More sweet sounds

These aren't the best of pictures...they certainly don't do these little fellas justice...but I was in a bit of a hurry...I was afraid momma bird was going to fly in at any minute from her trip to the grocery store...and I didnt' want to cos any harm to them...I saw at least 3 little ones...but I am quite positive there are a couple more...I just love little babies...any kind...well...except spiders, snakes, scorpions...and you know all the yukey ones!!

Sweet Sounds of Home

We're home from a fabulous trip to Colorado to see our daughter and son-in-law. I took a few pictures of various things we did along the way....with full intention of posting most of the happenings today...HOWEVER, early when I let the girls out to do their business...I heard the sweetest little chirping sound...I knew before we left that we had a momma bird sitting on a nest she had built in a haning half-basket we have on our brick wall outside on the back porch. I have been keeping a close eye on things b/c I didn't want to harm the eggs or the mother while watering....well, I think I must have forgotten all about the eggs...b/c I was just so-ooo darn excited to see that they had hatched while I was away...so I ever so carefully...peered in among the sweet potatoe vine...and saw these precious little yellow mouths calling out for dinner...mom must have been out to the "grocery store" for fresh vittles...cos...every time I made a little whistle...these cutey patooties peered up!...I'll be keeping an eye on them until they have grown and learned to fly...kind of a reminder of my weekend with my daughter...she has grown into such a lovely young women...and now she has learned to fly on her own...makes me both proud and a bit sad...but I know we are to give them wings...I just prefer it when they fly closer to home!! She's happy...and she and her husband have landed in their slice of paradise...I'll post those pictures...later! It's great to be home...I really did miss my new friends in blogland!!

Blog is being BLOG again...

Silly blog is not letting me upload pictures again...geez...he certainly has a mind of his own...I was going to post pictures of a plane...so I could segue into telling you I am off on a little trip to Colorado...today...to visit my sweet baby girl and her hubbin! Geez...it was such a cool shot, too...it was of a little hopper plane on a beautiful & serene lake in Alaska...it was a plane my hubbin and the boys (son/son-in-law) used on their fly fishing expedition in the unihibited areas of Alaska...I'll try later...We girls did our own thing in and around Anchorage, Denali, and Seward...whale watching, hiking, horseback riding, train trips to Mount Denali and a cruise to southern Alaska (Seward) to watch for whales...OH! and some white water rafting in a glacier fed river...when the water splashed on us...it was COLD! They called that the gacial facial! We also went horeseback riding in the tundra in and around Mt. Denali...it was one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen...so relaxing we loved it...I'll post some pictures...later...when Blogger is not so persnickity!!

One more wedding thing

These are the mothers nosegays from that same wedding...just a note...now this wedding wasn't one that we had to do on a budget...we just did this one b/c it was my friend and partner in crimes nephew...who happens to be a friend of my son/daughter-in-law along with his bride...so we did this one for "love", too!! I loved the colors she choice...so appropriate for an outdoor wedding...we were a bit concerned about blue b/c it's a hard color to match w/florals and fabrics...but it couldn't have worked more wonderfully...and every bridesmaid looked gorgeous in that shade of blue...now that doesn't always happen! It was great! Again...enjoy!

Especially for Kat

This post is some pictures from a wedding I helped coordinate last summer...Our precious Kat from JustaBeachKat wrote me a personel email and told me I was missed...that just made my day...I explained to her I have been crazy busy coordinating another wedding for next month...b/c the bride has elected to use some of the same colors as we used for this bride...I thought I would show you the flowers. The first picture is of the bridesmaids bouquets...we have them in water buckets for the 1&1/2 hour trip to the outdoor wedding ( we opted to cut the stems after we got to the wedding, this way they last longer)...these flowers held up beautifully...I was very pleased at my handywork, which is hard for me, b/c I am hyper critical of my work. The brides bouquet wasn't pictured here...but it was probably ONE of the best bouquets I've ever done (the best one I ever did was my daughter-in-laws...I did it along w/her sister-in-law, that one was filled w/love!).....it was done in whites and creams...it consisted of cream/white peonies, white vendula roses, white freesia(my fav)and some cream spray roses...it turned out GREAT...I'll find a picture and post it later...the 2nd picture is of my gorgeous daughter-in-law and my son...they happened to be in the wedding AND funny they were paired together...this is them walking back down the aisle after the ceremony...doncha just love how she's looking at him...Awwww! Sweet couple...truly! The ceremony was held at the bride's parents ranch...it was a beautiful setting...my friend and I do this as kind of a ministry to brides/grooms/families who can't really afford to have the wedding of their dreams...so we help them organize and plan a great wedding on a budget...we furnish our skills in decorating, time management, floral arranging and just over all leg work at no cost to them...yes we are wedding coordinator volunteers!!!...it's fun AND we love doing it...but we've committed to 4 weddings this year alone...we like to do 2...but this year was our exception...we love doing it...can't think of a better blessing for us or the bride/groom...it's all worth it when you see their faces...they are great couples who truly do appreciate what we're doing...and you gotta love that! Enjoy

Window of Opportunity....Lost

For those of you that have been so patiently keeping up with my "love connection" dilemma with the most prudish English Lab in history...just wanted to let you see what I captured tonight...as I was sitting at my desk catching up on blogging...I heard my Maggie at the front window...she was kind of growling...kind of whining...kind of making a noise she normally doesn't make...I found her just like this...YES...I think she is pining for her "Lost Love" Mr. Fantastic...Mint...I TOLD her to grasp at life's opportunities when they are offered...she doesn't listen well...So until December... we will have to put our hopes & dreams of the "pitter patter" of many cute little lab paws away...till then...I'm constantly bringing up his name...and have his pictures readily available for her viewing...so sad...they would have made beautiful babies together...so now I am on to another fixation...I just haven't figured out what it is...Yet...

Thanks for playing along with my sad tale...of Lost Lab Love....

Blessing to all my friends and family...<><

The father to our dogs pups...we HOPE...one of these days!

This is Mint...he is the stud dog we've been trying to fix our Maggie up with...well...I think we're going to have to try some wine and dining...she seems a bit of a tough sale...the first time they met about 6 months ago...nothing happened...other than Mint was very interested...but Our Maggie was a tad stand-offish and wouldn't let Mint get too near the area he was interested in...so we figured...she was still young...a little nervous and b/c she was in a strange place that probably wasn't helping much....so 6 months later...we asked Mint's mom and dad if he could have date with our Maggie at our home...of course...they brought him out here on 2 or 3 occasions...and they seemed to becoming fast friends...but as soon as he came around to check things out...she either moved away quickly or just sat down and showed him her teeth...she could have issues we're not sure...but it just confuses me to think something so natural has to be so PLANNED out...so we're going to try one more time with Mint...he is awesome...very calm...he's a bomb-sniffing dog...and he works very hard with the Police and FBI when areas are needed to be swept by these dogs that can sense trouble a mile away...that's another reason beside we want one of her pups...these dogs come from a British line that has very keen senses of smell...so they usually make great bomb dogs, drug sniffing dogs...and field trial dogs...they have tons of energy...so it would be great to think one of their pups could learn the trade of bomb sniffing and help wherever he/she is needed....so start crossings your fingers and saying your prayers come next early December that Maggie will finally "marry" Mint...and have some really sweet pups...we want to be grandparents...and this may be the only way to get that!

Grandma and Paul

Well...now that blogger is letting me post pictures...I need to take full advantage of this...this is a picture of a couple of my favorite things from my grandmother. She was a fabulous cook...you know the kind...she made everything from scratch...never wrote a recipe down...they were all in her head...and she never used any type of electric mixer, food processor, blender...anything like that...it was all mixed, mashed and spread by hand...she had a set of these bowls...four in all one big yellow one, this green one...a smaller red one...and a very small blue one (I've tried to purchase these for friends...and as you most likely know they don't come cheap) I have great memories of her mixing cakes, pies, and all types of veggies in these bowls...she used them all the time...and now so do I...I inherited these bowls from her many years after she passed away...when my uncle passed away years later....he had them in the home he shared w/my grandparents and b/c he never had children...he passed these kinds of things on to his nieces and nephews...the old potato masher was hers, too...so the other night when I decided to make myself my favorite salad (I'll post the easy recipe below)...I remembered everything always tasted best when tossed in grandma's bowl...and b/c grandma...was a Paul Newman fan...but never lived to see him become so sucessful at making salad dressings and such...I thought what better way to honor her...than to simply make a grouping of several of my favorite things...a little serendipity..I guess...but when I saw the bowl...and the picture of Paul...I thought she might just get a kick out of sharing the limelight on my blog w/him...she was a great woman...and I remember her most when I use all her old kitchen utensils...and when I work in my flower beds...this woman...always had a flower garden...roses, daisies, irises, tulips, and many others I can't remember...not only did she weed this garden everyday...she weeded her vegetable garden everyday...she was a work horse...and the thing that makes me smile...she always wore a soft cotton dress...that she made of course and an apron with big pockets...Always...except on Sundays at church...but that apron didn't take leave for too long...b/c she had it on and cooking by the time we reached her house after church...Here's to my wonderful grandmother...she raised a large family...and a fabulous son...that one day would become my daddy...now he was the best...I'll save that post for another day...Enjoy

Spinach Salad

1 bag of fresh spinach leaves (washed/drained/stems removed)
spin dry
add fresh sliced strawberries to your taste (I use a lot...but I love strawberries
add about 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
add about 1/3 cup of crumbled Feta cheese...garlic/herb is what I use
optional a handful of drained mandarin oranges...

Top lightly with Paul Newman's Light Raspberry/Walnut Dressing

I hope you like it...and remember if you have a favortie bowl...that someone special gave to you...it will most certainly taste better tossed in that bowl!

Just because....

Not sure what this is going to do...blog is really starting to get on my "nerves"....first it wouldn't let me post pictures...and now it has been really taking it's time letting me sign on so I COULD post...obviously I'm not doing anything wrong...I mean...really...how hard can this be...I did it all the other day...anyway...I'm trying to post a picture here...and when I look at it it's a bunch of gobbled letters, numbers and symbols...I did read in the "help" section that they were at one point having problems w/some peoples post being translated into Albanian...so maybe mine is just now catching that bug...if indeed a picture post...it should be of a yellow rose...my loving hubbin brought me these the other day...just because....awww...yes he is that sweet...and YES I probably deserved them...lol...truly yellow roses are some of my favorites...use to be my absolute favorite...however, I have really started to enjoy almost any kind and any color flower now...I just wanted to show you the beauty up close and personel...and thank my sweet stud muffin!! Your the best...mister!!

Blogger is Mad

Don't really know what I've done to "tick" blogger off tonight...but he/she isn't letting me post a picture...now I know I'm new at this...but I THINK I DO remember how I've posted the last few pictures...and if I'm not crazy (which could be the case) I'm thinking it works the same way every time...I had a great story w/ a picture from a wedding I helped with last year...so I suppose until I figure out what is going on...I'll save it...b/c...well...I just like post w/pictures...and yes I WAS the girl in school that got very upset when "they" stopped letting us read "picture" books and we had to GROW UP and read chapter books...I'm visual...what can I say...till then....Blessings to all...

LivingTheLife: Test!!

LivingTheLife: Test!!

Test!!

Testing my blog...for some reason I don't think yesterdays blog allowed you to leave a comment....just running a test for my "slow" self....

I found this picture of my daughter and her husband in my archives (I wanted to share w/you all what an adorable couple they are...braggin...sorry)...this was actually taken the night before they wed at their rehearsal dinner...it was a beautiful event and an enchanting evening...we are so happy Jackie chose Nathaniel to be her hubby...here he is giving a wonderful toast to family and friends...he won my heart...Once again!

Love you guys...

Here is another pic...I am so stoked...I can now post pictures from my favorites....This is my handsome son and beautiful daughter-in-law...aren't they gorgeous....(can you tell I'm a bit proud and biased)...this is a photo taken at my son's graduation from THE Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY...he graduated a couple of weeks after his sister's wedding in April 06...Yes...06 was a big year for us...so was 05...He is now a sous chef at a 5 star restaurant here in Texas...we are happy to have them both here for a while anyway...I'm sure bigger things will come his way, soon...but for now we are loving having them home....I HAVE to find a pic of my fabulous son-in-law to post, too...however, I will have to check w/sweet daughter on that one...for I don't know how to take pics from her blog to put here...she has some great ones....So...I'm sorry if 2 blog post in one day are too much...but I just couldn't resist...I am charging my camera batteries...as I type...new photos to come!!!

Mom, Dad and Marcus...graduation DAY!!! What stud muffins...both my guys are!! Congratulations M....job well done! I feel so blessed that both my children have found a profession they love and are passionate about...and have found 2 very incredible people to share their lives with...they all inspire me EVERY day!! Love to my fam....LYF...Mom<><

Now if I can just learn to edit my post....I'll be set...

Alrighty...I'm praying this works...I just got some valuable info...from a darling gal...hopefully her directions will help me....THIS is a picture from our gorgeous daughters wedding in April 06...She was beaming like this the entire day...it was a beautiful memory...to the left of her is our beautiful DIL...she is truly the bestest...to the left of my precious beaming daughter is ME...with the botched hair cut that I received just days b/f the wedding...(after I had been working on the style for over a year)...long story...I'll post that on another day....the MAN in the photo is none other than the greatest man on earth ...and the proud papa to the blushing bride...the sweet young fella is the groom's cousin...he is a doll...of course the rest of the group is of equal improtance to our famil...childhood friend, sister of the groom, college room mate...and high school BF...and of course it wouldn't be complete w/o childhood friends precious daughter as flower girl...beautiful day...I hope this post....Enjoy

LivingTheLife...through Him

Well...it's been a while.....and I'm not sure why...other than the fact is...I haven't learned to post pictures yet...and I think blogs w/o pictures are boring....I'm trying to learn...be patient...I'm going to have to hire a tutor...I suppose!

Meanwhile...back at the LivingtheLife Ranch...lol...we have had lots of rain...Texas has had more than the norm for this time of year...I feel for some folks...for I know flooding is becoming an issue...now I'm not going to start praying for it to STOP raining...however, every other day would be a nice change.

We had a busy June...SM did a lot of traveling and I went w/him on one of his trips to Sacramento...beautiful city...wish I would have known the lay of the land a bit better...for I would have "shopped" the flea markets, garage sales and antique stores till I wore myself out...but no such luck...this trip...I did make it up to Lake Tahoe....gorgeous, gorgeous...gorgeous is all I can say...Sadly 2 days after I left is when the fires started...I was saddened to hear that! I was amazed at how clear the water was in Lake Tahoe...the weather was fab...warm but crispy cool...does that make sense...plus there was snow on the top of the mountains which I found to be so oddly wonderful!

This month we are heading for Colorado to see Darling Daughter and hubby for a few days...I think they have a week of activities already planned...so I can't wait...gonna get to spend time w/two incredible young folks...and enjoy their slice of paradise...and I get to see one of my wonderful grand-dogs...Miss Corinna...she's a hoot...hopefully, I will be able to post pics by then.

Also, we've been trying to "breed" our Lab...Maggie....one would think that the most natural thing in God's kingdom would be rather easy...WELL .... apparently not the case w/our beloved Maggie...I don't know if she's just a prude...or extremely picky...we've picked out the VERY BEST mate imaginable for her...but so far no luck...they get along well enough...but no "love connection" yet...Oh well...we'll just try again in 6 months or so....I took pictures of her boyfriend so I can post them about the house...so she won't forget him...he is so handsome....they would make beautiful babies together....:( makes me sad...

Well....no more boring you w/o pictures...however, I did make it to Canton this weekend w/ a dear friend, her husband...and my sweet hubbin....it's the first time he's gone in over 24 years...it has changed A LOT since his last visit...I managed to round up several treasures...and it has inspired me to get some much needed sewing and crafting finished....till then...remember to keep "livingthelife"....for him!

Blessings...
"T"