I'm Here

Hey guys, yes I'm still here! Life has been crazy busy the last few weeks, I seem to look up and it's the end of the day. I start my boot camp work-0ut at 7:00 tonight so pray for me I'm sure I'll need it, I have also been cleaning up my eating habits the past week and drinking about a gallon of water a day per Mr.Trainer's instructions. One of my patients brought me chocolate truffels today (how do they know I'm starting my training) I put a few back to have as a treat after my eight weeks. Lauren came by last night to do laundry and she is loving life, here next part of state boards will be in May sometime. She's enjoying her job at the photo studio and learning alot of things to help her put a portfolio together. I hope all of you are doing well and will talk to you soon....Barb

See What $50.00 Bought !

I have been looking for something for this corner of my living room and see what my best friend was going to sell at her yardsale. I have always loved this old dresser and when I found out she was getting rid of it and for only $50.00 well, it was mine. It looks perfect in this spot and matches the old mirror I've had forever, gotta go do a few more things as we are expecting a storm tonight.Have a blessed day....Barb

Wye Mountain

Wye, Arkansas is a beautiful place to visit in March for the daffodil festival each year. It is in a field by a small methodist church where you can purchase bulbs, a few homemade items and the money goes to the church. It's a great place to take a picnic lunch and take photos, I always took my children when they were small to take spring photos and let them run out some pent up energy. Anyhow its a small place in the country thats a fun way to spend an afternoon and enjoy a warm spring day.....Barb

What day is it?

This is how busy the last few weeks have been because there has been so much going on. I am ready for a lazy day but I don't see one for a little while, it seems that I look up and the day is almost over. Work has been swamped and I am trying to get a little yard work done everyday, I have planted some morning glories, hollyhock and marigold seeds because I don't think we are going to have any more frost and I love going outside everyday to see if the seeds have sprouted. I am trying to get alot of things done because.........next tuesday I am starting a boot camp workout. I know I shudder when I read that word but, I couldn't say no, we have an ex football player and a trainer back in my area working at a gym part time and has agreed to take 10 middle age women ( that's not me I will only be 48 next month) to train for for 8 weeks, three times a week. We will be paying him $25.00 a week, which is dirt cheap since he gets $65.00 an hour. Since my knee surgery last fall I have been lazy on workouts and things are a little flabby so I need this and since my dad has heart disease and is diabetic and I have one brother thats diabetic its time for me to clean up my eating habits and get back to working out. I have started to clean up my diet this week and drinking water and just let me tell you as a southern woman I love food. So I know for the first few weeks I am going to be so sore but, I'm looking forward to it also.Have a good night and talk to you guys soo.....Barb

Busy as a bee....

Wow, this was a really busy weekend. Lauren is moved into her loft apartment with her best friend it is so cute and so her. It's very bohemian shabby chic, reds,blues,turquoise, white with brick pillars and niches for each girls bed they are going to hang curtains around their beds for privacy. It's in an old neighborhood that has alot of young people redoing homes and alot of fun things to do. I have been cleaning out her old room and also a little yard work thrown in. I also would like to ask you for prayers for my oldest daughter Rachel, as many of you know she has been through a divorce, Saturday she took Jace to the park to meet with her ex husband (J) and they talked and she knows that she still loves him and wonders if they may eventually be back together. Now to be honest I am not so excited but the christian woman in me knows I have to pray and let God work. I am asking for prayers that God will turn J into a man of God and change him. I'm not going to go into details about the problems they had but I told her that I would recommend counseling if this happens to start fresh. So please pray for God's will and for her not to get her heart broken again. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and I will talk to you soon....Barb

My Baby is all grown up!

You guys will not be hearing much from me the next few days as we are moving youngest daughter Lauren to her first apartment this weekend. I'll be back monday with updates, have a blessed weekend and keep us in your prayers as mom (me) is going through an adjustment period (LOL). Talk to you guys soon.....Barb

River Market Little Rock

I want to share another part of Little Rock, the downtown river market area. The downtown area had been in a state of disrepair and very run down for years and in July of 1996 the river market opened and revitalized the downtown area. There is a number of shops and stalls that are very diverse, you can find artisan breads and bakery goods as well as gourmet coffee's, european, mexican and middle eastern foods and spices just to name a few. You can also find many great restaurants as well as an amphitheater and the Clinton Presidential Library within walking distance. I am looking forward to the farmer's market which opens April 21st in the river market the fresh vegetables and flowers that are grown local.Hope you all enjoy some more info about my home state....Barb

Happy St.Patricks Day

I hope you all are having a wonderful day, work has been very busy this week so I have been coming home exhausted. We were excited to see in the mail today that Lauren passed the first part of her state boards, she will be taking the second part soon and will have her cosmetology license sometime in April, so please be praying for her new career and a job in a hair salon. She is working temp jobs until this happens and also she is moving out this weekend with one of her high school girlfriends that has finished school and is working in the business world. I am excited for her but kinda sad that my baby is all grown up and moving out, we will be empty nesters for the first time since she attended college and cosmotology school and lived at home. On the other hand I have a spare bedroom to redecorate so lots of ideals, and yes I am still painting cabinets its going slow since I'm so busy at work. Jace has had a stomach bug thats been going around at his daycare and been very cranky so his mommy says. Hope you all have a blessed day....Barb

Arkansas State Capitol

Today I thought I would share some history about my state of Arkansas. Construction of our state capitol building took 16 years from 1899-1915, the exterior is made of limestone. It was built as a replica of the US capitol the front doors are made of bronze and purchased from Tiffany's for $10,000.00 and the cupola is covered in 24 karet gold leaf. It house's many goverment offices and a gift shop that features all Arkansas made products. Many brides to be have their wedding photo's made here because it is a beautiful back drop for photos inside and out.We have also been to a wedding in the rotunda and it was beautiful,when my children were young we always went at Christmas to see Santa and outside they had a tree from each Arkansas county and a beautiful manger scene. If you are ever visiting our state you need to make time to visit this historic building....Barb

How to eat a cupcake 101

Nothing like a child eating a cupcake, a simple pleasure. And to make it even better it had spiderman on it!

Not much too see!

I thought I would show a few photos that I actually exist these were both at christmas time the first one here is at Arkansas Children's hospital breakfast with Santa it was early and I put on sweatpants and went,you can see I have red hair,green eyes and I look half asleep.

This photo was taken in the family center at church each sunday school class had to put up a tree so I had a little helper after we were done we had a baked potato bar and dessert at church.I don't like pics of me I am shy about that. Well maybe you get a little bit of an ideal of what I look like.....Barb

Grocery List & Coupons

I've never been much of a list maker but, these days I seem to be getting in the habit more and more. With the economy being unstable and everyone being on a budget I see more people at the grocery store with list's and coupons. I saw a lady on t.v. the other day that spends about $30.00 - $40.00 a week for over a $100.00 worth of groceries that's what I would love to be able to do. So if any of you have any suggestions feel free to let me know, I have been buying my cleaning supplies at dollar tree so that has been saving me money and as soon as our farmer's market opens for the season that always helps. As you have read in an earlier post our goal is to pay off all college loans in 2 years. My hubby always says I can stretch a dollar better than anyone he knows but I am always on the lookout for any suggestions have a blessed day.....Barb

Rain,Rain Go Away

Our weather for the weekend rain, and cold. We have had a sneak peek of spring last weekend I had the windows open and this weekend the heat is running. We have been lucky to have had a mild winter when so many of you have been buried in snow so I should not be complaining. I just need some sun every few days, I hope to visit some thrift stores tomorrow still painting kitchen cabinets. My hubby asked if I would be done with them this weekend I told him are you kidding? (he works all weekend) have a great night.....Barb

Gigi's Bragging.

I'm late posting tonight, we had our grandson for a while tonight while mommy ran errands.What a little charmer he is, with those big baby blues and that smile. Papaw picked him up from pre-school this afternoon and one of his teachers said he's going to be a knock-out when he gets older. His manners are getting so good and the potty training is going well, he's been promised batman underwear as soon as he's staying dry in pull ups. We played with cars and transformers and just let me tell you this 47 year old woman doesn't understand how to work a transformer (under my breathe I was like for pity sake's it a toy how come I can't do this).Jace will be 3 in May and he's talking about a batman party and what toys he wants I think my daughter is going to have it at the local bowling ally and they will put up bumper guards so they can bowl. She is looking for the cartoon batman party stuff (not the dark knight thats too advanced) and we are going to try and find some of the old Adam West DVD shows for him.I guess you can't tell how much joy he brings to us....Barb

Bathroom Cabinets

Here are some before and after shots of my bathroom cabinets, the photos really don't show the true colors. I painted the base Churchill Hotel Vanilla and put a mocha glaze over the paint and bronze pulls on the doors.It looks much, much better in person and I am very happy with it, now to find new decor. It made the bathroom look so much lighter because I do not have windows in my bathrooms. We have had very warm weather and it's suppose to be cold again by the end of the week (boo) so I have been trying to enjoy outside as much as possible the last few days, well I'm off to walk and do a few chores so have a wonderful day....Barb

Crunch Time

We have been working on a budget today, those college loans are rolling in so it's time to tighten up our belts. We are going to try and have them paid off in 2 years, there are some other things we want to pay off also. So no vacation away this year ( I'll look at pics from other years) but that's ok I'd rather get out of debt. I know many people are having hard times considering the economy so we are happy we have jobs, a home and can pay our bills. Also God has been working on some things I have been praying about and I am so thankful for that. Here's to coupon clipping ( which I enjoy) I know I'm strange. I hope to show you pics of my bathroom cabinets tomorrow.....Barb (Please say a prayer for Lauren tomorrow she has her first half of state boards)

Ibuprofen is my friend.....

I'm almost finished with the bathroom cabinets, they look so good. I think I'm finished for today between working in the backyard and painting my body is screaming for more ibuprofen and some rest. I think a hot shower and my p.j.'s are on the agenda for the rest of today. I hope you all have had a blessed day.....Barb

Sanding and Painting Oh My!

Taking a break ,I have been sanding and painting on my bathroom cabinets, I am pleased at how they are looking and I haven't put the glaze on yet. Yeah! so I am for sure going to do my kitchen when I get done with the bathroom. I'm expecting many sore muscles and on another note the weather is beautiful today I have windows open and we have sunshine today I have also cleaned on our deck a little bit break time over have a beautiful day.

Haircut Time!

Some of the monkey grass in my yard had a haircut today, the folks that lived here before us must have really loved this stuff because I have alot of it in my yard. I guess they planted it because it requires very little work and it's very hard to kill. I use the weed-eater because if I did it by hand it would take days and I wouldn't be able to move. My other project I started tonight painting my bathroom cabinets, I have lived with the standard oak cabinets for 5 years and just didn't like them. I have primer on parts and am going to paint Churchill Hotel Vanilla and then put a mocha glaze over that when I get finished I will show you a pic. If it turns out really great I am going to do my kitchen cabinets, that's going to be a job. Talk to you all soon....Barb

Zero to sixty in 2.5 seconds

This represents my moods today frustration (the red) then calm (the pink)

mad then aggravation and then thinking somedays " I just love my job" not.. but then I remember I owe,I owe it's off to work I go......Barb

This is a beautiful sunset ! Sorry to be less than positive today.

Are you kidding me?

I hate to admit this but, yes I watched the bachelor. My husband can't believe it either he just shakes his head but, honestly I can't help myself. I know its a waste of my time but I did spend some of it on the treadmill. I tell myself I am never watching this again but somehow the devil makes me do it. It's not my fault I'm weak when it comes to reality t.v. right? RIGHT? One last thought after watching was are you kidding me?.....Barb

Oh,I love this face!

Just thought I would share a few photos of my precious little man, I am so blessed to be his gigi we had so much fun this past week-end. We played with toys,colored in his batman coloring book made brownies and watched Jungle Book many times.Love you little man.....Gigi

Fresh from a bath!

Thank You Sweet Lisa!

Thanks Lisa @ Living My Life, Outside The Box. She has become a sweet friend and if you haven't checked out her blog you should. I wished we lived closer because I think we would be would be great friends.

This award is for enthusiastic people that bubble over, I'm humbled that she puts me in this catagory. I love all of your blogs I read and how much passion and creativity you all have and how much you all inspire me to be a better person and how you can see beauty in the simple things in life.

I am always excited to see your photos of your part of the world and what you are cooking or what your lastest project is because it inspires me each and everyday.I hope each of you have a blessed sunday. I consider you all friends....Barb

P.S. I don't know yet how to label and pass awards on ,but each one of you that visit me deserve it so please feel free to put it on your blog from me ( I'll learn all this sooner or later)