New Lungs For Julie

okay, I am a slacker, I know. But here I am now with the most fantastic news!!

My cousins wife has Cystic Fibrosis and she has been patiently waiting for a lung transplant. Well tonight they received the call, Lungs for Julie!! I am so grateful and excited I want to shout it to the world.
I am a huge supporter of organ donation, it touches so many lives.
I don't want to mention this amazing, life saving gift without also pointing out that I know there is a family, not too far away, who is mourning and saying goodbye to their loved one. Their enormous loss is not forgotten in the joy our family is feeling. Thank you donor family, words cannot express our gratitude.

Christmas Tree

I am ususally so excited to put up my Christmas Tree, last year it was up before Thanksgiving.  This year decorating for the holiday, I have been so distracted and busy with other things, I just have not done as much as I usually do.  But our tree is up, and I love it!

Two years ago I made some beaded letters to spell out "Noel", they were so easy, but I have struggled to know where and how to display them.  This year my brilliant daughter suggested that we put them in the tree, I know brilliant!  I love how they look!

Merry Christmas!

Abie's Room Redo

I have never considered myself a decorator, so when my daughter asked for a room makeover for her 12th birthday, I wasn't so sure.  But, 12 is a big deal, right?  So we had to do something awesome!

Now when I say room makeover don't get too excited, I am not that ambitions, we didn't paint her walls, and we worked with a lot of what she already had in her room.

Here is what we did add, new bedding, curtains, a chair, some throw pillows, and we also put together a fun cork board for the wall.

So lets start with the bedding... we looked all over the Internet, but I didn't want to spend a lot.  Now get this, we found some bedding on Pottery Barn that she loved and it was on sale, so we were excited.  Just for kicks though we checked ebay, and guess what, there it was for less, and it was local,  so no shipping.  Double score!  The red pillow sham we found at a local outlet, it was perfect!  Lastly Abie found a pillow on Etsy that she loved, so, with the help of Fabulous Jen, from tatertots and jello, we recreated the "smile" pillow.

The chair is from IKEA and I already had it somewhere else in the house, but we weren't really using it so it was perfect to put in Abies room.

Now for the drapes~ these may be my favorite thing I did.  Abies windows are so great, she has some of the best views in the house, they definitely needed some special treatment. 

So off to Target I went. they had a perfect red panel curtain that I loved and for only $7.99, and I needed two, not too bad right?  But as I was heading out of the domestics section I saw some flat sheets on clearance, they were the perfect red and only $3.89, plus with a little sewing I could use one sheet for both of the curtain panels, yay!

I am super pleased with how I hung them up!  {maybe I will do a post on it later}

Next up is the Cork board for her wall.  I picked up cork squares from Hobby Lobby and some coordinating fabric, to cover some of the squares.  Abie picked out some fun buttons and flowers to make some fun tacks.  I think that it turned out Awesome!

Now here are some photos of the room completely finished.  Notice the beautiful nightstand, it was a birthday gift to Abie from her Grandma.





That is pretty much it.  Thanks for sticking with me through this marathon post.  What do you think?  I think that it turned out Awesome, which is important, becuase Abie is so Awesome.

Happy Birthday Sweet Pea!

who knows, maybe there is a little decorator in me after all?

Why I Love Fall

There are so many reasons to love Fall

have you tried apple pie carmel apples?

find a recipe here.

Pumpkins

I usually love to grow them, but mine have not done well this year

Changing Leaves in the Mountains

and anywhere else for that matter

Two of my Favorite Birthdays are in the Fall

My Abigail and My Sweetheart

Fall Decorations You Can Make

Find this Great String Web here



Or this Turkey place card holder

You can make one too!  find out how here

Yep, Fall is the Best!

What do you LOVE about Fall?

I am linking up to Friend Makin Mondays over at
All the Weigh

Wonderful Giveaway!

I just found this new blog and I love it!

You must check out their fabulous giveaway!

Joy of Frameworks

you will be glad you did!

Happy Birthday to a Dear Friend

I am sure that if you are reading this blog, then you have definitely heard of Tatertots and Jello. 
It is the amazing creation of my dear friend
 Jen.   

Today is her birthday and I wanted to wish her

a

Fabulous

Wonderful

and

Lovely

Birthday!

True to her character she is hosting an amazing giveaway today,
head on over and check it out!
P.S. don't forget to wish her a Happy Birthday!

XOXO

true love

I have wanted to do this for a long time.

I have stood and watched as others did this without me.

I have sometimes tried to help, but ultimately went home empty handed.

But finally it was my turn, my chance to grab a piece of the glory,

And I did it!

I canned my own tomatoes!

12 beautiful shinny quarts to be exact.

and I love them!

Is that weird?

What is your favorite produce to can?