Merry Christmas

Be Blessed!

2011 Favorite Things

I started gifting some of my favorite things a few years ago (ala Oprah), minus the expensive new car.  Don't hate, she has a bigger expense account than I do.

Anyway, these are a few of my faves that are being given to my besties this year:

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls, made by Moi

These are TO.DIE.FOR!!

Floral Pin by

The Lovely Poppy

I'm pairing one of these up with the last gift here

[scroll baby scroll]

Best lotion, HANDS down

[sorry, had to say it]

Soap & Glory used to call it Great Shakes

Then my fave lotion and I were on a hiatus until it re-emerged as

'Hand Food'

Pashmina

[Amazon.com]

No one will guess how little you spent on these

They are gorg!

Blessings

Blessings to you and yours

from

The Rix Family

2011

Favorite Things

I am not Oprah and I don't play her on TV.  I do admit I was a slightly obsessed fan, even having the honor of being an audience member once.  I also admit to getting slightly depressed every year when she'd kick off the holiday season with her 'Favorite Things' episodes.  Recently, a friend got to visit the 'Favorite Things' set -- she wasn't an audience member and didn't receive anything so I didn't have to be jealous of my best friend or anything super selfish like that.........Ahem,...........but I digress.

Nester is hosting a 'Favorite Things' party and I hate to miss out on a party. And now that Oprah is off the air and all.......I figure we need to carry on the tradition, right?

Here goes.  My list of FAVE.OR.ITE  THINGS.
[all under $30]

ORIGINS SMILEAGE PLUS LIP BALM

NOTHING WILL MAKE YOUR LIPS HAPPIER

$12.50

I'VE HAD A RED LICORICE LOVE AFFAIR MY ENTIRE LIFE

THESE ARE JUST ONE OF MY FAVES
Under $2 at Walmart

WHEN I'M HAVING A ROUGH WEEK MY HUBBY SLIPS ONE OF THESE ONTO MY DESK

HE LIVES BY THE MOTTO 'HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE'

MY HUSBAND IS A VERY SMART MAN

Under $2 at Trader Joe's

ANOTHER ORIGINS FAVORITE

EYE PENCILS WITH BUILT IN SMUDGER TIP

MY TWO FAVORITE COLORS ARE 'MUSHROOM' AND 'MULBERRY'

$15.00

DON'T NEED A FANCY EXPENSIVE WINE TO PLEASE THIS PALETTE

YELLOW TAIL SHIRAZ IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES
$11 at Sam's Club

I NEARLY HAD TO SEND MY SON OUT FOR THIS FOR DINNER TONIGHT

I'VE BEEN CRAVING IT FOR SIX DAYS NOW

MAYBE TOMORROW NIGHT?

CHIPOTLE BURRITO BOWL
Add a bag of chips with mild salsa and some Iced Tea
Best meal for under $10

GAP CREW NECK LONG SLEEVED T-SHIRT

DON'T LAUGH

BEST FITTING - BEST FEELING -- MOST DURABLE T-SHIRT I'VE WORN IN AGES

HANDS DOWN
$16.95

PREMIER DESIGNS

COMPANION EARRINGS

THESE ARE MY FAVORITE EVERY DAY EARRINGS

SO MUCH SO THAT I LOST ONE RECENTLY

AND REPURCHASED ANOTHER PAIR

IMPATIENTLY AWAITING THEIR ARRIVAL
$26

I could go on and on but this was a lot of fun.  Let me know if you try any of my favorites.  I'd love to hear from you and LOVE to get comments!

GO DAWGS!!

Our high school football team is in the finals to play downstate and they are UN.DE.FEATED!!!

NBC news came to film a pep rally this morning and this is a clip of the fabulous school spirit some 600 students mustered up at 5am!!

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

This post is entitled: 'When do Boys Connect the Dots?'....

....and various other things my boys do to make me scratch my head.

So, take a stroll with me [if you dare] and enter the boys' bedroom (cue the dramatic music)

See anything wrong with this picture?

no not the half painted walls ....

.... perhaps the unmade beds?..... surely you jest?

See the hamper?  It looks empty doesn't it?  There's a reason for that...

(follow me to the other side of the room.  I know it's scary but I'll hold your hand, kay?)

Are things beginning to make a little sense now?

See I asked my son to carry up his empty hamper on Saturday after I did laundry.

Now is the time I make you do math.

Today is Thursday - need a hint?  That makes FIVE days that the hamper has been sitting empty by his bed when it's supposed to go in the closet here.

What's that you say?  You don't see a hamper here? You only see FIVE days of dirty clothes climbing out of the open closet?  There's a reason for that....

Because it's still sitting HERE, by my son's bed......where he put it on SATURDAY....

Still.Empty.

I know I should wait and make them do it, but quite honestly I just played out the entire conversation in my brain and I exhausted myself just thinking about it so I caved and took care of it myself.

 VOILA!!  Much better!

Even better still!  

Now....how long before you think they'll notice?  Anyone care to wager a bet?

GARAGE SALE......MINE!

Just a sampling of what's leaving my house.

Hopefully, never to return...

Please, somebody come and buy it all!

This is the craziest piece for sale.  Why?

I actually sold it last year.  A nice woman bought the entire set.

In addition, she bought a table and chairs from my neighbor

Just how many people do you need to sit at one table?

Anyway, this chair needed a little TLC
and my hubby felt bad selling it in the quasi-wobbly stage

(you know being a carpenter and all)

So he glued and clamped it overnight
and the woman thanked him and agreed to come the next day and pick it up...

Well, she never did.

So.....For Sale.....One lonely chair!

Anyone?

FRIDAY'S GARAGE SALE FINDS

Crate and Barrel cereal bowls

.25 cents each!

They are sort of a rounded square and perfect size for the kids

These are currently on sale for $4 each

I got all 8 for $2!

Pretty glass votive holders

.25 cents each!

Wrought iron wine bottle and glasses display (including 4 wine glasses shown)

$3

World Market

Insulated zippered market tote

I've seen these for upwards of $25 in various stores

$5

The Revealing

My July 4th Flag Cake Reveal!

See making of cake HERE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

[compliments of my 12 year old son]

Red, White & Blue....and lots of frosting!

Made a Flag Cake today.

I'll unveil with a few pics after July 4th

Until then...

here is the making of

AND what I did with all the cake scraps

First layers (Red) done

White and Blue layers done

(and some falling apart)

The best Vanilla Extract Evah!

and some cheap whipping cream

Priorities girls, Priorities!

So what did I do with the cake scraps from the flag cake?

(drum roll please)

Even my crumbs look Patriotic!

See cake reveal HERE

Advice Please?

Okay, this is where I pretend to have a loyal blog following and ask for help:

I desperately need your advice!

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ECHO.......Echo..........echo......

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[cue the crickets]

Well, to my few (and I mean it in the very literal sense of the word 'few') followers:

What do you think about refinishing this desk?

Should I take the plunge?

How would you refinish it?

Some important facts to know:

1. It was originally my grandfather's so it's sentimental (aka I don't want to ruin it)

2. It's old: as young as 75 -- as old as 100 years?

3. I'm not trying to keep it original so painting it is my first thought.

4. Last and most important: I've never restored a piece of furniture, ever!

The top finish is pretty scratched up. I thought about putting a glass top on this when it's done. What do you think?

Hardware: all intact and not hideous at all.

Options:

1. Keep as is?

2. Keep original, but paint?

3. Change entirely -- to what?

I think she has pretty lines.

All the drawers need stops and could stand to glide smoother (suggestions?)

And finally, what type of finish? What color?

I'm thinking an off white, perhaps with some glazing, but am open to suggestions.

Oh and here is the matching chair. It's original to the desk.

Closeup of side detail

Back of chair.

Seat is some type of faux leather and I can see another layer of fabric under that.

To be honest, it's not the most comfy of chairs and I don't know if I'd want to sit in it for long periods of time at a desk.

So do I repurpose it for somewhere else?

Keep it with the desk b/c it's original to the desk?

See? I told you I needed your help!

They say it's your birthday [CUE MUSIC]

Polar Opposites

The weather this spring/summer has been less than stellar.

It's not uncommon for one day to be 30 degrees cooler than the previous.

Or even drastically different from morning to late afternoon on the same day.

I knew moving to the 'country' we had our own weather climate here, but I still have a hard time getting used to it. Severe storms blow in with no real notice.

We haven't purchased a pool pass this summer and the weather lately has made me glad we didn't. Couldn't go walking this morning due to rain, and then 'Sybil' [my affectionate name for Mother Nature] decides to break out in puffy white clouds and bright blue skies. What gives?

Seriously!!!

Nothing speaks volumes better than pictures so here ya go!

8am today

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And exactly 2 hours later

same day

same location

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See?

SYBIL!

Cupcakes Any-Onesie?

Made these yesterday for a friend's baby shower

What do you think?