spoonful of sugar

a spoonful of sugar make you better real quick

is my absolute favorite saying right now

just because it's fun...

makes you smile when you say it...

go on...

just try it...

so did you smile?

you have to say it perfectly just like in the song

the "make it better real quick" needs to be said a tad faster

{just my opinion}

but it is my new saying to Bobby I told him

because he likes to eat raw sugar

you know those packets in the restaurant sitting there for drinks

yes...?

he hasn't done it in awhile

but if he has to wait too long for food

he grabs a couple sugar packets

opens them right up...

kind of angled tearing

and places the sugar on his finger

and eats a couple packets

just to tide him over

so for more than one reason

it's a great saying

and for me

that's exactly what this saying does

makes me smile at those times when you need it most

not because it makes me want to eat sugary foods

well I am eating blackberries literally this very second as I type

I feel like I could eat a entire pint of them in one sitting

I looooooove blackberries that much

and this looks so refreshing

blackberry ice cream

{found}

 we are enjoying our last week together before school starts

as a matter of fact

I took the girls to get a scoop of ice cream after lunch today

and completely didn't order any myself

that is so me to forget something like that

what was I thinking?

 since ice cream is probably my favorite all-time dessert

what it takes...

oh alright...

you all convinced me to suck it up and just do it

your request for beach hair sent me in a little loop I'll tell ya...

but it did force me to get a little creative

it took you asking...

yes it did

because I had know idea that's what you would be waiting for

so thank you my friends

 it made for a fun couple of hours for our family

what I love about Bobby, Madison, and Hayley

is that they are game for pretty much anything

I love that about them

I really will not admit we perhaps trespassed because we didn't

{wink, wink}

we just went on a little hike through fields of which the girls were braver than me

when it came to possibly seeing s-n-a-....e...s...

{you know...}

I cannot even finish spelling what they are because I am that deathly afraid of them

and thank goodness we didn't

because there would be no pictures

so here we go

you wanted beach hair...

I swear I had it lookin' like cute beach hair when we left the house

but my hair turns straight as a board

with humidity

so I give you

"true" humidified beach hair perhaps, right?

with my "would-be" beach comfort wear

comfortable jeans and a tank

because I would live in jeans if I could

and I hope I don't disappoint

but since I am supposed to be showing beach hair

just imagine that the field behind us {even though I love this field} 

is actually an endless sea

a beautiful bright blue

one thing I noticed with my hair is that it is a bit more textured now than normal

exactly what I was striving for

since it is normally thin and no texture

and I love the messier not so put together look anyway

I tell you when Bobby and I take pictures of one another

one of us ends up pouting...

I'll be honest

we aren't comfortable people behind the camera

but we do it anyway and end up laughing at one another

because it takes a lot for us to ease up behind the camera

except for this lil cutie...

she picked a bouquet to hold and is quite comfortable behind the camera

we are finding it matters today and it'll matter someday too

to have pictures of our little adventures

of hiking through fields

and going behind fences

with our girls

when we aren't supposed to

Bobby has become so patient with

with these sorts of things

He was ready to drag around my grandmother's chair

and the newly finished frame I did for the mirror we turned into a chalkboard

I told you that chocolate cake works every time for him

like a charm...

because not one complaint from him the entire time

even when we had to drive separately for the chair

and I was shoving the frame in the back of my car because it wouldn't fit in my trunk

well he didn't like it much when I was having difficulty doing a real smile

which I don't blame him

I have this thing when I take pictures

I have to make sure my neck and jaw are in the "right" place

because otherwise it looks like I have a football players neck

because when I laugh

I throw my heck back for some weird reason

making my jaw look humungo!

and then I start deleting pictures

that really upsets him

for some reason...

so that is when I plant a big ole' kiss on him

and he forgets all about it...

in the matter of seconds

he forgets that I deleted a couple of pictures

thank goodness

kissing him works like a charm just like the chocolate cake...

did you know that?

I even got a handsome smile of his with our two special girls

I'm in love with all three of them together in pictures...

we managed to stop back by the pet store over the weekend

with Daddy this time

and left with some gourmet dog biscuits for a little birthday celebration

for Miss Cadence

I say gourmet because the girls got to pick one biscuit they wanted to get for her

out of about 15 different kinds

all with sprinkles, colors, and shapes

and my good girls chose white

thats my girls!

death by chocolate...

Alright everyone....

I don't have any pictures of my new so-called " hair-do"

but maybe another time...

 the hair whip that I got was from Aveda...

it is a defining whip

it's amazing how much product you have to use to get the "natural" beach look

on top of the sea salt spray

and volumizing stuff I already had...

but anyway...

I am desperately needing to take some pictures

I have been the slacker for too long now

and at the lake...my camera didn't come out once

shame on me, right?

because now it has left me without much to say

this week was a simple week

among my favorites...

was waking up to the smell of fresh lavendar on my bedside table

driving with the windows down and the radio up

seeing my vines outside take over our porch

having the girls stay up extra late with me last night to go see the 4 toads

and tree frog that we have in our yard...

and laughing as we are chasing them so we can pick them up

and then getting peed on by them

the toads peeing not Madison and Hayley

just in case you were wondering:)

we stopped by the pet store on the way home one day
we had so much fun adoring all the animals

from the dogs, rabbits, fish, birds, lizards

oh how I just wanted to grab a new addition to our family

but we didn't, of course...

and this morning aggravated that the newly painted chair I finally and just finished

had the paint peeled off by Madison

so I have to start over

grrrr...

but the frame for the mirror has been completed and I love the color

At first I wasn't sure about the color

I had picked a seafoam color that turned out lighter than I thought

but it'll end up being just fine

I still need to convert the mirror into a big chalkboard

well okay I have to recruit Bobby's help on that

I'm too much of a wuss to have the chalkboard spray bubble on me

all these things leading up to a death by chocolate night with girlfriends tonight

only for special, special people do I ever make chocolate cake for

{meaning only Bobby and my favorite girlfriends}
that doesn't mean you aren't special if I haven't made one for ya...
I just have to have an event to motivate me to do so

 chocolate cake is not my favorite

I won't say I don't like it

 but I'm just a plain vanilla or white chocolate kinda-girl

and tonight everyone has to bring chocolate chocolate

to our girls night

I may feel sick by the end of the evening

but I'm looking forward to another night out with the girls

to put a spin on the chocolate cake I made for the baby shower in June

I made it how the directions actually said - 3 layer cake instead of a bundt cake

with the original icing and made some ganoche on the side to dribble over the top

ridiculous, right?

on half of the cake between the layers I purchased black raspberry seedless jam

to spread between 1/2 of the cake so it isn't just chocolate

and topped with fresh mint leaves and blackberries

I was informed by Bobby that not everyone likes fruit filling

{meaning just him}

so I was instructed to do that for only 1/2 the cake

if you know Bobby at all he has an indirect way of telling you things

pretty much he was saying...

"Martha don't ruin the cake with fruit filling because I want the left overs"

I told him fat chance

no really if there isn't any cake left over from us girls there are issues

because this cake is huge and weighs twice as much as the cake plate

and there are 6 of us bringing desserts

although I must admit saving him some cake will become great leverage

because one way to his heart

is when I make chocolate cake for him

it usually only comes twice a year

Valentine's Day and his birthday

so this is a special occasion to him

I'm not going to lie and act like I don't bribe my own husband

with chocolate cake

because I do

{I tell you that as I chuckle}...

I absolutely do

it works every time like a charm

and to be honest...he really doesn't mind

so I'll save him a few pieces of this heart attack chocolate cake

just because I'm a good wife like that

in case you are a chocolate lover...

here's the recipe...

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

from the Taste of Home cookbook

1 cup baking cocoa

1 cup boiling water

1 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cps sugar

4 eggs

2 t vanilla extract

3 cups flour {I did part wheat flour}

2 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 cup sour cream

frosting:

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips {I swear Trader Joe's has the best chocolate chips}

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sour cream

1 t vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

ganoche: {this is not from this cake recipe...but from a different one...so it makes a ton extra you won't              use but just adds texture and pretty to the overall cake}

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream; heated to a simmer

for garnish: fresh mint leaves and blackberries

and if you want to add fruit filling between the layers...I purchased black raspberry

1.  Dissolve cocoa in water; let stand until cool. in a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well. Add cocoa mixture; beat well.

3. Pour into three greased 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until toothpick insterted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

4. In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat; stir until smooth. remove from heat; cool for 5 minutes. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat until blended. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Spread between layers and over the top and sides of cake. This is where I also added the black raspberry jam between the layers.

5. for the ganoche: chop chocolate chips into tiny pieces or you may use a food processer and pulse them until chopped. Add heated cream as you are pulsing the chocolate chips in a slow steady stream until the mixture is smooth and cream. Drizzle while warm over the cooled cake....{I just did a little to cover up the imperfections of my icing}

6. Garnish with mint leaves and blackberries and/or raspberries

charmed...

it really doesn't take much to charm me

or make me smile

or to have a good time

what is important to me is to be around those that accept me

for me

and expect nothing else

there are a couple people in my life who have known me for so long

and they have seen my life

and seen how I have changed over the years

because they have been friends for that long

but they still love me for me

over the weekend

I was charmed by a friendship

charmed with a city
she lives in the Dallas area but getting married in downtown Fort Worth
so the buildings are older and just beautiful
not just glass high rises in your typical down town area

there were some brick roads
and restaurants and shoppes all in walking distance from most of the hotels there

a perfect place to get married
we saw her venue
saw her beautiful beautiful dress
spent some fun time talking about anything and everything
did boot camp together and running
I slept on a literally a cloud for my bed
so comfortable
and her hospitality was just wonderful from her and her roommate
thank you Julie!

 as I got home...

I was charmed by Madison and Hayley as I got home with a sign they made me...
it melted my heart...

it was a terrific weekend last weekend with a friend
to a wonderful hair cut last night

it has been a long while since my last hair cut
actually too long that I'm embarrassed to say when my last one was
and with a last minute phone call she had an opening

thank the Lord as the heavens parted...

well that's a bit dramatic to say
don't you think but sounded nice to type...

 lets just say I was filled with excitement about it
and thankful she had an opening with my name written on it

as I got home from my hair appointment I told Bobby
I think I have

"I love the beach"
or
"anything to do with the beach is in my blood or hair for that matter"
written across my forehead

As Jamie told me last night
"Martha ~ have you ever thought about wearing your hair sometimes like beach hair
because it's responding pretty well to it right now...?"

"heck yes!" I said but I don't know really how to do it when it comes down to it
I know someone else has done a post on it but

I'm a visual learner...I have to see it done on me really...
so in 10 minutes she showed me how

and told me to look up how to make my own sea salt spray for the hair because it's cheaper
in case you want to know
it helps with texture
8 oz. bottle of water with 1 tsp. sea salt
you can add tea tree oil or coconut oil if you'd like too

but she did show me something else I feel in love with
that made for a funny story when I got home

so I walked in the door...
warning the hubby...

Me:   hey...my hair cut was a tad bit more this time...
Bobby:    huh?
what are you talking about?...

Me: well lets just say since you were a crab this week...all week long

I told her to punish you with payment
{I was kidding you all in case you don't know my humor}

Bobby:   ha, ha, very funny Martha
seriously Marth
how much...?

Me:  well since my hair was in such bad shape and soooooo long

long hair costs a bit more to cut, you know?

Bobby:  Martha you what else did you do?

Me:  I didn't do anything...

Bobby:   what'd you get?

Me:  umm...
{and this was so non-intentional by the way everyone what I said
but it did go with the punishment theme in a way...}

Me:  I got a whip...

Bobby:  You did not Martha!
{I was meaning hair whip you all...if you are a hair product person you probably know what I mean}

guess hubby's mind was somewhere else
but when I got what he thought I meant...

I lost it laughing
and I said...
that was pretty good, eh? Intentional or not...It did go with the punishment theme, right?
but not at all what I meant...


and once again I find myself procrastinating packing...
I've been called the world's worst packer/procrastinator at packing
I won't argue with that
but I've missed you all and have to get this done so I can catch up on reading your posts!

we're off to the lake with some friends
and I'm bring 2 fav recipes of mine that I haven't tried yet so I'm super excited
with my attempt at creating beach hair :)

next week since I didn't have time this week
I found a chair on my run one morning that someone was going to get rid of
ended up in my trunk thanks to my dad:)

so a little redo and Bobby fixing the seat and it'll be perfect

 I'll be doing a little redo of a mirror I found on my way home from the store this week too
I like to go the back way sometimes and there is a storage business
and on the curb they were selling some items....very cheaply
I guess they do that when their customers don't pay their bills and won't pick up their stuff
= perfect opportunity for me!

so a mirror ended up in my trunk too for quite a deal
 I'll be adding that to my list too next week
since they both will end up the same color
can't wait!
it'll be one of the items that will help me finish our bedroom for the meantime

don't you love cheap finds like that
amazing what people through away that is fixable!

any typos in this post...I'm not responsible for...I'm too lazy to check
yes I said that...plus I rather get the packing done to read ya'lls post
{ya'll ~  that was for you Julie}
xo

one more day...

tomorrow I'm off to visit a good friend Julie

and I feel like I am just as excited as going on a beach vacation

now if you know me...

that means I'm pretty darn excited

traveling to the good ole' state of Texas to visit a friend

spend some time with her

maybe hang out at the pool

definitely talk and do some planning for her upcoming wedding

I feel so thankful she even wants my input and help

just being a part of someone's ultra-special day is so wonderful

I don't know what it is about weddings but I love seeing every single detail

Bobby's got it easy this weekend

my in-laws are coming to help him with the girls

he's so spoiled and mind you that means the girls will be spoiled too

which I am thankful for most definitely

so I won't have to worry a bit

this is the first week the kiddos have asked

"am I going to school today?"

I think that is the hint they are getting sick of me this summer

it's been a long week with them

but nothing seriously to complain about

they are missing school and routine like no other

and I'm starting to go off the wall needing some immediate travel time or girl time

it'll be just a fun weekend:)

I had to break the news to them that their first day isn't until August 30th

which I'll be excited about but I know I'll miss my partners in crime
{truth be told}

we have a fun and busy August ahead with plans that'll take us straight into school and fall

I do have to admit

I am such a summer girl

this heat is super hot but I really don't complain about it much

because I know when it's gone I soooo miss it

I love so very much about fall

actually being able to enjoy sit outside without being soaked in sweat

the smell of fall

opening the windows and taking in the cool breeze

but one of my first thoughts about fall that I love is

It is time to wear boots!

I love them and wearing layers

I'm really not vain

but as I've gotten older
it's one of my favorite things about fall

I've noticed I get really excited about wearing boots

and having fun with them

the little luxuries I enjoy:)

before I start convincing myself of fall-loving

I need to enjoy the rest of summer

something about being tan makes me smile

and yes I enjoy the sun the safe way

Although the way the girls and I tan

I know people think we don't use sunscreen

I pinky swear we do and I am good about reapplying

Right now I'm procrasting...

and I'm listening to Madison and Hayley
creating their own language underneath a blanket right now

which you would most definitely laugh because about an hour ago
I was loosing my mind with them bickering and crying over everything...

and now I hear sweet giggles and a new language

possibly why I get asked

every.single.place.I.go...

if they are twins!

that's the part I will miss about summer

not the couple hours before

 which I was praying for school to start today with how the morning started with them...

this is them doing their thing under the blanket

in our bed that I did make about 10 seconds before
well maybe 10 minutes...I have been typing a bit

but that's okay

a messy bed looks lived in and used, right?

and it shows just a bit more of our room that I promise I'll be finishing by month-end:)
not much more from the last picture is it?

I've got to get packing now...

I can start in the morning and still be packing at 1:00 in the morning just for a weekend

it's not that I pack a lot by any means

it's the decisions that you have to make when packing that take me all day

ridiculous I know

 

so off to "try" to start...


before I forget...
we have a couple more friends in our yard this year
here's the female that lives on the side of our house

{we believe female anyway since she is huge which you can't see here}
and we think it is a male who lives in our hydrangeas in front of our house
he's a bit smaller

thank you Dusty Lu!!! I am so excited to win your give-a-way...it made my day
seriously and all those dressings sound so yummy

and because I love summer soooooo very much I am in love with Sheryl Crow's new song from her soul record

Summer Days

hope you enjoy the video

it's not available to add to the playlist quite yet:)

but a great fun song that'll make you smile
just remember to mute my playlist if you'd like to watch the video

hydrangeas

on my agenda this week

was to start the drying process of the hydrangeas for our home

sometime in very early spring when I was dreaming of spring and summer

I mentioned how I wanted to dry my hydrangeas for our home...

well it's about that time

however as I thought they were all going to go in our bedroom

I'm having to nix that idea

just because pink does not go in our bedroom

my so-called white hydrangeas turned out to not be white

so next year...I'll just make my pink ones blue!

or go get me some white ones:)

In any event I have two excited girls because they now want them in their room

I think they will be perfect

I was going to dry them right on the vine

and actually most of the work has already been done on the vine with drying them

but some started to turn brown

so I'm making some slight adjustments and will try the water drying method to finish them up

but first meet my fantastic helper Madison

she snagged an itty bitty hydrangea for her hair

I couldn't help but love her perfect placement above her ear that she did with it

as I was cutting them she asked

"are these going in my room mama?"

well I hadn't actually quite thought about it

but that's when it clicked...

pink...

you bet you!

they'd be perfect!

how could I turn down this sweet face

she's the one who convinced me to let her have the chandi we got for our room

she utterly fell head over heals for it

and asked for it...

so to slide that one by Bobby

I said "what a great birthday present for her Bobby!"

she loved it and it made me smile to see her so excited over it

especially when it just got hung about 3 weeks ago

when we are home

she usually always has it on...

okay...

so this is what I did after reading online

I cut the stems to be about 12-18" like it said

peeled all the leaves off

{but looking at my next picture I missed a few tiny leaves}

I then filled my pitcher half full of water

organized the hydrangeas

Right now I have a beautiful display of hydrangeas to enjoy in the meantime

Once the water evaporates hopefully they will be completely dry and

ready to decorate the girl's rooms

thank you my sweetie for your help

just a tiny bit of pink...

these pictures of them just make me smile

for endless possibilities

the beauty of life

the cuteness of my little girl's legs

I love this picture so much I can't stand it

even if I got it a little blurry...

these legs make me smile and laugh

we spent an afternoon at the park the other day

and I promised them some swinging if they just let me get some pictures of them in these tutus

they quickly agreed...

"swinging" was all I had to say

but it was hot...

so I was drenched...

what's new, right?

and by the way the girls love the "Boogie Shoes" song I used for a couple of posts ago

so much so they ask for me to play it 3 times a day...

and what do you know they asked right before pictures

well darn if I didn't happen to carry my laptop with my playlist on me

so their response to me not having it...

because you know I just carry it with me always

{yah...right!}

just like I got asked today to pull a cheese stick out of my purse while we were driving along

{oh how I love they always think I have everything with me at all times}

no really...

I asked if they would stand closer together and that was their sad little faces I got

so I called them drama...

then I got a few sweet laughs from them

other than it being extremely stinkin' hot or humid

it was a great few hours at the park

and they loved, loved being around the pond taking pictures

well fun until we heard some seriously weird noises

because I guess we were close to some animals hideout or home

the girls asked what the noise was...

I simply said "nothing"

as I scurried them along trying not to freak out

because all I was picturing in my head was the stinkin' possum

I saw in our backyard a few months back

yes I realize that possums are are nocturnal...

and it wasn't a possum at the pond for sure~

 I just knew Bobby would kill me for having them so close to the water

with the girls telling them they heard weird noises

and sure enough that was his first comment when he saw the pictures

"do you have any idea?"

I said

"live a little honey!" {chuckle}

I told him we were fine...no worries {me laughing}

and the girls weren't scared because I didn't make a big deal out of it to them

we had a great afternoon of some sisterly hugs

did I ever tell you that I love how they love?

Hayley told me yesterday "I'm proud of you Mommy!"

and I melted...and didn't move it made me feel so good

she's not typically the one who necessarily loves with her words

{she does say very sweet things all the time but I hope you understand what I mean here}

she most often loves with her touch

she loves to love by being near and snuggling

I love that about them

how they compliment one another

Madison loves with words

{yes, she does love to snuggle too before family corrects me}

but I appreciate their differences so much

it makes me so happy to see them becoming their own little self

days like this are so happy and fun

for some reason these tutus made them want to dance...

the love between them

their comfort in their environment

and their love for the outdoors

is happiness for them

to them it's all about letting loose and making silly faces to one another

I about literally peed in my shorts when Hayley did this face because I had never seen her do it before

no one probably would have noticed it was so stinkin' hot

{I probably should have just kept that to myself, huh?}

and no I really didn't pee in my shorts....

I've decided when the girls aren't wearing these tutu's I'll hang them on a hook in their room

part of their room decor

to add the perfect touch

which is why they both have pink

because you know if they don't have the same...

"that's not good momma"

plus pictures together I thought it would look cute

I think I became a little tutu picture taking obsessed but they were having so much fun

it made me have fun snapping some photos of them

we had a wonderful day together

next time I just have to remember to not forget the water

but they didn't seem to mind to picking up their own drinks on the way home

I decided we *need* a little bridge just like that one in our backyard

it was so fun and Hayley hadn't been to it yet

it was just their size

I probably just got the eye roll from somone here...

because he is probably wondering where I would put a bridge in our backyard

when there is no way to do it

To that...I say use your construction imagination...honey...

yah...not going to happen I know

but I can just dream of all the greenery and flowers around it

sigh

sending some pink love your way this weekend

and just in case you would love a little tutu for a little girl you know or have

I know just the person to make them for you!!!

I've got a super sweet friend who makes them

she doesn't have her online site up quite yet but she's getting there

you can contact Tonya here {her e-mail}

she has tons of different colors and all sizes