enjoying this classics class, the Renaissance and the Middle Ages.

We are reading a lot of great literature.

DownEast cuties!

2011-10-03T11:25:00.002-05:00

Have you seen Down East Basics Fall line?

There are a couple of things that I really have my eye on.

I love this Stunning Sight Dress.

and this inner city skirt

and It's a Date Cardi!

so cute

flower pillows

2011-09-30T13:27:00.000-05:00

confession ..... I LOVE flower pillows!

they look so soft and feminine.

Here I found some styles and colors that I love...

I think that pink target pillow is my favorite.... but I love them all!

which one is your favorite?

do you like flower pillows?

I also a have little surprise coming next week involving a flower pillow...

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-09-29T10:01:00.000-05:00

Today's prompt is DIY. I am going to cheat a bit because I am going to post the two Fall wreaths that I made for the door, and I have already posted them here and here.

Here they are again.

After searching Fall wreaths on etsy ( they are all gorgeous and I got so many ideas) , I decided that I could make one of my own.

here is what I made:

Fall nail polish

2011-09-28T17:19:00.001-05:00

Have you been looking for a new nail polish for Fall?

The other day I was thinking that I needed a new color. I clicked on Essie's site and I saw their new Fall collection. I love every new color!

I guess if I had to pick a favorite it would be power clutch or lady like but I really like very structured too, it feels very Fall-like.

Have you tried any of the new Fall colors? Which ones do you like?

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-09-28T09:58:00.002-05:00

Hello, it's that time of the week again.

This week, I have two very different looks.

The first, I was thinking about the Ocean in the Fall. When we lived in Virginia, we lived close to the Chesapeake Bay, and it seemed that Fall lasted twice as long, which was great for me because that is my favorite time of year.

Therefore the first look has sort of a nautical look.

For the second look, I was inspired by the camp shirt.

I used the Old Navy camp shirt and created two different looks.
They feel very early Fall.

I have my eye on this!

2011-09-27T12:10:00.001-05:00

The Vera Bradley Laptop backpack in Floral Nightingale.

I need something new to carry my laptop and books to school and I think that I have found the perfect thing.

pictures from the parade

2011-09-27T12:04:00.003-05:00

As promised, here are a couple of pictures from the Mum Festival Parade.

These pictures my father took.

there is Petey in the back.

there is Van in the back of the truck bed.

What do you think, are parades still fun?

Mum Festival Parade

2011-09-26T13:42:00.003-05:00

Van and Petey got to ride in the Mum Festival Parade this past Saturday in this wagon ...

They had a lot of fun. They got to see many people they knew.

Van really enjoyed waving to everyone.

here Petey was waving at me.

sorry the picture is so bad, it was taken with my phone.

I'll share some more photos from the parade later.

Petey also had a flag football game this weekend.

here are a couple of pictures that I took the week before.

Petey seems to be having fun!

Van and Petey also got to sell some popcorn at the Mum Festival Sunday evening for the Boy Scouts.

We had a busy weekend!

Yarn Wreath

2011-09-23T13:11:00.002-05:00

I made a yarn wreath yesterday to hang on my front door.

I would share a how to but all I did was wrap yarn around a straw wreath, with the plastic still on. Then I made flowers like I did for the one here. Glued them on and hung it up.

Happy Fall, its my favorite time of year!

HELP!

2011-09-22T22:14:00.001-05:00

Does anyone know how to make this rug???

I love it!

I cannot find any how to's or anything on it.

Please if anyone knows anything, let me know.

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-09-22T16:32:00.006-05:00

The prompt this week is family room.

We just remodeled our family room but it still needs some finishing touches so I am not ready to show everyone yet, but I will soon.

Therefore, I went to Country Living and found some pictures of some family rooms that I like.

I love the colors in this room. Blue is my favorite color, but I really love warm colors in the family room. It just feels cozy that way.

I love the couches in this one, they are similar to the ones in our family room.

I love the rug and throw blanket in this one.

I love the colors and the furniture in this one.

What colors do you like in family room?

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-09-21T19:59:00.002-05:00

Today, for What I Wore Wednesday, I choose outfits inspired by Vera Bradley.

I Love Vera Bradley and I would have many, many bags if I could.

Fall Wreath

2011-09-20T11:36:00.001-05:00

I made this Fall wreath last week.

I love all these felt flower wreaths that I have seen all over online.

I found so many pretty ones etsy, but they were anywhere from 27 to 40 dollars.

I decided to try to make one of my own and it was really easy and I love the way it turned out.

The wreath was $4 and the felt was $2 the ribbon was $2.

I looked up how to's online and ended up doing a combo of a couple different ones.

first, I drew a circle in the felt.

Then I cut the circle out. Make sure that you cut in wavy lines so the flower petals are different lengths.

Cut the circle in a long spiral, keeping it wavy, so that you end up with a long line.

leave the little oval at the end to use as the bottom of the flower.

Then, you just roll the felt up.

you want to start the center out tight so that the flower stays, but you can roll it up tight to make it smaller or you can roll it up looser to make the flower look fuller.

This was the first flower I made, it is easy!

I made 12 flowers in different sizes. ( the size of you circle changes the size too.)

and once again, here it is finished.

I love it!

next, I am going to try a yarn wreath.

Today, I linked up with ...

Stadium Stompers

2011-09-18T18:00:00.000-05:00

Oh my gosh, have you seen these?????

These boots are so cute!

and, you guessed it ... they have buckeye colors!

and other cute things as well ...

lunch boxes

bottle cozies and more ....

flag football

2011-09-17T23:58:00.001-05:00

Petey started flag football. His first practice was Friday and his first game is Sunday.

Petey had a fun time at practice Friday night.

Lets Go Petey!!!!!!!!

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-09-15T10:03:00.002-05:00

Today's prompt is favorite store.

My favorite store is in my little town on main street.

Urban Ava.

Urban Ava carries Vera Bradley, a mix of beautiful clothing, locally made jewelry and lots of cute accessories and more.

My daughter and I love going in there. We could spend all day there.

all photos from Urban Ava's facebook page.

Do you have a little hidden gem of a store like this that you love to go to?

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-09-14T11:44:00.004-05:00

Fall is almost here, my favorite time of year!

One thing that you can do in the Fall is go apple picking, visit your favorite farm.

via

I love apples. They are so good to eat and you can bake some really great things with them.

I love their colors, they fit right in with the rest of the Fall colors.

via

Here is a great outfit that you could wear apple picking on a beautiful Fall Saturday afternoon...

Here is a farm near us: Brumbaugh Fruit farm

via Brumbaugh Fruit Farm

One of my kids has gotten to go on a field trip there at least once a school year. I have not been there yet, but every year we say we are going to go, may this ill be the year!

via Brumbaugh Fruit Farm

Do you have a favorite farm that you like to go to?

wild about cheetah

2011-09-14T09:47:00.001-05:00

Lilly Pulitzer has some cute cheetah print items that I am wild about!

I love this Vivi top!

and the Adalie wrap dress too!

and this cute little Sadie dress.

are you wild about the animal prints this Fall?

Stella and Dot giveaway

2011-09-12T15:42:00.003-05:00

Fabulous K is hosting a Stella and Dot giveaway!

Check it out, Kelly is choosing a winner Friday!

2011-09-02T20:36:00.001-05:00

I saw this on Tumblr today. I thought it looked so yummy.

It is perfect for Fall.

Even though it was very hot today ... Fall is around the corner!

Crock Pot Baked Apples. Perfect fall tailgating treat!

Ingredients
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 Gala or Macintosh apples, cored
1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 tablespoons orange liquor (optional)
Directions
Preheat a large crock-pot on high heat and preset it for 3 hours. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts, margarine, and cinnamon. Fill the apples with the filling and place them in the crock-pot. Pour in the apple juice or cider and the liquor, if using. Cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high heat until the apples are soft and begin to collapse.

doesn't it look yummy?

you can bet that I will be making some soon!

Labor Day

2011-09-02T10:56:00.001-05:00

Its September already, where has the summer gone?

but it is almost that magical time of year .... Fall.

I hope everyone has a happy Labor Day weekend.

( I think we are going to be painting our living-room!)

I am hoping to sneak in some food on the grill this weekend too, we didn't do that very much this summer.

I missed Gussy Sews inspiration yesterday ... there has been lots on my plate lately.

I'll be back on it again next week.

what I wore Wednesday

2011-08-31T11:28:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Emerson Made's new fall collection.

I loved her mostly black and white pieces. Gorgeous.

ETSY: Ohio State Buckeyes

2011-08-29T12:20:00.001-05:00

found some really cute Buckeye stuff on ETSY

found here

what do you have your eye on? I love the scarf in picture #1

back to school ...

2011-08-29T11:13:00.002-05:00

well, all my munchkins are back in school

The school year is off to a good start.

four kids+ three schools = a very busy drop off morning and pick up afternoon!

Van on the first day.

Petey on the first day.

Ollie on the first day. ( best picture the stinker would let me get.)

Tatum's first day, today.

a little sad, her best friend is going to a different school this year ... but she makes friends real easily and she will be fine.

Hoping we have a good school year.

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-08-25T10:48:00.001-05:00

Today's prompt is favorite color

via

BLUE!

via

I have always loved blue, since I was five, I have been proclaiming my love for the color.

I think it might have something to do for my love of the ocean!

my favorite shade is NAVY.

(love this dress too)

I love navy paired with hot pink!

but, I am really inspired by all colors.....

I especially like greens and purples too...

what colors inspire you???

the rest of the pictures can be found on my tumblr ... credits can be found there.

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-08-24T12:15:00.000-05:00

Today's outfit is inspired by Gussied 's Allison Cuff

picture from Gussied site.

and this outfit is inspired by Gussied's Naples Cuff

picture taken from Gussied site.

striped sweaters!

2011-08-23T14:02:00.000-05:00

I Love these two new sweaters from Old Navy!

so cute, I want them both!

I like this navy blue and white boatneck sweater too.

falling for Fall

2011-08-23T13:41:00.000-05:00

getting that Fall kinda feeling ......

been posting lots of Fall type things on my Tumblr the last week or so...

anyone else getting excited for Fall?

my kids start school tomorrow .... that usually kicks it in gear for me.

Tatum turned 5

2011-08-21T13:53:00.001-05:00

My little girl turned 5 last week.

She wanted to have her party at McDonald's and invite her friends.

Tatum had a lot of fun with her friends!

and her brothers too.

eating cake.

Happy Birthday my beautiful baby girl!

Daddy was hoping that he was turning five again too!

Boardwalk Empire

2011-08-20T19:57:00.000-05:00

Josh and I have found a new series to occupy our time..... Boardwalk Empire.

season two starts at the end of September.

We have just started watching season one.

Oh my goodness, I love it!

The women and their clothes are gorgeous.... and I wished that men dressed today like they did then!

Have any of you watched season one?

stacked

2011-08-19T09:30:00.001-05:00

I found this picture yesterday on tumblr.

everyone is stacking their arms now, and I just really love her gold stacks.

I even love her rings!

Gussy Sews Inspiration

2011-08-18T08:59:00.002-05:00

Today's prompt is front porch.

here are a couple of porches I found at Better Homes and Gardens.

I love this porch. I love all the pretty colors and the inviting rocking chair.

I love this one too. I think that I would want to sit out there all day and read a book ... or do homework. I like all the pillows, makes the space feel very comfortable.

Here are a couple of porches I found on we heart it.

this gorgeous porch goes all the way around.

I love this one.

5 things I would like to have on my front porch

a swing, a table to sit drinks on, a puffy pillow, a good book to read and my family sitting with me.

what I Wore Wednesday

2011-08-17T09:33:00.017-05:00

Today for wiww, I used inspiration from Gussy Sews products to inspire outfits, manly for Fall.

The first item is the Spring Pink wristlet.

perfect to run to pick up the kids from school, just slide the wristlet on your arm and you are out the door.

The next item for inspiration was the Tangerine Dot tote

and here is the outfit.

Nest is the Candy Stripe zippered pouch

a cute end of summer day outfit.

and lastly I choose the nook/kindle orange polka dot case...

and here is the outfit...

can't you see the kindle case slipping into the Vera Bradley bag?

Perfect for a day at the library or class.

Missoni for Target

2011-08-16T13:23:00.001-05:00

I am in Love with Missoni for Target.

Target has teamed up with Italian fashion designer Missoni and the collection will be available Sept. 13.

You can see the collection on their facebook page here.

here are some of my favorites:

I guess you can see what pattern I like.

I really want this for my bed!

I want this throw too!

what are you waiting for .... go check it out!

Gussy Sews I spiration - gardening

2011-08-11T10:30:00.002-05:00

Inspiration idea for the week: Gardening

I am not a gardener. I really don't know the first thing about gardening, but I would like to.

I love flowers and love sitting in gardens.

here are a couple of pictures that inspire me.

all photos from here

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-08-10T20:59:00.003-05:00

This wiww theme is Fall.

I am so excited, my favorite time of year is coming.

Here is a few transition outfit ideas for Fall ...

#1.

I Love the purple.

I have never really been a fan of purple till the last couple of years, my little girl loves it.

Thisshirt is cool enough durning the day for those hot Fall days, but youhave a nice warm sweater for those cool chilly nights.

#2.

I am in love.

Thisoutfit says "I want to go pumpkin hunting, drink some apple cider andgo on a hay ride. I love Fall and all its pretty colors!

#3.

I LOVE this outfit. Navy blue is my very favorite color.

It is classic and timeless.

I know I could have added pearls here, but I tried to change it up a little.

#4.

Date night in the early Fall. Perfect for a dinner at Applebee's and a movie!

#5.

...and a couple of Fall must haves. I love Burt's Bees, Twilight Woods, Vera Bradley .... well you get the point

need a little Preparation H?

2011-08-08T13:36:00.000-05:00

I knew that would get your attention.

Well, my kids, especially Ollie swell up a lot if they get a bug bite, spider, fly ect.

My mom mentioned to me that when they get fly bites in Canade ( they go fishing there) that they put Preparation h on their bites and it takes the swelling away.

Well, even though I was a little skeptial, I got some and tried it. Guess what? It works. The swelling goes doen in a relativity quick amount of time.

So I am just throwing that out there to you....

water park and more - Myrtle Beach part 4

2011-08-05T09:37:00.002-05:00

This is my 1000th post!

I wish I could say that I have something special planned or a giveaway, but alas I just realized it this morning.

ANYWAY, this is my last Myrtle Beach post.

I have to share a couple of pictures from the water park. The kids really had a lot of fun there.

The two older boys really enjoyed going down the big slides.

Josh took the older boys on the big slides and I took the younger two the the smaller area.

and to finish up the pictures, here are some at the amusement park...

Petey had more fun then Van on these, Van sprayed Petey with water a couple of times then he was bored and wanted to get out.... haha

Tatum waiting for brothers to get done so she could go do what she wants.

My kids are not big riders and Ollie won't ride at all.

So, that was a glimpse of our vacation.

We had a lot of fun!

Browns

2011-08-04T16:56:00.001-05:00

It is almost that time of year, my favorite time of year .... FALL.

What is one thing that comes in the Fall ... Football.

just ordered a Browns t shirt to start the season.

anyone else looking forward to the Fall or football?

Ripley Aquarium - Myrtle Beach part 3

2011-08-04T13:29:00.004-05:00

Our second day there, it was raining, so we headed to the Aquarium.

The kids couldn't wait.

I love this picture, more goofy faces.

all the boys loved the sharks the most.

I won't bore you with any more aquarium pictures.

of course, Tatum found the treasure!

still raining when we walked out.

Tatum and Ollie enjoying the fountain.

However, by the time we made it back to our hotel, the sun had come out.

we enjoyed some ice cream.

strawberry

chocolate

mint chocolate chip

rainbow sherbert

Then, we headed to the arcade where the kids ended up with lots of prizes ( plastic animals and dinosaurs) which made their night and Petey became really good at skee ball!

goofs!

Then, the kids ended up swimming at our hotel pool till about midnight. It was full that night too with lots of kids and they were having lots of fun!

I am also linking up with Gussy Sews today, the prompt was "a day in my life" and since we won't have a regular schedule till school starts, I thought I would link up a vacation day.

Giant Crab - Myrtle Beach part 2

2011-08-03T09:52:00.004-05:00

the troop ready to eat!

After being at the beach all day, we were really hungry. Van got to choose the place where we ate the first night.

He choose The Giant Crab. ( could it be because of the huge crab on top the building?)

The food was really yummy, and the kids were happy because they had lots of kid friendly food too!

yes, my kids like of take goofy pictures ... I think that comes from me shoving a camera in their face their entire lives!

welcome to the beach, Myrtle Beach part 1

2011-08-02T09:35:00.004-05:00

all three boys had seen the beach before, but this was Tatum's first time to the beach.

The kids had a blast!

Petey karate chopped all the waves.

Van liked to run in and run out again.

Ollie liked to sit right at the edge and let the water ash over him.

Tatum liked picking up shells and playing in the sand, however she did like to hang around the water's edge to.

stay tuned for more from Myrtle Beach...

I'm back!!!!

2011-08-01T17:19:00.001-05:00

July was very busy and it just flew by!

With school starting, August may very well be the same thing.

I will work very heard to stay up to date.

Some of the things that you have missed have included a much needed vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which I promise to share, and a wedding that Tatum and Petey were lucky enough to be the flower girl and the ring barer. Right now I would like to share the wedding.

Josh's cousin Colt was married at a beautiful garden July 22.

It was a beautiful wedding, although it may have been on the hottest day of the year!

here is my beautiful girl.

her beautiful hair was curled, but fell flat before she even got there.

and here is my handsome son, Petey

such a cutie!

They both did a wonderful job!

I am so proud of them!

vacation pictures and stories to come...

taking a little break

2011-07-18T19:30:00.002-05:00

without meaning to, I am taking a little break.

I will be back in full swing by the end of the month.

We are heading to South Carolina next week for a vacation.

I will be back soon and I will share all that we have been up too, and I'll be linking back up to all the link ups.

Hope everyone is doing well. I might try to sneak a post or two in this week, we'll see.
Oh, and I am thinking that I need a new look too ... not sure yet what I want to do ... any suggestions?

shabby apple summer sale

2011-07-09T17:18:00.003-05:00

Shabby Apple is having a summer sale for the whole month of July. Use coupon code SUMMER20 to save 20% off Site Wide! The only exclusion is Amalfi Coast Swim Wear. .

which are your favorite Shabby Apple goodies?

This is just a small list of mine...

Gussey Sews inspiration workshop- pamper yourself

2011-07-07T12:30:00.001-05:00

today's inspiration is pamper yourself.

The most effective way to relax myself has been a full body massage.

via

I have only had two, both gifts from my husband.

They were the most wonderful things ever.

I was so relaxed afterward.

My favorite part is the feet.

If you haave never had one, you should get one.

next would be a maniacure and a pedicure, I love those too.

The most common way I pamper myself is to sneak away to get my hair cut and styled.

wiww {Tatum edition}

2011-07-06T19:16:00.000-05:00

yesterday Tatum wore her new purple dress.

She loved it soo much she was dancing around looking at herself in Nanny's mirror.

Fireworks!

2011-07-06T19:12:00.000-05:00

We watched the fireworks at my old high school, Coshocton High School, Monday night.

A couple of friends walked down with Van, Petey, Tatum and I.

Ollie hung out with daddy because he doesn't like the loud noise.

We sat up on the hill with a blanket.

Petey sitting on the blanket.

Vanny on the blanket.

Petey and his sparkler.

Tatum and friend Hailey with their sparklers.

using up the last of the sparklers.