Sunday Morning feels good moment...

"Shirley Goodnest and Marcy"

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe. So she had an idea of how to handle it.
She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her. The neighbor said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed. The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. She did this for the whole week.
As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy, 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?' Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.' The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?'
'That's just Shirley Goodnest,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.' 'Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us? 'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'

May "Shirley Goodnest and Marcy" be with you today and always.
I know you smiled! I sure did!

 

7th in line to the family throne....

The World around us seems to be suffering and having such difficult times, then a little happiness enters to let us all know, "It's going to be ok"!

I'd like to introduce, my Grand-Nephew, "MM".

This little "Guy" is my sisters 7th grandchild.
7th in line to the "Khodair" family throne!

June 3, 2010

His Mom and Dad are introducing him to the world on his third day!
Little JoJo, his sister, will be dragging him along in life,, show him the ropes so to say, but then, I do believe JoJo will teach him all the loving ways of the 
Khodair-Al Hajjaj Families.

don't you just want to squeeze those little cheeks

"Much love to Mishal and Mona"

"You make pretty babies"

yummm "cup cakes'

Nothing like waking up to find yummy cup cakes in your mail box!

Jen @ Tatertots and Jello   sent me an e telling me...I won these!

Thank you to   Andrea over at "Ginger Blossoms"    

check out her sweet shop!

Thank you ladies!!

Chair find...

Did you ever drive down the street and need to slam on your brakes only to look into your rear-view mirror to see a long line of cars behind you?

Well today, early morning, I found myself doing just that!

Look what was sitting on top of a garbage pile!

Is this not the sweet'st thing you have ever seen!

The long line of cars behind me forced my car around the block to circle once more.. I had to put a bit of speed into it, "Lord don't let anyone else get it"!

Then I noticed a few motorcycle police hiding in the bushes so I had to slow it down and not look like a nut trying to get around the corner too fast!

           Well "I made it", in the drizzle rain, I jumped out of my car and put this sweet, dirty, wet chair in the back seat... I'm sure much to the humor of the other drivers!

I got her home and stood in the rain with the silly'st smile on my face!  "I got it"!!

I peeled off a few layers of peeling veneer to find really nice wood... 

Although it had no seat to speak of, I do have a scrap of plywood to cut a new one...

I'm so excited and will share the 'remake' of this sweet find with you another time.

Look at her! She needs to be my new sewing table chair, or maybe in the guest room?

Does not take much to "Make me happy"!  To be continued......

I'm linking to....


Todays Thrifty Treasures

Creeping Moss...... How To!

Have you ever seen 'Creeping Moss' growing on trees, rocks, bricks and terracotta flower pots, and wanted some,,, hard thing to buy I know... I can tell you how to make your own grow and flourish in your garden! The photo above is my big "Hickory Tree" and last year I painted it with Yogurt..... yes Yogurt!

                   
I simply bought a container of 'plain yogurt', took a paintbrush and went around my yard.. picked out choice rocks, flowerpots and a few trees... painted the yogurt on, and within the year the "Moss" was growing!

          

Moss doesn’t really put roots into the soil or surface underneath it so much as anchor itself to the soil or surface using a rudimentary structure called a rhizoid. Moss can grow on trees, rocks, soil, sand, roofs, old gym shoes, foam rubber, old rugs etc. but moss cannot grow or attach itself to a smooth surface because there is nothing to grip. Once I found Brachythecium salebrosum , a nice very thick carpeter creeping moss, growing on a smooth red clay brick in a dry stream bed. The frequent rains kept the salebrosum well hydrated and the moss hanging off the brick on the upstream side was positioned to brace itself against the rushing waters. Thinking that this moss had adhered to the brick, I lifted the brick and moss together and then carefully examining the moss found that it was not adhering or attaching to the brick at all, but instead just laying on the brick. Except when you are growing moss in containers you generally will want to use a soil or other surface that moss can grip.

The moss I grew seems to be laying on the surface of all the areas I painted the yogurt.

After 'painting' with yogurt try not to 'wash with the hose' for as long as possible,, several weeks if you can avoid it... then when watering your garden, 'do' get the yogurt spot wet.. it likes moisture and will grow very well!  Try to avoid 'sunny' spots, stick to the shady areas if you can... One of my 'Moss spots' is growing in about 4 hrs of sun a day...But remember, it likes water and often.

This was a trick my Mom taught me, many moons ago (her words not mine)...

Who knew?

"Happy Memorial Day" everyone... Fly your Flag proudly!

I'm linking to

Garden Party @ Soughern Fried Dreams 

Memorial Day....

When "Memorial Day" comes around each year, my mind always go's to my grandfather "Daddy Tom"!  The photo above is of my sister, on one of the many trips we have made to Hollywood, Florida, to visit my grandfathers grave.  "Daddy Tom" died because of a war wound he received during his many years of service as a "Chief Warrant Officer" in the U.S. Coast Guard, during WW2.
I'm proud to say the USCG has always been a huge part of my family.. My Father, Uncle, Grandfather and both my "Lt. Son" and "First Class Son-in-law" are serving careers in the USCG.

The "Memorial" in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us who are beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Often we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice:
You can observe Memorial Day by

visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.

by visiting memorials.

by flying the U.S Flag at half-staff until noon.

by flying the "POW/MIA Flag" as well.

by participating in a ""National Moment of Remembrance": at 3pm to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day.

by renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.

My thoughts go out to all who gave their lives, and to those who have and are serving our great Country. 

Family Room tables.. drab to fab!

I've had these three heavy duty tables for many years, and now that my entire design idea has turned to "White", it's time for them to make the change!
    At first I thought of 'Spray Painting", but, since I had  full gallons, of both "Primer and Cabinet Enamel" I thought better of buying new paint, as my cabinets came out beautiful and very durable. Time to  take them all out on the deck, and sand with my handy-dandy electric sander.   I want the 'Distressed' look.. so I did sand them to create 'worn' edges... after the paint, the 'worn edges' did not show? 

  The tables had only varnish on them so all I had to do was take off the shine... was  very fast work!

The first step in painting was the 'Kilz Primer"..... That first coat went on so beautifully I could have not even used the paint, it covered the wood so well.  For some reason "I love to paint with a brush"... relaxing to me!

Our weather here on the "Gulf Coast of South Florida" was in the 90's, so inside they went for the first coat of paint...The  paint went on so smooth.  I did let the first coat dry over night then applied a second.   

What a difference!  Really.  I have to tell you, my husband thinks "I've lost my mind" ( whow! In July we will be married 30 years!) Painting everything "White". "He will be a believer", when the entire house has taken on the "Soft hues" I'm after. ( to be quite honest, at this point in our lives, he really does not care what I do with the house.. he trusts me.) 

I'll tell you, "After living with dark wood for all these years"... 

"It's time for a change"!

I have a "Wine Rack" that I use as a stand, for the "Bird Cage" (notice it to the right of the end table, above),  blond wood, hmmmm?

Think I should paint that also?  Poor "Choopie and Molly"!! Their next!

"Run for your lives birdies"

Now I need to "Beat up the wood" a little,,,, but , it's so nice and clean looking?

Ok, Ok, when the outside is a bit cooler I'll take them on the deck, and do a bit of "distressing". But 'not today'... it's in the 90's again, and I'll surely pass-out!

To be continued......

I'm linking up to 


Second Round of Fabulous Friday

Master Bath, The Window (part 3) continued.......

Working on the "Master Bath" has been both fun and alot of work... It's starting to give me more ideas as I go along.  I started with no real plan, just I wanted it up dated and interesting, soft, pleasing to the eye, with my "White Theme".
I needed to put up some molding to frame the window... it did not have any, as do most of the windows in my home.... I purchased, from the Home Depot, 3" white molding. Measured and with my trusty "Miter Box" saw, I got to work.

I have used this really nice "tool" before,  I always find a way to make a mistake.. So, I went slow. Held the wood to the window frame and marked the desired cut with a pencil... "By Golly, I think I did it"!

 Then disaster happened!  I cut the top piece of molding "WRONG"... upside down! I did not take a photo of this mistake... Being really upset with myself, "Not wanting to buy another strip of molding for one (1) 22" piece",  I simply cut a new one from the scraps then pieced together, in the center of the length. Know what? I was so careful with the 'caulking'... you will never know it unless you get "Real Close".

 After caulking the seams, "It came out better than I hoped!"

Then out came the "Paint".... It's time to rid myself of the "Brown Metal" look!

"Squeel with Delight" moment for me!!

My first post on this window "Transformation" I showed how I made the 'Shelf"... Instructions for the easy window shelf, click!

Total cost for the window redo... left over paint and nails, glue and glass. Molding $8.79, .50c twine...  
my kinda price!

"Not bad",,, Not bad at all!
(yes, I'm so happy with myself)

Now it's time to "Panic and do a bit of research"... my plan is to '"Tackle the Tub and Tile.... It's an 80's creamy color"

I want "White"... white everything!  On to read about "How to paint your tub and tile"! If I, by chance, make a mess of it.. out they go and new will take it's place.. (I really don't want to spend that kind of money! but?)

Wish Me luck!

I'm linking up to

Along for the Ride


Weekend Wrap up @ Tatertots and Jello

Follow Me Fridays @ Trendy Tree House

Remodelaholic

 Shabby Nest

May and June in my yard.

"May and June"

 

Soft syllables, gentle names for the two best months in the garden year: cool, misty
mornings gently burned away with a warming spring sun, followed by breezy afternoons and chilly nights. 
The discussion of philosophy is over; it's time for work to begin." 

-   Peter Loewer   

I believe he is talking about the weeds!

I took a stroll through my garden today

clicking my camera away

The new buds and blooms

kissed by the rain

How I love the spring

and yes, everything you see

was planted by me

This one plant, the "Diana Rose" was my

friend's "Ingrid"

She is watching from above 

 The Trumpet Tree
survived freezing
although my camera did not do it justice

The gardenia is blooming 

Bird feeder swaying

 Hawaiian Hoya

She protects my deck

The day lilly

the dirty bird bath

it's usually full of crows

Bleeding hearts in bud

Orchids bursting out

Oregano is doing well

 Zinnias with their first flower

started from seeds

Grapefruit for breakfast tomorrow

I could go on and on but the last one

I need to show is the 'Ginger'

and my little lady

she watches over it all

May your gardens flourish

as your heart smiles

I'm linking to
Outdoor Wednesday

The Great Outdoors Link Party