Happy Thursday!

I was cuddled up on the couch, with my double socks (my feet freeze) and I looked at the table and it just made me smile. It reminds me spring is coming, just taking its own sweet time. And I know I may be cold today but come summer I will be sitting here not double socked and being so hot from our lovely Texas heat. Its sad when even the pool feels like a warm tub, not something you want in the heat! But for now..I will cuddle up on the couch and have thoughts of spring flowers and the sweet songs of the birds...Happy Thursday everyone!

Outdoor Wednesday...lets just close our eyes and say...SPRING!

Thanks Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for hosting "Outdoor Wednesday" Hop on over to her place to check out other great outdoor photos! http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/2009/01/128-outdoor-wednesday.html

My husband and I go on the Houston River Oaks Azalea Trail each year in March. We make a day of it, we have lunch at this quaint little Swedish Pastry Shop, visit the homes on the trail and all the gardens. We also do some shopping as some really great shops. Its fin and I love seeing all the beautiful colors spring brings. This is from last year, but we are already getting set for this March..of course since we had hurricane Ike we already know there is so much damage..but we will keep our fingers crossed that its still just as beautiful..enjoy!!

Lets just relax!

I don't make it a habit of showing my bedroom as it is a work in progress, but this evening after a long day I decided to hit my fav. chair..this chair is about 13 years old, its big, its comfy and I have a worn a good comfy place for my bottom in it. Now I could recover it but its really time for it to go, I just cannot part with it. So this winter I threw a down comforter over it and tucked here and there and when I thought that chair could not get anymore comfortable..bammmm it did. I have my warm throw and my ottoman I just recovered and I am set. I made some coffee in my grandmothers cup which I love..used my little pig sugar bowl that was my mom's, we used it when I was little and of course my little elephant creamer, that little guy has been around since I was 2! I had my little sweet and some plump cherries and I was set to indulge myself in a magazine or two. It was nice, it was peaceful and I really think I may do it more often..So find yourself your own little place and curl up and enjoy the peace! If you want to see more tablescapes, go visit Susan at Between Naps on the porch @ http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/search/label/Tablescape%20Tuesday

My pantry is done!

It took about an hour and a half but it is done! Everything you see in the before pic's are still in the after pic's. I removed items from boxes and put into tubs, my teens go to the store every Sunday afternoon, just the two of them, they have 20.00 each to spend on snacks and school lunches. They each have a tub now with their name on it to put their items in. There is a tub for quick breakfast items as well as oatmeal. Top shelf is for baking items as well as sandwich bags, foil ect. Next shelf is for Pasta, rice, sauces ect. Next shelf canned goods and breads. (Yes that is a my bread box, these shelves are deep!) Next is crackers and my daughters items, than my sons tub, snacks, and cereal. The bottom shelf is for potatoes, drinks, chips and larger items! I think everyone will be surprised when they get home.

~Before ~

After

~ it still needs work but it's a start!~

My First Metamorphosis Monday!

My First Metamorphosis Monday!
This is my First Metamorphosis Monday and I am pretty excited! If you want to see more great spaces hop on over to "BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH " at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ . This is my pool redo, when we moved into our home the pool had been taken from a plaster pool to a pool with a "lifetime" fiberglass coating..hmmmm..don't think so. Anyway it was great for years but than my son started itching and actually hurting when he got out of the pool. We changed chemicals and all but he still had issues. We found out our lifetime fiberglass coating was flaking. So we finally found a pool company who would tackle this project after many declined. We had the pool surface removed, taken down to the concrete and redone. It looked like a bomb went off in our backyard. Now we love it and everyone can enjoy a nice swim. We also changed the color of the pool, which I love..let me know what you think..

Before..see that big red oak tree? Well it had to come out because the roots were lifting the pool deck. I loved that tree, it was huge and provided loads of shade.

The work begins!

The bomb went off..I emailed these pic's to my husband at work, we had no idea it would look like this and we both wondered how it would ever be a pool again!

After..you can see how the color changes in different light..we love it!

Golden Rules of Kitchen Organization

So today is the day to tackle the pantry! Yuk!!! I have thought this over a million times and sometimes you just have to work with what you have right? Yes I would love to rip out my pantry and design something new but its not top on my list of home remodels. My pantry is very deep so things can really get lost in there and its usually very full. I will be taking before and after pics to post this evening so look for them. Until that time here are some tips and pics I found for inspiration. Wish me luck!!!!

Just a quick list of tips I found!

1. Store things where you use them. Pots and pans are best kept near the range or cooktop; mixing bowls, near the countertop you use for food preparation; plates, glasses, and flatware, near the dishwasher.
2. Group like items together -- store all bakeware in the same cupboard, all wooden spoons in the same ceramic crock, all spices in the same drawer.
3. Store your most frequently used items in the most accessible places. Keep things you use most often at eye level; store heavy items below waist level and infrequently used items on high shelves (keep a step stool within easy reach for such items) or in another area of the house. For example, if you use your oversized turkey platter only once a year, you don't need to store it in the kitchen at all. Instead, stow it on a high shelf in the garage or basement.
4. Declutter yearly. Take an inventory of all utensils, cookware, and dishware annually. Get rid of unnecessary duplicates, items that are damaged beyond repair, or things no longer used.
5. Keep small kitchen items in containers, see-through bins if possible, with neat, easy-to-read labels.

Outdoor Wednesday!!

Its Outdoor Wednesday and I am so excited to be a part of it. To see more outdoor spaces, hop on over to Susan's blog at : http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

This is part of the backyard, boy we will be doing loads of work back here as it warms up! Just ignore the sheets ect. we had a freeze the other night so everything was covered. I stuck my toe in the pool and it is freezing!!! I can't wait to start plant shopping and get some color back here. I love the spring before the heat hits, its always so nice to sit outside!

Can you find the sweet little butterfly?

My sweet olive tree is blooming and smells so good!

What I see when I was on the chaise by the pool. The sky was beautiful!

My rosebush is starting to bloom!

So I plucked some roses and brought them in to give the window above the sink some color!

I'm so deflated!

So after taking all my holiday decor down I could not decide what to do with my mantel. I wanted to do something different, the mood was not there so I left a bare and naked mantle sit for 3 days..yup..how sad is that? So yesterday as I sat on the couch I could stand it no more and started working on it..its done but not done..does that make sense? Its boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When my husband got home I said..I really just don't like it and he said.. "well its kinda boring" OK..when I say that its fine but when he said it, I wanted to cry! LOL But he continued to say..its just because the mantle was so full with the holiday decor that it just seems sparse now, that we just need to get use to it. Maybe...but I think I will continue playing with it and see if anything strikes my fancy. Anyone else having issues like this? ohh and forgive the pic's, the day was cloudy and I just could not get enough light!

Can we talk Kitchens??????????

How many when they look for a new home, look for that fab kitchen? I know I do, as I said before I see lots of homes and I always make a beeline for that kitchen. Here are some pictures of some great kitchens. Small kitchens, large kitchens, bold kitchens and white kitchens, elegant kitchens and rustic kitchens.. Which one strikes your fancy?