Saying Thank you

Happy Monday Everyone!
It's been wonderful to have the weekend "off." As a stay-at-home mom, to have "off" means my husband is not working and is equally at home and in charge of the kiddos! I love that. It changes up the whole atmosphere. Does that happen for you?

For us, weekends are about getting outside and having fun. My honey and youngest had fun building their first bird house together. He reluctantly gave in to painting it pink in the end. It made me smile.

This has got to be one of the coolest ideas for weekends or weekdays! We love pancakes especially on lazy Saturdays. Clean out an old bottle of mayonnaise or ketchup or whatever is handy. It makes the best container to store pancake batter and is great to create the perfect - sized pancake!

I hope your weekend was fun!!
Until later,
Tammy

Learning a lot from a little

For three days my girls and I were "holed up" if you will in our home -- our basement to be exact -- while two, nice carpenters banged and thumped and ripped our kitchen apart. It sounded worse from below. (Our floor boards are thin!) And we had the satisfaction of peeking upstairs every so often to check in on the progress.

Isn't it fun to see things take shape and unfold?
This is the first year I have had flowers in my garden. The first year we moved here was all about ripping things out. The second year I planted a little. Tore those out. Not the right sun/shade. They weren't making it. Last year we had a few cone flowers growing and put down black mulch on a pretty bare bed.

This year I am happy to see that the peonies I planted last year -- left for dead -- have been resurrected and are now flourishing beside some purple salvia that I dug from my front flower bed.
I have some areas to work on over the years, but I finally feel like I am getting somewhere with my garden.
Oh, what a good feeling!

Cucina

Rainy greetings from PA!

I am still fine tuning my kitchen here. I thought you might like to see what I did over the weekend. I am very fond of open shelving. My honey was so good to put a couple up for me to display my new blue ball jars I got at Luckets Spring Market this weekend! (What a place!!! That's another post!)

I go out of town for one day and all the best yard sales happen in my neighborhood. I was bummed. But I did find some treasures in Virginia as well!

I hope you are having a great week and enjoying some nice weather where you are!

KITCHEN PHOTOS!!!

Finally I got everything back in place today. I'm sure we are a lot alike. We lovingly place each plate and glass where it belongs, while enjoying the whole process. It's like we are an artist creating a portrait. It's a wonderful feeling!

I'm always open to suggestions and input! The thing I want to do now is warm it up a bit. I am looking for some cute window blinds. Count them...three! I love roman shades. But I'm willing to look at others. Just something with some pop and elegance. Any ideas where to find some?

It's a small, eat-in kitchen. I'm looking to hang some open shelving on the wall where the clock is now. I also have an empty wall between the fridge and cabinets that is really "dead space." I'm considering making it a chalkboard wall.

I'm so glad to now have this yummy space to create some goodies in for my family!

My youngest is eager to make chocolate chip cookies. Hmmmmm...maybe tomorrow!

In two days I am headed to a major flea market. Lots of pictures to come. Stay tuned!

A Kitchen Photo

Hi Girls -- (Julie and Tina - please don't look. Come visit instead!!)

The carpenters just got done this afternoon with our kitchen and I couldn't be happier! It looks just like I hoped!
Here is just a little sneak peak ... more pics to come.

Wish YOU could stop by in person too!
Tammy

Moving Out

Sunday I am officially "moving out" of my kitchen!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!! That means the carpenters are "moving in!!" I couldn't be happier!

Hopefully by the end of next week I will have some before and after pictures to share!
Here's hoping all goes according to plan!

Until the kitchen is done,
Tammy

Mud Sale

Am I the only one that has never heard of a mud sale?  
While having our car checked out a couple Saturdays ago, my husband and I met a

man who is an auctioneer. He was a lively old gent and full of stories about auctions he's called. He told us about the mud sale. It seems they are widely popular in the Lancaster county area and thousands of people attend what is a GIANT yard sale of sorts. There is everything there from the bathroom sink to potted plants and so much more. It's really a must see if you live in my area.
My husband was a dear and arranged for us to have babysitting last Saturday and we drove the 1 1/2 hour drive to Gratz. Although we didn't find what we were looking for (a farm table! Yes...still looking!) We had a wonderful time gawking at everyone's' stuff. Here's a few scenes (including those two trucks under the tree above) that we saw along the way.

One of the best things about this mud sale were the beautiful horses pulling the wagon for the ride into the sale.

Have a wonderful week!

Until Next Time,
Tammy

Cream and Sugar?

Hello!
Here are some more pictures from our evening at church. It was great fun and the first time I have ever decorated a table to this extent. I'm thrilled with the way it turned out, and the way it blessed the seven other ladies that sat at my table.

I gave everyone a ladies' devotional book and vase (lipton bottle!) of daisy's as their favors. I had fun wrapping the books in burlap and wrapping it up with twine. Then I found the most adorable mini chalkboards at Joann Fabrics that just made the final touch!

I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed decorating!
Have a great day!

coco bean's cafe'

I'm going to tease you a bit!
Here's a little sneak peak of what is to come at my little cafe' table.

It was such a treat (and blessing!!) to come up with ideas and a wonderful cafe table scape theme for our ladies' spring event at church.

Of course the treats were going so fast, I barely got a picture of them!
More tomorrow .....

Reflections on Spring

How do you capture the first Spring breeze? It's such a clean, fresh scent that you want to just breathe in over and over. That's when I know Spring has sprung!

I would love to "fly" so easily as the curtains do on a breezy, spring day. What a beautiful sign to show that Spring is in the air.
There's something so wonderful about this process of Spring coming in and winter going out. It's the new life that it brings. Birds happily chirping. Nests being made. Babies being born.

The warm sun has it's own say in the matter. It heats up the ground and ushers forth the beautiful buds that we are all longing for. I LOVE SPRING. It's in the air.

Thank you Lord for such beautiful, warm weather.

It's a wonderful thing to feel the sun on your back. I just have to smile.

"B" is for Beautiful

Hi Ladies --

My girls and I are discussing the letter B in kindergarten this week. B is for Butterfly. My girls can't wait to get these caterpillars that we are sending away for. We will "raise" them and they will become butterfly's before our eyes. We are all so excited!

I thought I would share with you a few other "B" words that I like as well!

I know I've said this before, but I love old barns. "B" is for Barns.

"B" is for beaches! I could so see myself in this picture right now. We have been having so much rain and thunderstorms and flash flooding in South Central Pennsylvania, that I could really use a break to the beach. How about you? 

Last but not least, "B" is for books! I love books! (Magazines would be in the list too, but it didn't start with B : ) Especially old, vintage copies that look so pretty on an antique table or bench.

Have a beautiful day!

Heavenly Rolls

We've all had crescent rolls, but have you tried these? They are simply divine and go way too quick! (In fact I need to make another batch just to get some pictures!) Easy too!
Take one package of crescent rolls. Unwrap. Fill one bowl with 1/4 cup melted butter, one bowl with 1/4 cup cinnamon/sugar. Take 8 marshmallows one by one and dip in butter, then sugar mixture. Wrap crescent roll around marshmallow from the narrow end first. Completely "hide" marshmallow inside. Bake for 12 minutes.

These are fabulous!! They remind me of the empty tomb on Easter day. Mary and others ran to see Jesus inside, but HE wasn't there. What's the connection, you ask?
Well, when you bite into these heavenly rolls, you will notice that the marshmallow is melted gone. It's then that you can think of the empty tomb and the goodness of Jesus!

Enjoy!!

Old Barns

Happy Easter Week!
There is something about seeing an old barn afar off in the field, that really warms my heart. I love to gaze at it as we drive by for as long as I can keep it in view. Maybe it's because we grew up beside my grandparents' farm. I would run a couple hundred feet through the corn field and there I was. A red barn. A white, looming silo and a two-story farmhouse.

Farmhouse living was fun! There was always lots of people. My dad and his brothers would be wrestling from one room to the next, and us girls (kids at the time) would have to hurry out of the way to miss being knocked over in their crazy, fun antics. My "blue" grandma would always be in the kitchen cooking and baking. It always smelled good and I always raided the fridge.

I would raid her candy jar too. She never disappointed. She had this antique, silver dish with a lid and inside were always thick, pink mints and at Christmas time, those chewy Christmas wreath peppermints.

I hope you are having fond memories of your childhood today!

Easter Blessings!

Finding Fabulous on Friday

HAPPY FRIDAY!
We are in search of a dishwasher, a pendant light and a range hood for our kitchen as part of our remodel. We signed the contract to have our cabinets refaced and a new counter top and back splash added. It looks like that will happen some time in mid-May. IT CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH!!! I CAN'T WAIT!

I came across this fabulous light for above our kitchen sink. It's a little bit industrial-chic! JUST WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR! I hope I can find it somewhere. Every site I have checked so far says, DISCONTINUED. I hope I am not too late in finding fabulous on Friday!

Enjoy your weekend!! I hope you find something fabulous too!

Kitchen Accessories

Thought I would share with you some kitchen accessories I've been drooling over at Anthropolie.

I could see myself making a french dish out of this cookbook in my new kitchen!

Everybody has these, right? BUT I DON'T!

Be Calm and Eat Cake!

Happy Sunshine!!

It is a beautiful, Spring day here and we are thrilled for the sunshine! HOORAY!!
The bikes came out, the sleeveless tops and shorts. Nothing more beautiful than a sun-filled day!

We've all seen (maybe have) one of these signs. I've decided to change up the wording a little bit to fit my "needs." My family is participating in giving something up for Lent.
My beloved has given up tv (a big sacrifice!); my oldest: straws, my youngest: juice and yours truly: cakes, cookies and pies(another big sacrifice!)
So, my kitchen chalkboard has been boasting, EAT CAKE and CARRY ON (NOT!) just as a little reminder to my commitment.
I'll tell you, it's been tough to give up my favorite treat: chocolate junior tasty cakes, but I am doing it!!

I've been so proud of my girls too who are making their sacrifices for the first time.
Nothing compares to what Jesus has done for us on the cross! Happy Easter season!

Hole in the Wall

Happy Weekend Girls!
I think I can officially say we began our kitchen remodeling! My beloved tore our microwave out of the wall. It has left us with a big, gaping "hole" between our cabinets. IT'S A GREAT FEELING!

It's going to be somewhat of a slow process since we are doing a little here and there throughout the Spring/Summer seasons. BUT AT LEAST IT IS STARTED! WOOHOO!
As soon as I have pictures of something-other than a hole in the wall-I will show you.

For now enjoy these beautiful, inspirational pictures from Skona Hem. Aren't they amazing?! Enjoy your weekend!

SO LOVING THIS FARM TABLE!