Inspire the Imagination

I saw one of these in an amazing toy store in New York called Enchanted. I loved it! Think of the hours of imaginative play it would inspire.

Catching Up...

1. We're going to see The Jersey Boys tonight w/ our good friends! I cannot wait to see it again. My husband and I saw it in April in New York w/ my dad and I've been listening to the CD ever since.
2. Two weeks ago, I had to call poison control TWICE!!!! The first time it was because our usually very conscientious exterminator was here but was not so conscientious that day. He left his stuff out on the floor and J got into it...thankfully, none ingested, no damage done. The second time I called that week was because J bit into a glow stick. Let me tell you how humbling it was to call poison control again. But, they said they get that particular call all the time and all was okay. I'm thankful the Lord watches out for these children! That thought seriously comforted me after such a scary week.
3. My husband and I saw the movie Mamma Mia a few weeks ago and loved it.





4. The Shrimp and Grits homeshow is this week, so we're gearing up. I received all of the cute ribbon headbands (for children and adults) and school spirit ponytail ribbons in the mail to sell along w/ the personalized bows, keychains, and ponytail buttons. They are very cute...we usually do well with these. I wish my hair was in a headband stage so that I could wear one of those wide jacquard headbands. My husband isn't looking forward to all of this starting--he calls this twice yearly event "The Week of Neglect". Poor baby.
5. We played a really funny joke on our neighbors last night and are still giggling about it. They, coincidentally, were going to see the matinee of Jersey Boys today. The husband, who is not a fan of musicals, has not been excited about seeing it. I've told him our friendship is all riding on this--if he doesn't like The Jersey Boys, then we cannot be friends w/ him. So, late last night my husband and I snuck over there and shoe-polished all of the windows of his Suburban w/ things like "Jersey Boys Express" and "Frankie Valli Rules". We got an early phonecall this morning when they discovered it.
6. My other extracurricular responsibility (besides the clothing show) involving my five year olds' school has been in high gear and I've been busy with that.
7. I watched "Rumor Has It" the other night on T.V. It was cute--hadn't seen it. I always love Jennifer Anniston. I get so mad at the bad rap she's gotten compared to Brad and Angelina.
8. That is all that I can think of for now...I'm off to get ready for our fun night!

My Favorite Sippy Cups

Boon Fluid No Spill Toddler Cup

I love this cup because it is safe--none of the bad plastic stuff. It only has two parts; I'm not one that has the patience to put four pieces of a cup together--it won't happen. It has a hole in the middle making it easy for a little one to grasp. We get comments all of the time on these, and I'm so glad that I just found them on Target's website!

Best-Ever Pot Roast

Here is a new pot roast recipe. I tried it, and my husband loved it so much he wanted to kiss me!

5-6 pound boneless pot roast (I couldn't find one that big, so I think mine was 4lbs.)
Rub salt, pepper, and flour all over it.
Sear all sides briefly in oil on the stovetop.
Pour out oil and add 2 cans beef broth.
Pour 8 oz. bottle horseradish over the top.
Cover and cook on low(275 degrees) for 6 hours.
Add new potatoes, onions, and carrots and cook another 1 1/2 hours. I salt and peppered those when I put them in.
Oooh..yum!

Summer Field Trips

Today we had one of our summer field trips. At my Creative Homemakers group meeting in May, we all brought our calendars and planned field trips for the summer. The fire station, a tortilla factory, Art Day facilitated by our group's art teacher/enthusiast, blueberry picking (rained out), a football stadium (this Saturday), and the public library all made the docket. Today was the Dallas Public Library--downtown branch. While I'm a huge fan of the Dallas Public Library, I NEVER go to the downtown location; before today, I couldn't have even told you how to get there. We have one precious member who spent her years before having children as a librarian at a local elementary school. She is a great reader--entertaining for all! So, she read to the children for about 45 minutes, then we had the opportunity to check out books. I was amazed by the selection of children's books at the main branch!!! They had all sorts of titles that I had never seen at the branch close to my house. I checked out Don Freeman (author of Corduroy) books that I had never seen before, and many books that I know are out-of-print! I was like a kid in a candy store. It was so much fun. My bag was so heavy when I came out of the library, I had to carry it with both arms and push the stroller with my hips! It was quite a sight. I learned a lesson-- library's main branch--more books--more selection--good stuff.

A Reminder to Me...

Nancy Wilson's Blog, Femina, has a wonderful post called "Building Projects". I encourage you to read it..it is a great reminder of the influence that women have in their home. I find it encouraging, convicting and inspiring. Here is how it starts...

A woman will either be a blessing or a curse to her household: she is either building or demolishing according to Proverbs 14:1. The woman who has wisdom is constructing; the foolish woman who has no wisdom is destroying. There doesn’t appear to be a middle road; a woman is doing one thing or the other. The one results in peace and blessing; the other brings confusion and discord. The home will either be growing in beauty or on its way to becoming a heap of rubble.

Keep reading on to find out what makes the difference...

Friday Favorites...Flipped

Today I want to turn the tables. Many Fridays this summer, I've been having fun making a list of my favorite things. Today, it's your turn. I want to know some of your favorite things. Just make a list on your blog and send me the link or just just use my comments section. Please let me hear from you!!

I've Been Tagged

Katie over at Bower Power , one of my new favorite blogs, has tagged me.

The Game is this:
Here are the tagging rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you (i.e. me)
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Write 6 random things about yourself
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them
5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog
6. Let the tagger (me) know when your entry is posted

Six Random Facts About Me:
1. Keeping my car cleaned out is a real challenge for me. It's usually a mess. My husband loves to remind me of the time--before we were married, so at least 12 years ago--when I poured hot chocolate over the door handle on the outside of my car because it was frozen closed and then I didn't wash it off for several days.
2. All summer, I've been doing the oil cleansing method on my face --much talked about over at Big Mama--and have really liked it.
3. I am the baby of my family and have brothers ten and twelve years older than me. One of my brothers just turned 50!
4. I have a small case of phone-phobia--an expression coined by my good friend K. I get a little bit nervous making phone calls.
5. Reading to children is one of my very favorite things to do. I absolutely love children's literature--especially older books. I'm quietly opinionated on this topic! I have numerous books checked out from the library at any one time. Right now it's over a hundred--mostly children's books!
6. I often draw little-bitty stars all over the paper in front of me when I'm listening to a lecture. I've done this since high school.

So, Biscuits are Never Boring, Kelly's Korner, Tickled Pink and Green, 60 piggies, Doing the Next Thing, Good Soil...tag, you're it!

I Love This...

Emma Bridgewater Salad Bowl!

It's Time to Buckle Down

Needlepointing my children's stockings...this is something I love to do. It all started because my sister-in-law needlepointed her whole family's stockings, and they are marvelous! When I was a newlywed, I was looking through catalogs and trying to find the perfect stockings to buy for us. Because he had seen my sister-in-law's and loved them, my husband encouraged me to stitch them myself. I objected at first because I knew the countless hours that it would take. I also knew that I couldn't stitch just one. Once I did the first one, I was in it for the long haul. However, I could tell that he thought that it would be really special, and I knew I would enjoy it.

So, we went to pick out his stocking first. He really wanted something with a Texas flair. I looked and just could not find the right thing...until I went into Key Stitches...the most wonderful needlepoint store!!! They said they had the perfect thing, and, sure enough, they were right. A cowboy Santa!

My husband loves the State Fair of Texas. He is actually judges different food items there..another story for another day. I always love to go by the Creative Arts Building and see all of the amazing needlework and other handiwork. That year, to his surprise, his stocking was hanging in the case with a red ribbon on it. He thought that was the neatest thing in the world..that his stocking won a ribbon at the fair!

Next, it was my turn. It took me a long time. I finally finished it when I was newly pregnant with B. Again, I entered it in the creative arts contest at the fair and was thrilled to receive another red ribbon.

When I found out that I was having a boy, I chose B's stocking. However, it was not purchased until he arrived. His won a third place ribbon if I recall.

Now, it is finally time to begin Baby J's stocking. Here is what I've chosen.

It's called "Where's Rudolph?" I've bought my threads for the first few things I'll be working on..so, I'm off and running.

The Sale

Twice a year, I host a children's clothing homeshow. I've done this with a friend of mine for the last 3 1/2 years. She has decided to take a little break, so this time I'm excited to be hosting the show with another precious friend. We are having so much fun gearing up for it. While it doesn't start until mid-August, we send out postcards next week. Needless to say, we've been diligently working on our list. Historically, Two Friends has been the line we've sold. However, due to some mishaps at the factory, they are not having fall shows. We found another precious line that is new to Dallas called Shrimp and Grits Kids. It is full of the most adorable children's clothing. Here are a few of my favorites from the fall line.








Oh, boy...if I had a girl...this pink coat would be a must!!!

Friday Favorites

1. Having popsicles and lemonade on hand at all times during the summer. These go great with slip and sliding!
2. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days--love that movie!
3. Hoop earrings
4. Pimiento Cheese--from Kuby's for you Dallacites
5. Birthday Parties for my adult friends
6. Wired ribbon--I even found some that was really cute at Sam's!
7. Double names for girls
8. Amy Grant
9. Old Fashioned Pharmacies (not chains) Preston Road Pharmacy for Dallacites
10. Mascara