entering the world of unemployment: treasure hunt

Happy Monday bloggers!

Last night I stayed up until 2am reading this book. I just had to stay up and finish it. AMAZING. The plot and character development is fabulous. If you're looking for a good story that will also encourage you in your faith ... then look no further. 

And ... I didn't feel bad about staying up so late. Do you know why? Some of you already do. But, for those of you who don't, I will rub it in a little bit more ... this week started my three weeks of unemployment!!! 

I feel really excited about it because I'm not laid off or anything ... just between jobs. 

I am going to be home for a full week ... and then in Europe for two. Actually, E and I leave one week from today! And, as of last night, all of our b&b's are booked. Europe, here I come!

So today was my first day around the house. It started about amazing. I slept until like 10:00am. Then, I took a shower and used this new solid shampoo from lush. I bought it for our trip, thinking that it would be better to bring this little bar than like three travels bottels of shampoo. The lush lady assured me that with this particular one I wouldn't need to use conditioner. She said that it was a natural detangeler and extra moisturizing. I was super skeptical. I could just see myself getting of own the shower and cussing in my head and I painfully brushed out the knots. But ... she was right! No knots! Not even one. Seriously, you need to get this! Especially for traveling purposes. 

So then, I went and met my amazing friends Jen and Holly for a little lunch. 

After lunch I planned on stopping by the grocery (E and I are having friends over for dinner and grilling salmon ... yummmm), and then heading home to do something productive like clean the baseboards. 

Well ... I got distracted. You see, Lexington has recently opened a peddlers mall. I have been dreaming about going, however,  you never know what you'll get with those places. They can be 1. overpriced ... 2. full of weird crap like dream catchers ... 3. fill of treasures for reasonable prices ... or 4. full of treasures and weird crap. 

Well this one fell into the #4 category. However, the treasures outweighed the weirdness (no offense to those of you who like dream catchers). 

I hit the jackpot ... sorry E! I will refrain myself from going again soon. 

Here are some of the treasures that I found ... 

this lovely little side table

i think it makes the room a little more cozy

I don't really like that lamp, but it's all I have for now. I dressed it up for some clothes pins and pictures from Tahiti ... that made me like it a little but more.

 I also got this little tin. they had a million to choose from. it was so hard to decide. i wanted them all, but I also don't want to be the crazy pat rack.

next I picked up this sweet little stool. For now I will use it in my studio, but eventually I  want to use it as a bar stool when I kitchen is redone ... and has a island that needs a stool.

couldn't pass these up. way to cute. i think i'll put them on our bathroom shelves.

the poison-caution warning on this one reminded me of "It's a Wonderful Life."

the last little treasure I found was this vintage tub. i think I'll use it to hold toilet paper in our upstairs bath.

Although I never got around to cleaning the baseboards ...

I have done a few other productive things.

Like pulling weeds ... lots of them!

And, the lettuce & peas are coming up. 

I can't wait for fresh produce.

the girls have also loved me being home. more time for them to play outside ... and of course ... more time to eat sticks.

All of the bushes and trees are growing in so well. Yay ... no more viewing of the lovely chain linked fence.

Tomorrow I will clean the baseboards...

diggin' in the dirt

I love the Spring. 

One of my favorite parts of the season is working in my garden. 

E and I have been working to get the ground ready, and last Saturday we started planting. I was still a little afraid of frost, so I just stuck to planting lettuce and strawberries.  

Also on the list to plant later in May are: tomatoes. peppers, cucumbers, sugar snap peas. green beans, parsley, basil, cilantro, yellow squash, zuccini, and sweet potatoes. Thankfully, the asparagus and raspberries came back from last year and are doing amazing.

Here's my little garden:

The fence is to keep my crazy dogs out. Addie has already figured out that she can just step over it. 

This hasn't occurred to Stella.

Did I mention that I had a few helpers?

These two did not leave my side. In fact, they never do. A couple of days ago I swept the entire house, and they followed me from room to room. If I'm in the studio ... there they are. If I'm reading on the couch ... there they are. If I'm going to the bathroom ... yes they are there too. Just hanging out.

A few bleeding hearts from the flower beds. I planted these last year and had no idea how huge they would be when the came back.

And the strawberries. I don't think we'll get a lot this year, but the best part about them is that they come back year after year! What a treat.

Eventually my little Stells got tired of helping, and decided to lounge around right in the middle of the flower beds. I like to believe that it's all her fault that my beds are in the shape that they're in. Or maybe she is helping ... maybe she is trying to kill all the weeds by laying on them!

Stella did a little diggin of her own.

I feel like she is grinning ear to ear, so proud of the giant whole she dug.

Happy Spring!

and the winner is...

Hello friends! Happy Friday!

I am here to announce this week's giveaway winner - Ms. CORY!

 

Cory is going to have her first little baby in March! She definitely deserves to win :)

I also want to share these pictures with you.

Stella and Addie are becoming best friends.

 

 

  

  

 

 

addie's first night

It's official. We are now a two dog family. 

Really we are a four pet family - two cats and two dogs. 

Don't judge me.

Meet Addie...

She's a cutie -  isn't she?

This is one of my favorite parts about her. 

Her tail is permanetly curled up like this.

I think that she likes her new home :)

Honestly though, I think that she is adjusting really really well. 

We are so happy to have her.

Overall, the girls are doing really well adjusting to each other. Notice though I did say - overall. We have hit a couple bumps in the road already. 

Turns out Ms. Addie is a little possessive over toys and bones. This scares Stella a whole bunch.

I know that they are only dogs, but I can already sense the mom in me wanting to be protective over Stella. 

This morning, Addie bit Stella while they were playing with toys.

Does anyone have any advice for this situation?

They play beautifully when toys or bones are not involved. I'm sure that as time passes they will adjust to one another and things will work themselves out.

Bringing the two dogs together made me think about how crazy difficult it must be to blend a family. Good step moms and good step dads must truly be saints. 

E and I would really like to have children of our own someday, as well as adopt. I know that if ever happens, that it will be a challenging thing ... but also an AMAZING blessing.

Maybe bringing these girls together will help get us ready for something like that. Maybe - I know that the dogs can't back talk or throw temper tantrums, but it has to help in some way, right?

If I am like this with pets, who knows what I will be like with children. Will I also have a house full of kids one day?

Only time will tell.