What's makin' me happy today

Right now this thing is playing Shakira and the sound on this little Saitek speaker is amazing. It's like Shakira is in the room bellydancing just for me! Wow.

The award for "best named pub" goes to:

Ahem, did I mention I'm a sucker for a quiz?

What Your Fridge Says About You

You like to be surrounded by things you love. You aren't exactly greedy, but you can be materialistic at times. You tend to be a fairly thrifty person. You splurge occasionally, but you're mostly a saver. You are a very adventurous person. You love to try new things, and you get bored very easily. You are responsible, together, and mature. You act like an adult, even when you don't feel like it. You are likely to be married - and very busy.

What Do the Contents of Your Refrigerator Say About You?

I don't know why I love these. But I love these. Honestly, what does your refrigerator say about you? Why do I believe these? Titter, grin.

My dinner: Thank you Universe

Spinach Salad fresh from my neighbor's garden. (My neighbor came over with a bag of freshly picked salad greens today!!!!!)

A good life has a garden in it somewhere, even if it belongs to your neighbor.

A good life includes the experience of eating food straight from the stem.

Thank you Universe!!

I'm a sucker for a quiz

I \\ Your Blogging Type is Logical and Principled

You like to voice your well thought out opinions on your blog. And if someone doesn't what you write, you really don't care! Serious and blunt, sometimes people take your blog the wrong way. But you're a true and loyal friend to those who truly get you.

What's Your Blogging Personality?



I got this from a link on Natalie Norton's Blog (link called Bayley's Blogette).

What it's all about

This is a quote from John Edwards' wife who has 2 kids and terminal cancer. Edwards was the fellow who was running for president as a Democrat and dropped out to let Hillary and Obama go at it.

"I feel a real sense of every minute counts. It's not just when you're on stage with bright lights on you. It's in your kitchen and carpool and office, all of those places, that the value of your life is measured."

Yum

This is my dinner on a hot afternoon.
Salad topped with:
sunflower seeds
sliced beets
sweet corn
raisins
Good Seasons Italian dressing (homemade in the cruet they sell at the store. I used red vinegar and grape seed oil).

With a bottle of:
Samuel Adams Summer Ale

(note the weed whacker and mower in the background that are going to be used later...but not just now.)

Amelie: One person can change your life forever

If you don't own this you should. It's a French film and a story about a girl who finds a small treasure from the past and goes on a quest to fix other peoples lives (and in the process, her own).
But it's also a visual feast. And a perfect picture of finding joy in the everyday objects, friendships and occurrences of life.

The Car Wash

Saw a beautiful tree in bloom on my way to the car wash today.

I took a pic of the rinse cycle we were in. I've always been slightly scared of car washes. I think the worst that could happen is you just have to exit the car when the water is running and get wet, right? But that never seems to happen, it's just worse in my mind than in reality. But I certainly always feel very alive when I'm in a car wash, for sure.

3 Inspiring books and interiors

OK, I love to look at interiors of homes. I suppose because I spend so much time inside my own home at this stage of my life that interiors are on my radar quite often. Having a peaceful and beautiful environment is vital for me. My house, however NEVER has looked like the pictures in these books. But something about them is so inspiring and charming! And they always, always give me that good, special indescribable feeling inside when I look at the pages. I'm not sure what the point is behind loving something so badly and then NEVER doing it, but it sure is a pleasure to drool over the pages in these books. When it comes down to it I love looking at interiors like this; yet to maintain a house like this with all my children running around with bbq sauce and cookie dough on their hands would shorten my life, so alas I gravitate toward the warm and darker colors.

These three books have captured my attention and my heart. I'm drooling specifically over:

1. Rachel Ashwell's "The Shabby Chic Home" (First 3 pics above of some my favorite images from this book, look at that bed on the porch with the umbrella and the linens and the sunlight and Australian fern in back!?!?!?!!!!! I want to be there.)
2. Designing Women by Margaret Russell (which features Celia Tejada-- google her!)
3. Sensual Living by Claire Lloyd (Text in this book is tough --read: do not love the text AT ALL) but images are very, very inspiring. Book is arranged by the 5 senses-- right down my alley.

Children's Rooms by Joanna Copestick

These are snapshots of the pages of this incredibly inspiring book by Joanna Copestick (Conran Octopus published this book.) It is called Children's Rooms: Practical Design Solutions for Ages 0-10 (Conran Octopus Interiors S.) Anything by Conran always turns out amazing.

This book has inspired me to keep it simple in the kids rooms and in the house. There is a clean simplicity and charm that this book transmits and I can recommend it with all my heart and soul.

Check it out on Amazon.com where you can now buy it in paperback (much more affordable than hardback).

Hoop time

The weather is warmer now and we're really enjoying our new hoop.