Cutest Surprise Visitor...

Isn't she just a punkin??? Her name is Brooklyn and she came to visit us tonight...her mom is one of my daughters friends from jr. high and high school...Brooklyn's grandparents have been our neighbors for 16 years...they lived in this awesome neighborhood before we moved here...anyhoo...Brooklyn's mom Cindy knows how much I love babies and kids...she brought her oldest daughter Makayla over last year for me to meet...she was pregnant at the time with this little angel...so she is almost a year old...she has been visiting her grandparents this week (she, hubby and the girls moved away to pursue a great job opportunity in another state)...mom and baby left big sis at home w/daddy...so I'm sure Nana & Pop got some great one on one time w/her. I was so thrilled when there was a knock on our door tonight and opened it to find Cindy there...I knew why she had come by...she and punkin had just been out w/the grandparents at a little Sunday School get together, so when she was coming down our street to put B. to bed...she stopped by for a bit...I could have visited all night...but she was tired and we were worried about having her out too late b/c of the mosquitoes and WEST NILE...I just wanted to post how cute she is...her sister is a doll, too...she has very curly hair...and Brooklyn has soft straight hair...and they both have gorgeous blue eyes...AND BOTH ARE VERY,VERY sweet girls...THANKS Cindy...you made our night!!! It was great to see both of you...I miss having girls around!!

In The Dog House

Well this is a first for me....I'm in the "dog house" with one particularly British and ever so sweet Lab...I forgot her birthday on Saturday...August the 18th...I think I may have been too busy the week prior with the wedding and all...and then when Saturday rolled around...I was just too tired to think...So SORRY Maggie...this will have to do...until the weekend when we can celebrate everything right...So wishing my sweet dog ( I know my kids are going to kill me over this...I can see the jaws dropping and eyes rolling as I type!! lol) A VERY HAPPY FOURTH BIRTHDAY....NOW will you please give me some pups???

The first few pictures were taken today...I was pretending it was her birthday...I don't think she has caught on yet...funny because I was looking through all the information the breeder sent us when my husband picked her up in Manchester...she was the last one born in the liter...of 8 she was number 8...I should have known she was going to be stubborn...especially w/boys...she only weighed 11 1/2 oz. when she was born she wasn't the runt...but she was one of the 2 smallest...because their was a male that weighed exactly the same...it's hard to imagine it now that she weighs in at about 53 to 55 pounds...depending on her "water" weight gain...Yes...isn't that how all Ladies weigh... figuring "in" their water weight has to account for some added pounds! She is the most unusual but loving dog I have ever known...she is very loyal to me and my sweet hubbin AND she loves her baby sister "Cookie"...that would be the black and white "crazier than a loon" shitzu...she is very active...she could play catch with a ball, bumper or Frisbee ALL day if you let her...she loves running and finding them wherever they may have bounced or flown...the further and the harder to find...the better...she truly does have a nose for hunting...she is however, a nervous Nellie when new folks or other animals are around...she's a bit too protective...but never really mean...just barks and her hair stands straight on end...we are working on her "social" skills...b/c we do want her to "Play Well With Others"!...Thanks for indulging my in my dog loving craziness...but she is our baby for now...and we really do enjoy her!!

The second and third pictures are of what she loves to do most...running...catching...chasing the ball...again...she could do this for hours on end...I just get too tired to throw ALL the time...but I do spend an average of an hour or better each day (not all at once...15 minutes at a time...on good days)...throwing to her...it keeps her trim, fit and happy!! I aim to please...it's easier than hearing her beg...

Where's My "OFF w/DEET"

How about this for exciting news...my neighbor emailed all of us in our little neighborhood tonight...said he's been feeling bad for almost 5 weeks...well, turns out he was conclusively diagnosed with WEST NILE VIRUS today...yeppers...the CDC has our address now...I suspect...and soon "little" men in suits will be driving round in funny trucks w/fog coming out of the sides of them...OR at least I hope they do...I'll be calling the "health department" AND the "CDC" tomorrow...to check into this...but from now on...we've been advised NOT to go outside w/o a heavy layer of clothing and repellent with DEET...so no more late night talks on the back porch...no more playing catch w/Maggie AND no more late night walks...I guess I'll have to substitute the treadmill....just HOW do you explain to a dog that you can't play catch because of a pesty thing called mosquitoes??

I NEVER thought it would get this bad...it's kind of like when the kids are little and someone tells you that a child in their class has been diagnosed with LICE...and your first reaction is..."Oh NO!! Not my child...my child doesn't have lice!"..."Uh uh!...not my sweet baby!"...sadly though lice are just a nuisance...these mosquitoes could be deadly!!

Asking all prayers warriors to lift my neighbor up in prayer...and to ask for protection for the rest of our neighborhood...Thanks!!

Stick a fork in er' and call it DONE!!!

I was a "bad" girl this past week...I fully intended on taking pictures of the process of making all the florals, bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages...but I forgot my camera on both days that I worked on these...then the day of the wedding was so hectic...I was only able to snap a few really "bad" pictures...so this is what I'll show for now...until I can get some pictures from the photographer...these are pictures of the cake...which ended up being a disaster in my opinion...the bride asked the "cake lady" for a cake that was specifically decorated very plainly...smooth icing (but she didn't want fondant icing AND butter cream is a little harder to smooth out...but really this wasn't done right)and she wanted blue ribbon on the lower edges of each layer...plus she wanted light blue butterflies that were made from gum paste and dyed to match the ribbon...WELL that is what it was suppose to be....I wish I had taken a before picture...but once the cake lady left...I was summoned from downstairs where I was arranging flowers for the ceremony to come upstairs and FIX the cake!!! Yikes...I'm not a cake lady!! Mind you this is the 3rd wedding where I have had to fix a cake...so I'm learning!!! I had to work fast...First...the ribbon was NOT the right color blue...now...I know it's hard to match blues sometimes...but really the bride gave her the ribbon...I don't think the ribbon she used was the same ribbon given to her...b/c it was Tiffany blue...not periwinkle blue...so I found some blue ribbon in my stash...there were 5 layers to the cake...3 round 2 square...well...there wasn't enough of the first blue ribbon to go around all 5 layers...so I found a white sheer w/white stripes to go around the 2 square layers...with the sheer over the previous blue...it was a perfect match to the blue I used on the 3 rounds...yes...God was helping me with that...then there was the issue of the red velvet cake showing through the icing in areas...so I gathered all the white flowers I had...and started placing them around the cake in various spots along with the blue delphinium and the pale, pale blue butterflies...all in all..it wasn't the cake she ordered...and it wasn't a gorgeous cake by any means...not as pretty as I would have liked to have seen...but I think after the flowers were placed and such...it looked as good as it could...the cake lady also brought the cake in on a piece of plywood that she had painted white...the edges looked like horse pookie....mind you I thought she was putting it on something white or silver (like a cake riser) and that it would be presentable...not the case...so I layered the bottom with white rose petals and left over white hydrangeas...I also placed the same white hydrangeas on the top of the cake...NEXT wedding...if there is a NEXT...we're using my tried and truly fabulous cake lady...Pat...no ifs, ands or buts....I know she does great work...she's always professional...and she LISTENS...and is very artistic...you can see her work in one of my previous post...it's the one of my daughter's wedding cake...white...white flowers...brown tablecloth...clear glass at the bottom of the cake lifted with vendula roses all underneath the glass...my opinion...just beautiful!!

Now I know your wondering where and why the pink?? Right??? Well, actually I'm not sure I can answer that really...My friend and I really tried to convince the bride to do all blues and whites/creams....blue happens to be the brides favorite color...so the blue was a perfect choice...but for some reason...and I'm not really clear as to why...pink was added to the color scheme somewhere down the line....now I love pink...think it really is a great color to work with...but it was VERY hard to work with pink and blue and not have it come off as a baby shower looking theme...ya know? All in all...I think the decorations were beautiful...I'll try and post some later...the pinks in the bridesmaids bouquets were stunning...and on the tables, too...the bride carried an all white/cream bouquet along with blue delphiniums and a vintage blue butterfly I found on one of my trips to Colorado in a antique store...it was vintage looking covered in blue stones and enamel....the bride loved it...she had a bit of a butterfly theme going on, too! The bride looked beautiful...and the ceremony was awesome...she is Greek...so they brought some Greek elements into the service...and that REALLY made it special...now they are in the Gulf...Cancun area...somewhere where Hurricane Dean is hovering...so please say a prayer that Viv and Ben get to have a decent honeymoon and make it home safely very soon!

Thanks for reading...Blessings to all...

Wedding Week....

Most of you have seen this picture before...but I'm posting it today...because today starts "Wedding Week" for me! I will most likely be tied up for the majority of the week, working on wedding stuff, arranging wedding stuff, making bouquets, florals, all kinds of WEDDING stuff...so I'm going to stop by from time to time to check in...but probably won't be posting a lot...coincidentally these are almost the same color the bride is using...a few darker shades of pink here and there...even some of the flower choices are the same... you are limited this time of year as to what is available...if we had to order in from Holland it would cost the bride an arm & leg...and we're trying to stay within her budget! Wish us luck...and please pray for the couple to be wed this weekend...Friday...actually...I'll clue you in on some of the facts latter....hopefully, with many pictures...but I am going to be busy...so I don't know how many pics I'll be able to take...

Blessings to Everyone...

Wedding Week begins....

Blowing off steam....hopefully just once!

Sorry folks...I don't usually like to post any of my negative or crazy thoughts...but guys...it's just been one of those days...I wondered at various times throughout my day..."why did I bother leaving my house?"....I think I had a pre-warning of what the day may be like while getting into my Expedition (yes I am a Texan...sadly I love my gas guzzler...not really...I would love a mini-coup...but I'm afraid not to have more metal/plastic around my innards)...when leaving my home...dressed for a very hot sticky Texas day that surely would hover around the century mark...wearing the customary "cute" flip flops...oh and I was wearing clothes, too...minor detail...anyhoo...while hoisting myself up into the giant..I FELL...yes guys/gals...I fell flat smack dab on my "BUM" (at this point I am of course blaming it on the flip-flops and not my lack of agility)...luckily my sweet hubbin had the for-thought to have running boards installed (hence the hoisting part) or I would have hit the cement floor HARD...luckily I kind of slithered along the side of the vehicle only to land very hard on the running board...then landing on the cement floor...so hard in fact...rattled my head...bit down or clinched down too hard...and chipped a back tooth...every so slightly...I'll be calling Kari's dentist...Dr. Death...soon I'm sure...ok..sorry...this could go on for days at this pace...even though I was a bit rattled...being the trooper that I am...I ventured out of the garage and onto the day of errands...my first stop was to be at my bank...they had some paper work I needed to fax...(this was all for a good deed on my part...I think) when arriving to the bank I asked if they had a fax machine I could use to fax the 2 lowly pieces of paper (one of which was a letter they had just typed for me)...I was so "snidely" informed..."we don't have PUBLIC faxes!) ok don't even get me started on public bathrooms! I was a bit aghast...for I have been banking with this same back for nearly 30 years...I wonder what ever happened to customer service...not to mention I have all $12.98 of my life savings in their establishment...geez REALLY!!...maybe they found out I didn't have all my funds tied up with them and were a bit miffed....so I politely left...because you see...this was just the beginning and I had not built up enough steam to "let off"!! Onward to Kinko's...to fax...NO PARKING anywhere...a quandary for me...b/c their really wasn't a place to turn around that's how small the parking lot is...and ask anyone...I AM NOT A GOOD BACKER!! So I waited for a while hoping someone would come out...not happening..so I found a spot to squeeze into...by the dumpster in which I'm sure wasn't really for parking...something about yellow stripes and all...(mind you there REALLY was a parking spot...but someone decided they needed two places instead of one)...so that's that! I park...I enter...line 4 deep...no problem...the person waiting on my fax shouldn't have to wait long...RIGHT...Wrong...2 ladies at the only 2 fax machines...kept dialing...kept dialing...and then decided they needed to call whoever they were faxing...to check things out...long story...even longer...20+ minutes later I was able to fax my letter! Now I don't mind waiting...but not for someone to visit with Cousin Betty on the phone all the while smacking gum...rolling her eyes...and you get the ugly sorted picture! I leave Kinko's to head on over to the post office...where I've been trying to mail a package for a week now...All is fine...until I decided to leave...this particular post office has an ENTRY and an EXIT...clearly marked..and one WAY...yep...you got it...a gal..decided she didn't want to follow directions and decided to come in the EXIT...thus backing up traffic in a highly congested area of town...I waited...waited...waited...till finally she was able to maneuver herself around...and get out! I would have just written this off as a "mistake" except that when she and her friend pulled in (very close to where I was parked) I could see the 2 of them...laughing...and I don't think it was b/c it was about to break 100!! Ok...sorry...you may be almost blind now...but it does get better...I think...or worse...so after the Post Office Parody...I headed over to Target to pick up a couple of things and return a couple of items...I won't even bore you with what happened to the poor lady in front of me...all b/c she was not a citizen and didn't have a drivers license...mind you she had a receipt...the item...and she paid CASH! So as I'm leaving Target (by the way they need to hire more clerks during Back to School month) some of us have more than 10 items...so those 20 lanes opened for 10 items or less didn't help those of us who had 22 items...and only 3 clerks! As I leave to put things away in my car...I load the back end up...put my cart away...and proceed to the drivers side door of my truck...to what do my wandering eyes see... a "surprise" right by my door...yes a POOPY diaper..yea,I know poopy diapers when I see/smell them...You can tell...believe me...AT this point I was beginning to ask myself..."what is WRONG with people...seriously?" All the while looking over my shoulder and all about to see maybe...just maybe I was on Candid Camera...or PUNK'D...seriously!!

As I am heading home...I need gas...no encounters of any crazy kind there...just a lot of humid Texas heat...that's alright...I'm heading home...BUT NO WAIT...I have to pick up my husbands prescription at Albertsons drug store....LUCKY for me...they have a drive through...I love this feature...I wish they could grab a gallon of milk for me...or a pack of gum sometimes...but they only do drugs! So I asked for hubby's script...(he's a diabetic) which was syringes...and while they were at it...could I have some Mucinex D ( I've been fighting a sinus infection all week...more like heat infection) so I thought I would keep taking that to help fight the sinus per doctors advice...so she asks "what is your telephone number?" I oblige...she gives me the syringes...mind you I have shown her nothing in form of ID...she then informs me she CAN NOT give me the Mucinex D through the GLASS drive-thru window...I asked..."can't I give you my DL and then get it?"..."No"..insists the clerk...we can't give you that through the drive through...you will have to come in and sign for it...OK...that's why I went through the drivethru...if I had wanted to come in and show everyone my perspiration soaked pants and top...I would have done that in the beginning....OK...here's the BEEF...I couldn't buy an over the counter sinus medication (something to do w/meth labs and all) BUT I can buy syringes w/o identification AND in the lovely state of TEXAS you don't have to have a prescription for syringes ( I guess something to do w/ the NO SHARED NEEDLES concern)...I don't get it...I know we have to have rules and all that...but something is wrong when I can purchase SYRINGES and hard core pain meds ( I did this a few months ago...b/c of a "root canal") actually my friend picked up the HARD CORE pain meds w/o my drivers license...her drivers licence or any form of ID...OK...AM I CRAZY...AM I WRONG to think that this is a bit over-kill...really drugs and syringes...but no sinus meds...I really can't comprehend...I left there shaking my head...all the while mumbling..."WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO AMERICA!!

Whew...I know that's a lot of venting...and I know all these things are minor...really I do...and I know I am very fortunate to live the life I do...but as I said...earlier...I should have known based on the way my day started...it was going to be a "crazy" day...Is it a full moon, tonight???

My day has ended very well though indeed...my hubbin is safely home...he called me on his way home from work...cos he's sweet like that..and told me he was at Albertson's ...was there anything I needed??...I asked..."are you at the drive thru?"...he was confused ...b/c it' s Friday and he was standing in the wine section LOL...I asked him...Do they have any Mucinex D...and do you have your drivers license...?????

I most likely won't post anymore RANTS...unless I feel someone other than myself has been unfairly or unjustly treated...but for today...just today...I had to let off some steam...hope I haven't lost anyone due to the lengthy nature of this blog...THANKS for letting me vent...whew...I feel better...except my bum and back are sort of sore...think I may have to go to Albertson's drive-thru and Pick up something for that!!