My Rose Garden, the new sandbox and Oscar

Since the moment we moved into this house, Kevin has wanted to put in a rose garden for me.  

Last year

we actually had the brick retaining wall built, and it was just waiting for roses.  

Here is the original post
of "Unfinished Business" 
and after reading this post
I realized some of these projects
actually got done and I should
update them...future post...

So... I ordered some barefoot

from J&P 

(a little late, I guess you need to order in June for January/February delivery) 

but missed my opportunity to buy barefoot locally.  

I did make a trip over to a local nursery

and did I score!!!  

They had just planted their bare root roses,

so they pulled them out, wrapped them up and I brought them home.

I am still missing 15, but I am much closer to a rose garden.

I have a wide variety of types and colors.

The nurseryman said I should

be looking at blooms in 6 weeks.

all of my roses were planted

with TLC by
the master gardener.

I even have some famous roses

you may know.

Where there's Ronnie...

Nancy can't be far behind.

I have plans of inviting 

Cary Grant to my rose garden and I'm sure if he comes Grace Kelly and 

Audrey Hepburn would like

to be on either side of him.  

For that matter I need a 

nice white rose so I have invited JFK.  

He will be

flanked by Jackie and Marilyn Monroe.  

I'll have

my own little rose walk of fame.

Speaking of stars....I went to Katina's annual Oscar Party last Sunday.

As usual we had a great time.  

I didn't see any of the movies yet

this year, but I always enjoy seeing the dresses on the red carpet.

Katina is always such a splendid hostess!!

Katina is this Latte or Jasmine?

Our food was terrific and since everyone is on 

Weight Watchers, it was 

also WW friendly.

These ladies really know how

to put on a spread of delicious food.

They had pork tostadas, a pasta dish,

egg rolls, strawberry shortcake just to name

a few of the menu items.

and last but not least,

POP POP has been at it again.

Our little Madi is a bit

of a dirty girl.

She owns every piece of dirt

in our backyard.  Just ask her.

she tells us all the time 

that she loves her dirt.

So the girls sent POP POP this little

hint from Toys R Us.

of course Madi didn't really even know

what a sandbox was.

So after working on the rose garden, Pop Pop and I 

headed to Toys R Us to see what was

so special.

He loved it and carted it home, filled it with 

sand...and look what grew.

Another successful project by the 

Popster.

I'm working on the living room 

mantel and my office redo. 

Hopefully I will have some

pictures of these two projects soon.

Sean put up my new

sconces over the fireplace and it looks

so different.  

You know what happens when you change one thing though.  

My can of worms

is now open...

don't tell Pop Pop.

Kristi's Birthday Dinner

We had a very eventful weekend and part of that weekend was

celebrating Kristi's 30th

We started by having a delicious lunch and cocktail at Miguel's on Friday.

Riley calls it the purple restaurant

and has been wanting to go for weeks.

I think the girls just like to walk around the lake afterward. 

 We always

sit outside and the weather cooperated

beautifully. 

As we were walking around

the lake I was kicking myself for not

bringing my camera with me. 

Sean made it home for the weekend to enjoy the

birthday festivities. 

His birthday was on the 1st and

he couldn't make it home, so we all went down

to San Diego with a

birthday cake made by Kristi for his birthday.

Back to Kristi's birthday....

on Saturday we had her birthday dinner. 

She requested:

Steak

Shrimp

Salad - fashioned after BJ's barbecue chicken salad (so yummy)

Spinach Raviolis in Browned Butter

Asparagus

French Bread

I set the table in happy yellow and black

and got no pictures of anything that evening. 

We actually had a blast,

which is probably why

I took NO pictures

Notice the black marks on the tablecloth?

Kristi has a fear of bees...

so while I was setting the table

I was cracking myself up. 

The tablecloth and napkins

have an adorable bee embroidered on them.

So funny

Happy Birthday Kristi...

I

can't believe you turned

30.

Enjoy!

By the way...the rest of the weekend included

A Rose Garden

New sconces

and an Oscar Party!!!

and I did get pictures of those.

Happy Birthday Kristi!!!!!

 Dear Kristi,

Happy Birthday.  

I wrote you a one minute poem.  

My creative juices weren't flowing this morning 

but my heartfelt

birthday wishes are there just the same.  

Enjoy your day!

To Kristi:

You turned thirty today we need a massive celebration

Wonderful wife, mom, daughter and friend, 

wow, you also need a vacation

Thirty has come too quickly for me to digest

But upon reflection of you my darling, I am truly blessed

Your life, as I had hoped is filled with love and joy

Even though you haven’t yet decided on another baby (boy)

You have so many talents, I can't name them all

You are beautiful, creative, and I must mention tall.

I look forward to all the good things the future will hold

but please slow it down, you know I am getting old.

Have a great day, surrounded by those who care most

And I raise my glass and offer you a birthday toast. 

(maybe at lunch)

I love you and am very proud of the woman you are,

In my book you are the most shining star.

Love 

Mom

Still on the list...

Well the painting of the molding is still on the aggressive list, but everything else got done. 

I actually made

4...count'em 4 meals for the week. 

I will share those because they were not only yummy,

but Weight Watcher friendly. 

I found them on Pinterest,

which is my guilty little pleasure. 

If you haven't gotten your invite, do it now...

fun ideas, pics and recipes.

 Pinterest

Too Aggressive ???

Finding myself with an extra day off, I felt like accomplishing something.

I may have been a little too aggressive.....but I shall see
when the day is done :)

1.  Do Laundry (boring but necessary)
2.  Iron golf pants (again boring but necessary)
3.  Plan and make 3 meals for the week
4.  Feed roses (my favorite thing on the list so far)
5.  Caulk shower (soooooo necessary)
6.  Go to Z Galleries and look at picture (and hopefully purchase with the help of a friend...any volunteers???)
7.  Put out new "stuff" in living room (Very Very Fun)
8.  Paint moldings in entryway (alas this has been on the list for the last 2 weeks)

Wish me luck.....

I Believe....

Since I was Riley's age I have

always loved fairies.

I know princesses are all the rage now,

and fairies are always playing second fiddle.

But really, it doesn' t get spunkier than a fairy

and they can fly too.

What princess can say that?

Princesses today have come a long way from the princesses of my day, but still....fairies are so fun.

Disney has done such an amazing job

bringing Tinker Bell to life....

bigger and better than just Peter Pan's sidekick.

And have you met her friends?

I play a game with my grand daughters

when I babysit,

before they go to sleep we go through the fairies.

I name the color of the fairy

and they tell me which fairy I'm thinking of.

It goes something like this.

Green - Tinker Bell (my favorite)

Blue - SilverMist

Pink - Rosetta

(it's always a toss up between SilverMist

and Rosetta as the favorite)

Yellow - Iridessa

Orange - Fawn

and like every group of characters

you need one a bit adversarial

with a bit more attitude than the rest.

Purple - Vidia

Since putting in the playground for the girls

I have always wanted one area

as my very own Pixie Hollow.

Pixie Hollow is the place that Never Fairies live.

I know, enough about the fairies already,

but hey I love em...

In fact, I love them so much I decided to make

fairy houses with the girls to hang in

my very own Pixie Hollow.

So with some paint and lost things

we assembled our fairy houses.

Riley decided she wanted to do a

house for Rosetta, and since

Rosetta is a flower fairy and is pink...

her house needed flowers and lots of pink.

Pop Pop, not being a fan of fairies but

definitely being a fan of the

girls decided to stop by and

see what we were doing.

That look on Riley's face is hysterical...

no telling what Pop Pop said.

Madi was in her own little world.

Do you know how

much bling can fit on a fairy house?

Just ask Madi....lots and lots and lots.

And we haven't even

put the pixie dust on yet.

Can you see the pixie dust in the picture,

glitter that comes in every fairy color

imaginable.

I think Madi wanted as much bling

on her house as was on Rileys outfit.

The houses turned out darling and we

had a great time making them.

As soon

as the weather gets a bit warmer,

the girls

and I will head out to Pixie Hollow and hang

them. I hope the fairies enjoy

them and visit often.

Because the fairies know, in this house

We believe!!!!

Halloween Bunco

It's time once again for my Halloween Bunco.

I have written my annual invitation poem,

but this

year I have added something new....

It’s that time once again, but look for a Twist

And if you dare to not come, the Powers at be will be Pissed

Rumor has it that a Masquerade Party has been planned

With Murder and Mystery, it’s bound to be Grand

An invitation will arrive with your part, which is Key

To give you the tools you will need to administer the Third Degree

You will play an important part,

so bring your Wits and your Cunning

And a Masquerade Mask that is both Glitzy and Stunning

You may Dress as you wish, but in Character I would Choose

Rewards will be given for those that step it up and Amuse.

October 28 is the date I think would be best

Let me know if this works to eliminate my stress

A delicious Mexican dish is the price of Admission

not to mention a lovely Bunco Tradition

Please come ready to play and help solve this Masquerade Mystery

And I apologize ahead…….you do know my History.

We shall be playing a murder mystery...

Something I have been wanting to

try for a long time.

Mystery at the Masquerade Ball,

I will let you know how it goes.

I'm hoping it will become our new tradition

and will be a party to die for.