My "Pinned" Family Room

Within the next year, we would like to rip out the white carpet on our 1st floor and replace it with hardwood.  I'm banking my pennies for this project as well as some other upgrades we want to do while under construction.  In the meantime, I'm pinning my new family room look...

Wood floors.

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Built-in shelving.

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This rug in green.  

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Leather Chairs...why not dream big?

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Am you following me?  Am I following you?  Leave your pinterest name in the comments below!

Dear Summer -

I really hate to complain, but I usually look forward to your care free days every year: catching lightening bugs, playing and picnicking at the local parks, watching fireworks, enjoying flower gardens in bloom, eating ice cream cones on the deck, and days full of sunshine.

But this year, you've just been too hot for too long.  I have not been a fan of breaking a sweat standing outside at swim team practice at 8 AM, or lugging my sprinkler around my scorched yard and flower beds.  We've been cooped up inside a lot because many times it has simply been too hot to even swim.  

Right now you have us looking forward to cool fall temperatures, pumpkin patches, apple cider, pumpkin cookies, hay rides, fall walks, pumpkin bread, and (dare I admit) the first day of school!

Better luck next year...

Sincerely,
Me

In the OR today

Ellen is having abdominal hernia surgery this morning.  (In other words, she's getting a tummy tuck for her 2nd birthday!)  It's a quick routine 20 minute out-patient surgery, so things should go smoothly.  Nonetheless my nerves are pretty high!  Please keep Ellen in your prayers, that the procedure is successful and she has a quick recovery.  

Thank you!  

Destin, FLORIDA!

We recently enjoyed a lovely week in Destin, Florida with Ryan's family.  

There were 29 family members on our beach vacation. 

Usually don't see this many palm trees on a daily basis.

Beach bum on the way to the shore.

The water was so crystal clear.  

Scuba dude. 

Surfer girl. 

Mansion on the beach. 

Family field trip to the Gulfarium...we got the discounted group rate!

Dolphins.

Jude's favorite: penguins!

Sea turtles.

Sharks!

They loved seeing the seahorses and the huge aquariums.

Fish photos by Clare.

Clare and Jude especially enjoyed the humor in the Sea Lion show!

Missing this view!

Detangling Doll's Hair

Rapunzel's hair was looking a bit tangled lately.  

I read several ways to repair a doll's hair on pinterest, but all involved fabric softer which I don't use.  So I came up with my own strategy that worked great.  

First I detangled the hair as best as I could.  Then I added some dish soap and rubbed it in the hair.  

Next I soaked the hair in HOT (heated in the microwave where it was almost boiling) water.

Added a few drops of regular conditioner and combed the hair out.  Then I soaked again in the HOT water.  I brushed the hair again and left it to dry overnight.  

In the morning the hair was soft and smooth and brushed easily.

Clare is happy to be brushing Rapunzel's hair once again!  

(And now she's longing for a Flynn Rider doll!)

Linking here:

todayscreativeblog.net

betweennapsontheporch.net

A Peak at our Week

{Linking up with Jen at Conversion Diary today for a case of the Friday Quick-Takes.}  

1. Clare is really gaining confidence and speed in the water!  

She placed 2nd in two races at her swim meet this week!  

2. Quiet time (when Ellen naps) = TV time for the older two kids.  A gaggle of matchbox cars joined in for some R&R while Ellen slept the other day.  

3.  We watered our neighbors' vegetable garden last week while they took a trip to the Rocky Mountains.  They brought us back a unique souvenir!  These chocolate peanuts were devoured in less than a day.

4.  Other neighbors were kind enough to gift us with some of their home-grown garlic.  They grew the one on the left, the one on the right is store-bought.  Impressive!

5. Enjoying my bright summer toes - Charged Up Cherry!
(Ellen, Clare, and I are all sporting this new color!)

6. We went ahead and helped ourselves to the school supplies that are already out.  I always fear they will be picked over if I wait, especially when we need 8 glue sticks for 1st grade (down from the 20 we needed last year for kindergarten)!  And, yes, I was kind enough to let Clare get a "fun" Hello Kitty notebook.  

7. Happy Friday!  (That's all I've got!) 

  

In Full Bloom

Our sunflowers bloomed!  The kids were excited since they started them out from seeds this spring.  

And now we are checking "grow a sunflower" off our 2012 summer bucket list! 

Whose Pumpkin is it?

Last year we grew a huge pumpkin vine from one seed.  (I'm - somewhat unsuccessfully - attempting to grow pachysandra in that space this year, so we skipped out on pumpkins.)  

Right about this time of year last year when the pumpkins were about the size of softballs I took a nail and lightly scratched the kids' names on them.  Just deep enough to gently break the skin.  

Come October when we harvested them, everyone had their very own personalized pumpkin on Halloween!

Linking here:

todayscreativeblog.net

betweennapsontheporch.net

Bacon Cheese Dip AKA "To Die for Dip"

This appetizer dip is so not good for you, but so amazingly good....mostly because it contains BACON.

Ingredients:

1 block cream cheese

1 cup mayo (NOT Miracle Whip)

1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese

Handful or so of green onions (more or less to your liking)

1 small bag of real bacon bits

Mic first 4 ingredients together.  Microwave for about 2 - 3 minutes.  Make sure center is warm.  Put bacon on top and microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute.  (Don't overcook or it will get greasy!)  

Serve with wheat thin crackers.

Enjoy!

Linking here:

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

http://todayscreativeblog.net/

Sounds Like a Plan to Me!

Happy Monday!

"Eat Mor Chikin"

Last Friday was "Dress Like a Cow, Get Free Chicken Day" at Chick-Fil-A.  The kids and I were happy to participate for a complementary lunch!  (Ryan says I "live off the land" when I take part in things like this...)  For me, it was entertainment and lunch for the kids all rolled into one.  

Thanks for a delicious lunch, Chick-fil-A!

Wishing you a fun Friday!

Cleaning the Dishwasher...Inside and Out

Sharing some of my favorite dishwasher cleaning goodies today...  In no particular order, here are some of my favorite ways to keep my dishes, and hard-working dishwasher, sparkling clean!  

1. I discovered Weiman Stainless Steel wipes after we upgraded our dishwasher 2 years ago. 

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They keep the front of my stainless steel dishwasher looking like new.   

2. To keep the soap dispenser clean, I run a packet of lemonade kool-aid through a short cycle as needed.

3. My favorite dish washer detergent:

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Finish dishwashing tabs leave everything spick and span!

4. And for a shiny finish, I love adding OxiClean Dishwashing Booster to a load of dishes.

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Everything looks like new!

Happy Dishwashing!