Eat, Pray, Love...

Oh....boy...I hopped on the Eat, Pray, Love train this summer when I saw Julia Roberts on Oprah. My mother-in-law was reading the book on vacation when we went in June and loved it so I got the book as well. I wasn't able to make it past India without being a little bored (those of you who have read know what I'm sayin'.....) so I was SO glad Mom asked me to go see it with her...I liked the condensed version idea! Although I do plan to read the rest when we go to the beach again!

 What wonderful movie it was. I love Julia (I say that as though we are good friends) so that helped a lot. The film was a little dragging at first but once she started traveling it was a fun ride. We LURVED the idea of Italy and all their food and wine. We have lots of German relatives, so we felt soooo European going to see that movie, and obviously would fit right in in Italy. ;)

I got all dressed:

Which is really just me wearing something other than flip-flops like the rest of the ladies in the theater...

I learned a new word! "Attraversiamo", which means, "Let's cross over" (like, the street...not to another life or something!) I keep saying it with much gusto. ATTRAVERSIAMO!!!!!!! I just need to use it in context now.

And last night I made SPA-GHETTI!!! *with Italian accent* Although failed to take a picture because I was too busy eating.

Today my husband made a delicious salad for dinner with Romaine, red onions, banana peppers, black olives, a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and some parm. It was delish!

 We got super-excited and even found a perfect pizza:

So this is what my dinner consisted of:

Is that a glass of red wine hiding in the corner? So it is.

Some Old Days and New Days

Dustin's grandparents gave him this photo to make some copies of. This is his grandfather (PawPaw or PaPa, not sure of the spelling) when he was around 22 years old. Isn't he handsome?

This next photo is of an old store that Dustin's great, great grandfather ran in Alabama, "Big Coon". Still looks pretty good for being so old!

 

The inside:

The Bell Spring:

 Dustin's family purchased some land out close to that old store, for Dustin's grandfather and for the family to pass through the generations. They have plowed it and cleared the land, and purchased a small travel camper to stay in when they are out that way. I have not seen it yet but am excited to go "camping" soon!

What a pretty view!

 

Lately...

 Hmmm...so what have I been up to these days?

WELL. If you MUST know, the new Premier Designs Jewelry 2010-2011 catalog just came out!!! I'm SOOOO excited. I must brag and say that the company has outdone themselves this year. I think the jewelry is the best yet. I have been busting bottom getting the word out, handing out catalogs, and just letting everyone know in general what a great company I am a part of!!!

Aside from that, I've been on a Pottery Barn kick. See Exhibit A:

I went on their website and saved a ba-gillion pictures to use for decorating reference. Although I must say, I don't have QUITE the money or doo-dads right now to really make it work, but I try.

Exhibit B: Me forcing Mom to take a picture of me in Pottery Barn for use in my "Dreamboard". This is me envisioning myself sitting in a Pottery Barn-esque home one day. Hehe!

I've been playing around a little with more summer decorating. (I said I wanted to do that!)

My dining room/kitchen table was looking kinda blah.

I also took everything off the end tables and the mantel in the living room and have stoof in front of it multiple times in the past few days going, "Hmmmm..." with a very "thinking" look on my face.

The mantel is to be determined but while I wait, at least I can eat some yummy dinner Dustin made:

I took the pic in the beginning stages...it's going to be Mexican soup...but it smelled so good I had my nose in it already!
More later on if I actually redo the mantel or just put everything back how it was............

Our new patio set! (Kind of...)

So we finally got our new patio set! 

We haven't finished decorating around it yet so I just saved some pics off the website:

We don't have that rug (I couldn't find it in the store or online) but I had my eye on this one for a long time and when it went on clearance I grabbed it:

Yes, it looks a little crazy 70's, but I promise in person it's a little more muted and goes well with the color of our house, which is cream with a butterscotch-ish trim color.

 I have lots of pretty red accents - on my pillows that are on the two benches by the front door, along with a few hanging thingys.

Someone took a pic on the website of their patio area, and it's a similar set and the same rug, so it gives you KIND OF an idea of how ours looks:

I have no idea who the person is (sorry, person) but their set is similar (ours has a glass table and brown throw pillows) and the cushions are the same.

So anyway, we have to put up some lattice, and move a few things around, and I'll update soon!

Just a quick one

I'm not feeling too hot today so I finally moved from the bed to the couch and when I did...

I suddenly became Cat Lady!

Ugh, I thought I Wouldn't be Cat Lady until I was at least 70...

Have a great Day!

More of the patio...getting closer!

OK, so this really isn't of the patio itself...just around it. We have all but one small space to do and that is getting done today. I bought a rug I'd had my eye on at Wal-Mart on clearance, (of course) Mom ordered us an umbrella that should be here next week, and all we have to do is get the patio furniture. Dustin LOVES one at...you guessed it, Wal-Mart! It is on "Rollback" so we are setting aside money for it but I'm thinking we'll get it soon.

We went outside a little while before the sun went down. We had bought a pretty tropical palm plant a while back and decided to move it over by the new patio. Good decision, I think. And I finally got to use my Tiki Torches!

 

And my pretty votive holders I showed you a few posts ago. :)

I hate these pretty much every time of year except for now because they are just a bunch of green leaves, but they look pretty while they bloom! (And they match my new rug, which I forgot to take a pic of! Erg!)

This I took a little earlier in the day, it's my Breast Cancer Rose! It came back!

The sunset in the distance wasn't much to look at, but I looked straight up and what a pretty sky!

We can't wait to get our new patio set and have a shindig!

New patio!

We have needed a new place to sit outside for a while ever since we tore off part of our deck that was rotting away. The rents (AKA landlords) helped us get some concrete a few weeks back and we FINALLY started on it today.

We used a stone paver mold to make the look. All the little dots are seashells. I also sprinkled sand in each one. (Yes, I know concrete already has sand in it...but this is beach sand!) and you can see it on top of some of them.

Dustin mixed and really worked hard.

I smoothed and added the seashells and sand. :)

My hair was all wet...it's close to 100 degrees here, so we kept soaking out heads in the water hose. I was way past vanity at this point!

We are almost finished and are saving up for a new patio set and umbrella!

Back to work in the morning...!