some food for thought...

tomotoes cut in the shape of hearts...are more appealing to Bobby...

{date is now noted that he actually ate a couple slices of tomatoes over the weekend}

cucumbers soaked in a marinade that tastes sweet are even LOVED by the hubby

{double note...he and Madison both ate a ton of them...Hayley not so much but she enjoyed the rest}

and it was all because they tasted sweet...

I do believe that ~

it is a fact that one way to a man's heart is definitely through his stomach...

without a doubt...

especially if it includes sweet stuff:)

he picked the recipe this time...and I'm assuming because I usually pick the ones with way too many vegetables in them...that he ends up kindly tossing aside as he is eating until the girls notice and he is cornered to eat a few bites...

we had a great time cooking together...{and I made sure not too many dishes were dirtied}...and we were happy because the girls loved the dinner too...so it is definitely a keeper...

and if it contains ginger ~ hubby is most likely to try it...and love it. He's a fan to say the least

We were given a cookbook for Christmas so the chosen recipe was

Red Ginger Chicken Satay

I was going to perhaps find a picture from Rocco's book to show...because I'm not knowledgeable in my camera's functions at all...well you probably figured that out already:)

but I guess me taking the pictures will allow you to see some plates of mine that remind me of my grandmother who passed away when I was a child...I have such a closeness with her...and I always feel her with me so everytime I put food on these plates they remind me of my her...and I love that...

I'm told to be quite similar in appearance and personality with her...and that makes me happy...so when those plates were discontinued years ago ~ right after we were married...I went and bought a few extra of what they had left on clearance so I would have extra in case any broke down the road...

I'm glad I did that years ago because I believe only one dish has broke...

Back to the recipe though right...that is in case you think it looks yummy enough to try...

I tell you the tomatoes in hearts makes the difference for some...but I won't say who again:)

Red Ginger Chicken Satay

from Rocco's Real Life Recipes

2 garlic cloves

1 cup pineapple juice

1 T sugar

2 t finely chopped ginger

6 T creamy peanut butter

2 t red wine vinegar

2 p. boneless, skinless chicken cut in cubes

16 bamboo skewers {I don't think we quite used 16}

these part of garnish and for taste

2 seedless cucumbers {we actually used regular and worked great}

2 sliced tomatoes

lime wedges

cilantro

crushed red pepper

one. in a large bowl mix together garlic, pineapple joice, sugar, ginger, peanut butter, and vinegar. Marinate chicken in 3/4 of marinade mixture for about 30 minutes...thread cubed chicken onto skewers.

two. Preheat grill/grill pan/broiler {we just decided to bake}. But if you use a grill or grill pan cook for 8 minutes or until cooked through.

three. in a medium bowl toss the sliced cucumbers with remaining marinade. Serve chicken on a bed of dressed cucumber slices. Garnish with sliced tomatoes, lime wedges, cilantro, and crushed red pepper.

ta-da...you've got a recipe

I hope your weekend was filled with yummy food too...

truth be told...

my heart has been heavy this week

for something great...

so what is a girl to do?

you may be wondering...

but I have the perfect solution today...

and I think it just may work...

for me anyway ~

photo courtesy of Coastal Living

I'm slapping a big ole' smile on my face...
because that view not only is beautiful but has hydrangeas in it...

and

because it is the weekend baby...it sure is...and I'm excited about that!

I couldn't be happier today

because last night ~ I hit "complete order"

and it was the happiest order I placed to date for anything...

I don't talk much about my work except to those who are interested...so please don't click away yet...pretty please because I'm not talking about it...I promise!

Everyone that personally knows me know I don't do this blog at all with business intentions...

for one...I cannot on the blog because we aren't able since I have a website...100% okay with me

and two...I love having this blog separate from what I do...

but my clients and myself helped in providing 
192 meals for Haiti with some of our ready made products...

and I couldn't have felt better

because when some of my clients asked to help...I was amazed that they took it upon themselves on such short notice to forward the message on ~ the cases ordered provided meals...

And I'm happy about that ~ ecstatic ~

I'm smiling...

And I have always been a believer that one person does make a difference

So I'm taking a deep breath for so many reasons this week right now...

And I'm pressing on just as we are supposed to do ~

I'm ready for a wonderful weekend ahead

I'd say have a latte with me everyone to start it off you know...

...but I've already had two "big" glasses of coffee...

And I have a feeling one more may put me over the edge you know...because honestly sometimes I think the coffee maker cup size is a lot smaller than what I consider a cup of coffee :)

I prefer my measuring when it comes to coffee ~ going by the size of one of my mugs rather than the coffee maker...

it sounds better to say

I've had two cups of coffee rather than maybe 3 1/2 to 4 cups, right?

this is one of those mornings I almost didn't want to get out of bed...and as Bobby got out of bed this morning...I asked...

more than once...

can you work from home today????...

by the way...he doesn't ever work from home...I think just a couple of times when sick perhaps...

I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask

you never know what you may be surprised with...

we've decided to find a new recipe this weekend and cook together... you see I cook to use the least amount of dishes possible...hubby doesn't...should be fun with a lot of laughs don't you think?

courtesy of Coastal Living

And what a pretty view from that table...I was thinking so!!

just a note...I wasn't using this post to advertise what I do at all...or share so that you would ask...I just wanted to share that it felt great to help make a difference :) xoxoxoxox

the sun shining has my mind wandering today...

The sun is shining bright today...

thank goodness ~ because it has been so dreary ~ and I love the sunlight...

When it is cold and dreary and the first sunlight appears again...it gets me itching for spring...

okay I know I should be saying "I am enjoying each day"

Lets be honest here...

I don't okay...

I am a spring/summer girl

I love fall and winter when they first come

But then my mind wanders

About the next spring and summer

Mostly because I love the sunlight

I love flowers

...especially my hydrangeas...

I know by now you are probably tired of hearing about my bedroom...

But I found something I love...

and I am trying to figure out a way to tell hubby about it without him rolling his eyes...

because I have all these ideas going...

and it is not "new" things I am wanting...

so it isn't the price or anything like that...

it is finding those old but new things in my home...

I have a problem with creating in my head

and then I can't seem to find a match to it

But did I mention I am in no rush...

I don't want to fill just to fill...

So right now...

I am thinking about those small little details

that don't necessarily need a match...

So as the sun is shining today...

I'm dreaming of my hydrangeas ~

 {here}

Did I tell you how much I love them?

Well if not which I am sure I have ~ I DO!

Even so much as I had them entirely in my wedding

on Bobby's boutineer...

In all the bouquets...

On our cake...

{I know that is a big no-no these days ~ fresh flowers on cakes...but I loved it that way}

I love them so much

All someone has to do is say "Hydrangea" and I'm smiling...

especially the blue ones...

and the white ones

and the pink ones

okay...I bet you are getting my drift now...

So since I love them so much ~ I came up with an idea...

This spring I am going to plant 5-6 more hydrangea bushes because I want them

in our house daily

In our retreat bedroom

And I even looked up how to dry them properly so at the end of summer

I can add them to our room

So I WANT

{I would typically say need but hubby has been correcting me a lot with the word need lately}

So I guess I have to say, "I want"

Plus it adds pretty to outside my home...

So today ~ I thought all about hydrangeas as I was doing things today...

and I'm so excited about it

I want to have all kinds

EVERYWHERE...

inside and outside my home

So I am not going to pretend that from January to March I am happy about the weather

I am going to be honest...

I'm not ~ I just prefer spring and summer~

So here is to making it through till next month when I am taking a week break

to be at the beach again

courtesy of hubby's job this time...

And then after we are on the home stretch of hydrangea planting...

Can't wait!

Wonderful Day! ~ the sun is shining bright!

little girls make the world go round....

Yes...I know what you are thinking...those of you that have boys...so do boys make the world go round...but I saw this saying on pajamas and just thought it was perfect...since I have girls and all...

little curls...
ruffles...
flowers...
pretty colors...
I love how they are and what they love already...

And what would have Daddy thought if we came home with one of these when he came back in town?...
just kidding...it would never happen especially with all that is around us...


but the girls LOVE them everytime we pick up our beloved Cadence's food...
they visit the fish...and save the birds for last...

Happy weekend everyone...
I'm off to hang some curtains...
and do a little business that I love...

some things you just know...

Today was a funny sort of day...you know...

because it was a crazy sort of messy day from the beginning...

hubby and I woke up on a blow up bed...well because we sold our bed...

and for one of the first times...mwah {me}...did not plan ahead...

to make sure we would have a bed...

I sort of dreamed of redoing an old cottage bedframe...

well but time got away...and now we are bedless momentarily...

there are several reasons why we don't have a bed quite yet ~

First I can picture our room together so dreamy it makes both of our hearts sing...

so I am waiting to find that "perfect" bed for us...

but you want to know what is silly...

we cannot quite decide what size to get...

When we first got married...we had a full size bed

And then we were given a King size bed

because honestly anything was better than our full size bed

and at that time ~ it was just tight for us quite frankly with fertility things going on...

but don't get me wrong we were thankful!

But now we cannot decide whether to downsize to a queen rather than purchasing another king size bed.

We had made a decision...queen for sure because honestly do we need a king?

Nope...

because what is silly is that as long as we had our full size bed ~

when we had our king...

I slept on the very edge

Bobby would continually ask me now why on earth would I do that when we have half the bed over on the other side not to be used...I guess the same reason I learned to hug the corners when I run I guess...I have no idea.

We have the room for a king...but really...do I want one?

Because I am thinking of creating a little sitting area...

and honestly since kiddo #2 has arrived my desk now resides in our bedroom as well

But you know that self-doubt when you have one person ask you...

Really?...you want to downsize?

That gets you thinking...are we thinking correctly?

Was our decision the right one?

And then as the bed search...Bobby finally gives up and says

Martha...you can pick whatever...

Really? That is kind of what I was thinking anyway...

not because he was frustrated...he just knows by now...

I'll end up picking it.

I brought up my dream of my white iron bed...

the one I dreamed about ever since we got married...

that Bobby used to tell people I wanted...

not one specifically but the idea of one

and now suddenly when i brought it up again...

He said...

"Martha, are you serious?"

when he was all for it before...

"Because that gets noisy...Martha"

"WHAT? you have got to be kidding me you are thinking about that" was my reaction...
Something like that doesn't even cross my mind...

"that is really what you are thinking about????"..."you have GOT to be joking"...

So, I've dared him to actually call the store and ask them about it...
{he really won't do it...all in fun joke you know}

because I just think it is ridiculous...

shows even after all this time...his mind still wanders, I guess...

He says he is game about asking...

We will see about that...

I know...we both still get kicks out of making ourselves laugh together and finding our own fun...

But today it made me see that even with our silly conversation about our bed...

I LOVE how we have our own fun, our own humor...in everything.

We will be sitting there on our porch someday laughing at all the ridiculous things we laughed about...

And even though he had a rough week...

we dealt, we laughed, we of course made it through

we mostly know what to let go and what to hold tight to.

{most of the time that is ~ we do have "occasional" mess ups still...notice that was in quotations:)

Anyhoo...I learned over the weekend about a woman, a mother, a wife, a shop owner 

that lost her husband recently...

he was 39...

and I was e-mailed about it...

it made my heart drop for her because I cannot imagine losing the one I love so dearly as she did...

I just cannot imagine...but I held my prayers for her during different moments today...

because honestly it has been a thankful week for me knowing the devastation in Haiti too...

But a woman I don't know...

a mother of two boys

a wife to a young husband of 39

a shopowner who loved what she did

But the thought of her husband being gone in a blink of an eye I cannot imagine...

It did cause me to smile at my own family as I was cooking dinner tonight...

the girls sitting at the table

Hayley screaming and crying for something

Madison singing both Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Old MacDonald had a Farm to her

And Bobby helping me do something...I cannot even remember now...

That crying from Hayley while Madison was singing to her with my teammate beside me is how I love my world ~ the simple life that usually drives me crazy sometimes with crying and whining you get from girls

made me smile today...

The blogland is coming together and supporting her and her family...

so if you like to shop

and you would love to lend some support because she has to sell everything to support her family now...

Visit her shop here...

It made our waking up on a blow up bed...definitely okay...because we aren't making a quick decision just to have a bed even though we would like to.

{and my wonderfully caring parents are mortified about our sleeping arrangments by the way}...

we really don't care out our sleeping quarters...because it is only momentarily...

something that is not forever

only temporary...

because I'm in search for the perfect bed for our retreat...

And today for some reason it dawned on me...

Bobby and I have been together for over half of our lives now...

Over half...

and I'm thankful for that because I knew the moment I saw him

there was a plan for us...

even the simple plan on agreeing on a bed...

And I'm thinking this one...

found here

because of the color

because of the price

because of the glass knobs on it

that match the knobs I put on my dresser that I purchased from Kasey when she had her shop

because I am imagining some chippy paint white shutters hanging behind our bed...beach cottage style...

I do have a budget {that I gave myself} and I am going to do better than matching the price...

I want to do under

and yes save a little too...

Sweet dreams!

Worth a thousand words...

Pictures

...how they just uplift your day and your spirit

whether it is from someone you love...or a good friend...

I walked out to my mailbox this week and had a smile put on my face as soon as I opened a package from a dear friend...

She had taken quite a few wonderful pictures of my girls when she visited during our trip together to the botanical gardens last year...

And she made copies in all sizes for me and sent them to me

She loves photography and I think she is great!

She very simply made my day

After a very long week where I almost packed up my hubby and boarded him on this ship

 {found here}

{you can laugh because I'm only kidding ~ you all know I wouldn't do that (wink, and add a chuckle here) }

He had a stressful week to say the least  {ick}

I love my hubby, and he is truly my love...

but it was just one of those stressful weeks for him

but it put me on edge a little bit...actually a lot...

please tell me you feel like this sometimes...

and I felt like I was literally calling "S.O.S" quite a few days...not really but I just thought it was fitting to say that with my shipwreck picture:)

{found here}

So my sweet dear friend

Brightened up my week with a very heartfelt card

included with tons of pictures...

Now those kind of friends are keepers...

the lifers...

And I love that I have her...

she knows how much I love some well-taken photographs...

but what she didn't know is how much they meant to me this week.

Thank you my friend!

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." ~ Unknown

{and good news...we sold our bed tonight}
insert a big ole' dance of joy from me!

And I added a new song about memories...I think you'll like it...
It's all about slowing down ~ not moving too fast ~ capturing those frames of time...

in my dream bedroom...

I would have lots of white...and linen....

textures...some color...

white and blue hydrangeas mixed together in a big arrangement...

I would even consider a canopy bed if it was this amazing...

I would have a ton of different blankets...fluffy...textured...sea blues {hints of grey}...whites...creams...

a don't forget pillows...

I am a fan of pillows...

big...little...I love them all!

and to be honest as much as I love throw pillows I always think of the movie
Along Came Polly

{another one of my favorite movies}...

"white chocolate" is all I have to say...

"Reuben I'm in a situation here..."

"Raindance..."

And the conversation about ebola virus in a bowl of mixed nuts...priceless!

Okay I'm not a movie quote person...I usually cannot recall any...but that movie...makes me laugh so hard I about fall of the sofa everytime...{yes...of course I'm way off point now and I'm laughing hysterically just thinking about the movie...}

But one last one...and back to the point...

"Throw pillows serve no purpose...purely decorative"...perhaps that one I do think differently because to me they mean comfort...and comfort = happy for me...

In my dream bedroom...

I would have beautiful walls like this...

chippy paint shelves...

one of my very favorite blues/greens that makes my heart sing...

perhaps I would change out a ceiling fan for a chandi...

 lots of ruffles...

a slip covered bench at the foot of my bed...

Oh I wish I could sew...

a beautiful old door...

a headboard with some character...

bowls of shells and starfish...

a bedding with some wonderful romantic character...

lots of windows to brighten it up...I love some good sunlight...

A beautiful skirted table...with mirror...and those floors...

Oh I just loved this little get-a-way room...soo cozy and sweet...

and these two lamps...I like different...not the same you know...

pieced together as you go...

this one filled with driftwood and a few shells perhaps...

But most of all...I will incorporate all that I love...and all my inspiration into the home
we have now...

and until we live in our dream home...

I am very happy with the possibilities we have to create right here and right now...

to create an escape that we cannot wait to fall into at night and don't want to get up in the morning...

It can be done in any space...

even away from our so-desired beach cottage house...

I cannot wait to start...and in a few months...

hopefully it will be done...

Sweet dreams everyone...

photos...1,2,3,4,5,6 found as linked...

photos...6,7...

Bliss...

Oh how excited I am right now...I have so many ideas going through my head for our bedroom...I almost want to scream in excitement...ever get that feeling?...although I should be finishing up other rooms in our home first since I have started those, and I'm not typically one to leave projects unfinished before starting a new one...but for some reason I cannot get our bedroom out of my mind...the only ideas coming to me are for our room...

And to top it off...we have had our bed on Craig's List because it just isn't our style...and we had someone come look at it yesterday...so keep your fingers crossed we sell it because that means the bedroom can be attacked full fledge because I made a deal with hubby that I would wait to do anything until that was sold...

Even if this couple doesn't purchase it for their bed and breakfast...I know it will sell...so I feel bliss right now...we have always left our bedroom last and when you think about it we should put it first...I am going to make it a get-a-way place...so that is what I want to create...I even found the perfect light for our bedroom...just to give it the perfect romantic feel...a jump for joy I am doing...

On another note....the other day I received a wonderful e-mail from Mary at Vintage Home and Garden that she was passing on the Kreativ Blogger Award to me...ME? "Oh WOW" I thought... my little old blog was thought of!!!

And then this morning...I received a wonderful comment from Darlene from Music to My Ears...a newer follower of my blog nominated for the Beautiful Blogger award too...

Luckily both of them require me to share 7 random things about me and then pass to seven people...although I have to admit coming up with seven things was quite a difficult task for me...but I gave it a shot...so here you go....

The rules for both...

Thank the person who nominated you....why thank you Mary and Darlene! I appreciate you both thinking of me...and my little ole' blog!!!

Link to the person who nominated me...well I've done that :)...

And for the hardest part...share 7 things people may not know about me.

So here we go...

Are you ready? Are you sitting at the edge of your seat yet?

I know I'm such a mystery aren't I? {wink, laugh}

one. I get asked for some reason about my heritage a lot by people...I find that rather strange...but okay...NOPE...I'm not Italian....and I'm not Indian either {hubby is though}...I'm not Spanish...not Mexican...or Hispanic {and by the way nothing wrong with any heritage...I just get a kick out of why people want to guess or ask specifically} but I am English, Swiss, Scotch, Irish, and German...so if any of you all were wondering for some reason {your wonder is now answered}...

two. I know you all love me to pieces {you can laugh now}...and I know most know I am quiet....but I do come from a long line of tempers on both sides of my family and we are all blessed with them....I do say blessed...but hubby doesn't agree since he has one as well...it actually is funny between us though:) Anyhoo...{I do apologize I get sidetracked so easily} we were in Subway two weeks ago...ordering...and the guy making our sandwiches just looked at us and laughed and told us we couldn't be anymore different from how we ordered our sandwiches...which is true...I do eat meat...but not much beef, not pork, not a fan of bacon, or steak and never have been...I am not a vegetarian by any means...just more of a veggie and cheese lover which is what I ordered...a veggie...and hubby a steak philly...

three. I can point my foot and make it completely flat like dancers do {just imagine a ballerina on her toes...my foot extends even a bit further}...I honestly do not think it is "weird" like Bobby says it is because I am sure dancers can do it no problemo...but he gets freaked out since my ankles are so flexible...so if he is irritating...I just have him look over at my hyperextended foot....

four. I hum quite a bit when I am doing things...I get that from my Grandpa...and sometimes I catch Madison chiming in with me when I do...and when I am tired I will start singing the Spanish alphabet...

five. when I run...typically one hand is clenched and tight like a fist...and my other is open and fingers spread ...When I see something I love or get really excited both of my hands will straighten, stiffen, and open fingers...

six. my favorite all-time movie is The Notebook...and always will be {told you I'm a romantic sap}...BUT ever since I was little and even pre-teen I L.O.V.E. action movies...there are not many I don't like...call me crazy but my sister and I would watch over and over Van Damme movies growing up...our two favorites were Bloodsport and Kickboxer...Diehard movies too...

seven. when I go to the doctor for anything and they see my medical history...they make me show them my scars because they don't believe I had complete ACL reconstructions of both knees since I was released from rehab so early compared to others with the same surgeries...for some reason they are amazed and I just shake my head because I don't understand the big deal and why that is so hard to believe...I always think they must have had really boring days to get caught up in icky knee scars:)

{And here are my seven I send these awards too...I randomly picked 7 different people...if I didn't mention you then I faintly remember you have been passed this before...and so I also tried to pick those that I didn't send 10 Happy things to as well...}

beautiful and sweet Paige at Simple Thoughts

wonderfully talented and beautiful Tracey at French Larkspur

a beautiful old soul Angela at Your Angil

soooo funny and beautiful Sasha at Lemonade Makin' Mama

refreshing and beautiful Koralee at Bluebird Notes

beautiful shopowner Kristin at Faded Prairie

beautiful Brave Girl Becky at Farmgirl Pants

you may be slightly annoyed I said beautiful in front of everyone of these sweet ladies but I think they all deserved to be reminded of that...

Just a note...I have not read any blogs in the past 3-4 days and plan on doing some catch up tonight...so I'm sorry I haven't commented yet everyone...I'll get there, but I just wanted to respond to these two awards...I'm so thankful!
Blessings...

Powder...

We received some inches of snow last night...but as Bobby was taking our pup outside last night one of our neighbors {whom was also taking their pup out} had a conversation about the "powder".

You see they are from England...and "powder" to me has such a lovely ring...and makes me enjoy the snow even more...I love it...so that is what I am sticking to ~ afterall...it even feels like powder...

The cold and wind have brought "too stinkin' cold for me temps" here where we are...

yes ~ I know some of you are used to this...but where we live...it gets pretty cold but not where everyday has a wind chill below zero {especially in January}...and the temp tomorrow is predicted to be below zero {not wind chill but temp}

I did see a hint of the sun today...and it was beautiful...although if I was more talented behind the camera...it obviously would have been magnificient to see in this picture! But I think this will do...

For now...I'll look at the bright side {I've got no choice} and adore these beautiful flowers...

one of the few things that gets me through such cold weather...is fresh flowers...I've got to have them in my life:) Aren't they beautiful? They have stayed this pretty for about two weeks now...{sigh}...now I'm dreaming for my hydrangeas to come since those are my favorite...

So with lots and lots of powder in our neck of the woods...I thought I would treat the girls to some powder themselves...for breakfast, that is...I'll be honest...it is a rarity for me to "cook" breakfast during the week for the kiddos...usually it is something quick...but today as most schools are cancelled I thought it would be fun:)

I thought I would surprise the girls...even though the powder may have hid the fact that they "may have been" overcooked this morning..."may have been" overcooked...just noting I said *may have been*...I didn't say they *actually* were:)...because for some stinkin' reason...my baking has been horrible...it seems I just cannot get it right lately....{sigh}...I'll blame it on the oven for now...

This morningthe girls were reluctant to stay outside anymore than walking to the car for a trip to the post office today because of the wind...the snow they wanted to get their hands on of course...as they are reaching down picking up mounds as I swoop them in the car...but the wind...not so much...thank goodness today because I wouldn't have lasted outside one bit...

nothing more than "normal stuff" happening in this household this week...

but what I loved since the girls new it was too cold...they grabbed their new sleeping bags from Papa and Mena and put them on the stairs...and went sledding in doors with their "angel" wings on....

don't you remember doing that???...we would always do it at slumber parties at my house until my parents heard the first big "thump" or "bang" into the wall at the foot of our downstairs...well we had to quit after that...But I loved it because at that time we had those slick grey {camping} sleeping bags ...so we went pretty fast!!

Of course my daughter...goes down head first...that's my girl...

Other than that...it's painting time for Madison while her sis sleeps...and some peace and quiet for me to do what I need to get done:) {sigh} thank goodness...

And on the agenda for Madison she says is painting....

a mermaid river, a mermaid, the letter"M's, and the sun...

Alas...looking forward to some quiet...