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It's therapeutic, is it not?

To get a dog?

to be more specific....A JACK RUSSELL TERRIER PUPPY!!! yep, those dogs who are known for their hyper activity!!! A puppy who needs potty training!!  AW...yep you think I have lost my mind!  That's Ok...it wouldn't be the first time I have been accused of that and I'm sure not the last. 

The only thing this year on MacKenzie's Dear Santa letter was a puppy.   As you recall from a couple of years ago..My Dear Santa letter there was a puppy on my list.  So finally we got one....I'm still holding out for my Antique looking ring...maybe in the next two years it will happen! 

`````````````````````````````Price is Right`````````````````````````````` 

Sorry to leave you hangin.  The Christmas decorations that I got at the Expensive but beautiful fairy land Roger's Gardens was the Tinsel Garland with lights in the Champagne color..I have never seen anything with that color before so I thought that was so unique I had to get it.  It was afforable as compared to some of the items, it cost $34.99  The Chenille Santas were also from there and they only had two left so I picked them up at $9.99, not a bargain but again unique.  They also had Snowmen, which I love but I didn't think these ones were that cute so I passed.   The rest of the item in that post were from TJMaxx/ Marshalls.  I love the snowmen and only found 3 but I did search high and low for more.  Here are the Three Amigos on the top shelf of my hutch.

 

The above Blue Church and House reminded me of the German Glass Glittered houses that I saw at Roger's Gardens but even though they are blue and not silvery they were a bargain at $6.99 versus the $100.00 version.  {see below post}

Here they are in their glass homes.   As I look at this picture the Wendy Addison Noel and Dream words look wonky there...note to self...move to another spot.  Well, if not having a puppy at this time is NOT therapeutic then shopping is!  As any women surely knows...

Thanksgiving Table

   Well, this is as far as I got with my Burlap Tablecloth...I know I know...I'm the queen of unfinished projects!!!! But, But, But....

 

You see I was using the edge of the material as the ruffle {on a count of I was too lazy to hem} so I ran out of the edgy part to finish the ruffle.  I knew I had some more burlap but it ended up being a different color of Burlap than I started the tablecloth with.  Drats!!  Since I bought the rest of that color on the roll at my Joann's and the next closest Joann's  had other colors of Burlap but NOT my color. So...I never was able to finish this one for this Thanksgiving.  I had to revert to the old stand by tablecloth that is too short for my table.  To try and camouflage "the coming up short" I hung butternut colored napkins off the side at each place setting.  I think that worked. 

 
These embroidered linen napkins were my mothers , now that lady was a collector of linens.  You know what they say, "mother like daughter".   The china is Noritake in Heather, that my Mr. Incrediblepicked up at a yard-sale for five dollars.  Can you believe that?  Yep...we scored.  It is only a set of four, which is perfect cause that's all we got at the dinner table.  The glittered pumpkins could of been used as place settings markers but since I know all four people in my family I skipped that small detail.  

I still used the burlap in the floating candle bowl that holds dried Straw Flowers,, I think the colors they behold are so fall like.  Inside are floating pumpkin candles.  Hope you all had a wonderful Turkey Day and are stuffed.  I tried Kim over at Dear Daisy Cottage  Sweet Potatoe Casserole and it was very, very good. 

 

post Halloween sightings.....

Excuse me blog readers for the spotty postings but my computer was in the shop again!!  Lesson Learned...do not go grocery shopping and leave Husband in charge because neighborhood children like to use said computer to download you tube everything.... but she is back now and I hope to post more wonderful things that I would love to share with you all.  First of all take a look of these cute Mummified Cupcakes...

You can get the brown-eyed sugar eyeballs from Target.  If Mummies are not your "thang", how about some gangly legged red spiders, Jack O'Lanterns or One eyed Monsters......

 

Look!!!  It's Raggedy Ann!   When I was a little girl my Mom made me my very own Raggedy Ann, nope not store bought she sewed it herself.  I loved it!  I have no idea what has happened to it, out of all the things I wish I'd saved when growing up that would of been it.  My daughter was a little unhappy that some people where calling her a Clown at school {she thought it had to do with her red nose) so on Halloween she begged me not to put on the red nose.  

Here she is with all of her trick or treaters cronies.  Madison Gypsy Rose went with her friend from school I was able to get a picture of her in her costume before she headed out to "beg" for candy..

Yes...Gypsies are good at being beggars....

One of the scariest house on the block....they have a real chain saw buzzing and the kids get really scared it is a must to visit....{not for the faint of heart}

Now I think this pumpkin had too much to drink....he hurled all over the place.

Now this IS Scary....inside this cloche with the glittery skull and creepy spider is a PICTURE of my ancestors!!!!!  It is a picture from my Dad's side of the family.  It is penciled in the back of who they are.  I think it is kind of neat how I have quite a few of these precious photographs in my possession even if they creep me out.  Hope you had as much as we did.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Or if the things in the Ocean are your game......

 

You'll enjoy The Long Beach Aquarium , I have been to this  place every year..........

 

with the First Graders at my girls' school, I have done several long -term {subbing} positions there and It seems that I have been lucky enough to be working when they take this annual trek to the Aquarium of the Pacific.   My first love has always been Marine Biology {thought I wanted to be a Marine Biologist during my early days in College, took a class called Island biology and got to Scuba dive in the Northern Channel Islands off of the Santa Barbara Coast} I even worked here ...while attending San Diego State University {then switching my major to Psychology which lead to a teaching credential in Hawai'i}....

Can you see the beautiful Sea Horse in the photo above...it is beautifully camouflaged in the seaweed?  So graceful, isn't' it?

 

Look at the Sawtooth Fish, which is in the Elasmabranch family...(Sharks and Rays) which moves it's nose back and forth through a school of fish to sting them and that's how it eats.   yes..that's what I do when I go through the Aquarium...I feel like I'm like the Crocodile Hunter with my excited tidbits of trivial information about the Ocean World.  Speaking of the Sharks and Rays and The Crocodile Hunter {one of  Mr. Incredible's favorite people of all time, we miss him terribly} one of the most popular exhibits is the Pools of Sharks and Rays, where you can pet them...

 

 

If you ever come out to the Los Angeles area..this is a must see you'll come face to face with some of these menacing dudes...

 

this is a Sand Tiger shark...althoughthey look scary..they aren't very aggressive.   They do have a Bull Shark in the exhibit but I didn't get a picture of it they are aggressive and they do go in brackish water and fresh water.....

 

Now...i thought this sign was funny....{my nickname is Ellie, short for Gabrielle and Mr. Incredible....well is Troy}...how cute to have some Harbor Seals named after us!!!  

 

the cutest of all the fishes in the sea......but i know i'm biased.....

Summertime Staycation...

 

             { Cath Kidston photo above}..is it not the cutest tent..ever!!

This year due to the economy being Wonky....{unpredictable} and paying Uncle Sam... we did not have the finances to fly to  Alabama and/or go stay in Carpenteria like we usually do in the summertime.  My favorite thing is to camp right on the beach and here in California we have lots of beaches to choose from but our favorite is Carpenteria.  They have lots of antique stores that Mr. Incredible and I love to browse in, even though we have to bribe our children with "ice cream" to  do this.  Mr. Incredible is NOT a big fan of Camping...he would rather sleep in more luxurious accomodations such as a hotel or even by Camper....sure I'd go with something like this....

 

but in reality....we will hit places near our home like....

 

to see the lions, tigers and bears, oh my!

 

the meerkats are too cute!!

 

the monkeys...

 

oh you say...those aren't monkeys....oh yes  they are!!   Cute monkeys if I do say so...

 

the Baboons are always hilarious....

 

the giraffes are always sticking out their tongues looking to eat a nice juicy leaf...oh not a giraffe...Ok..what about a Zebra...

 

the zebras..so docile unlike these fearsome creatures....

 

Oh that's Mr. Incredible, don't worry about him..his bark is worse than is bite...

 

A smiley crocodile....doesn't he look friendly...not!   While we are in Australia...

 

let's look at the Kangaroos , check out their feet...Oh my aren't they ginormous!!

 

this two...look like these two.....

 

if you ever come to California for a vacation or staycation...the L.A. Zoo is a nice place to go and it is relatively cheap...you can bring in your own lunch and save money...but I still would rather be in Carpenteria antiquing.....but as they say there is always next year!!

 

so until then......

 

I'll visit it in my dreams...

Happy Birthday to me...a show and tell

The laptop purse bag in rich rust paisley print from my in-laws.  I Kenneth Cole Leather wallet from my husband's grandmother.  Now I need a laptop....hint, hint. 

 

A straw bunny sunbathing his belly...perfect for the garden, from my eldest daughter.

 

My youngest got me this vintage bicycle..she knows me so well.  I think it will look so pretty with some flowers in it.  She was so excited to give it to me..she was like, "Mom, you are going to scream..when you see it".  

 

My neighbor got me this cutest coffee cup with my initial....from my      and the prettiest blue earrrings (her mother made them)

 

Aren't they the prettiest shade of blue...she said, I need to fill my earring tree up.  That's was my birthday gift to myself.  It was on sale from  here . You know I have been watching for it to go on sale.   I am a sucker for anything that is beaded. 

Couple Curiosities

What are your middle names?
Samuel and  Marie

How long have you been together?
11 years today!!, but I have know him since High School, we dated briefly for about 9 months, you know that song Womanizer by Britney..there you have it.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
See above answer, we met at the Old Fullerton College Bowl...at a party


Who asked whom out?
Well, quite frankly I don't remember but I'm sure it was him..I would of never asked a man out...maybe batted my eyelashes or something

How old are each of you?
I will be 45 in a couple of weeks and he is 46.

Whose sibling do you see the most?
Neither side..it's quite a shame.  I should be seeing my side since they live here in this state.


Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
We "talk" mostly about money..how I need to stop spending money.  

Did you go to the same school?
We went to Rival High Schools but his school closed down after he graduated, the school couldn't handle any more kids like him (think Jeff Spicoli)...so I became friends with all his friends at my High School so that's how we met

Are you from the same home town?
Yes.

Who is smarter?
That's tough...I know more about book stuff, reading and words and he is better with numbers...hence he is better with money. 

Who is the most sensitive?
That would be Troy.  He holds it in more but I know he gets hurt more easily.  But lately I have had my hormones bouncing every which way..I was crying in the Post Office yesterday when I saw they had stamps about Alzheimer's for sale.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
We don't have a place as a couple, it's as a family, probably Mimi's or Olive Garden . Like tonight I asked my husband would you like Chicken Enchiladas tonight or Lasagna..the girls screamed Chicken Enchiladas!!  Hey, it's not your anniversary..go get your own..no don't..I'm only kidding you can share ours!  hee.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Again as a family to Alabama.  He lived with me in Hawai'i for a year so maybe that counts.


Who has the craziest exes?
Troy...I think if we still lived in Hawai'i, it would of been mine. 


Who has the worst temper?

Me....it has mellowed over the years for sure.

Who does the cooking?
Me, he can't even make Jello.

Who is the neat-freak?
Me but he doesn't like clutter, poor guy and he lives with a junk collecting, trash digger of a wife..well he digs up trash for me too...don't think he likes it...but loves to make me happy.

Who is more stubborn?
Definitely me...I'm easy going but when I get mad I blow up like a Volcano...I hold a grudge forever...not a good trait, I know.

Who hogs the bed?

Well, I tear the bed up.  I sleep upside down so I don't snore in his ears, he is a very lite sleeper.  I'm in menopause so I have major temperature issues going on.

Who wakes up earlier?
Troy, he has to be at work by 6:30, on weekends when he is not working Me..we let him sleep in.   I'm a night owl by nature.   He is a lark.


Who is more jealous?
Troy...for sure.

How long did it take to get serious?
Pretty fast, since we knew each other already...It's kind of funny but when I was living with my boyfriend in Hawai'i and I came back to work for one summer Troy came looking for me at my job ( I wasn't there) and come to find out he was having second thoughts of getting married (he was married before) so when we got back together we we got pregnant and when his divorce was final we married right away. 

Who eats more?
Probably the same..I eat more sweets, him more cheese.

Who does the laundry?
I do mostly..when I take on full time work, he does his own.

Who's better with the computer?
Me..he doesn't even know how to check the bank account...I have to do it all.

Who drives when you are together?
Him...I only drive when he gets tired.

 

What a beautiful Snow Day....

          So we loaded up the car with tobaggons, snow boots, gloves, jackets, and $$$ and rode the lifts and went tube'n. 

     

 

4 new toboggans....$81.00

2 pairs of boots..... $50.00

1 new jacket..........$30.00

4 lift tickets............$44.00

4 tube rentals.......$65.00

parking................$5.00

lunch....................$50.00

The above look on these faces...........Priceless

P.S....on the ride home My husband said, "Girls I hope you enjoyed the day cause the next time you come up here you'll have a boyfriend to pay for it so he better be rich."

Which they responded,  "Dad!!  We are only 8 and 10!!!"

P.S.S. on the drive home, the eldest complained of having a headache and the other said she felt nauseous.    So then, he said.  "Flat-landers".  Overall we had a great time and it was worth it for the whole family to have a quality family time..

One of Three

We have three Christmas trees in the house.  One for the main living space and the girls each have their own.  I'll take some pictures of their trees tomorrow but I did manage to get some shots of the main tree.......once at night and another during the daylight hours.. {click to enlarge any picture}

 I have three sets of ornaments....One is all Victorian, all whites, silver, golds and a bit of rose pinks and creams.  Those are my favorites.  Second I started collecting all Country/rustic snowmen and lastly Santa's........

This year I picked up a fake tree at a garage sale in the summer for ten dollars well my husband is not at all a fan of fake trees but I thought I could put it in the front room and put up my Victorian ornaments on it and get a real one for the family room and do the Santa's on there.  The fake trees branches didn't sit right at one part it kind of left a big gap.  I probably didn't put it together right but hubby would complain every day how awful it looked so finally I took it out and a lady who was selling Adirondack benches was driving by and I stopped her I was interested in her benches..I'll show at another post what we got..it was my Christmas present.  My husband asked if she wanted the fake tree, we had just came home and the real tree was in the back of his truck.   Well she took it for her daughter.  He was happy, me not so much.  Because I had my heart set on my Victorian tree this year...nope I got out voted by the family........

  Here is our new addition to the clan...is he not the cutest?   I got him at Gary's Island.  I don't know if they have them across the country or not.  I love his grass skirt.  To make me feel a bit better I added all my German glass glitter ornaments that I got last year to make the tree sparkle a bit.  I rather like the look. 

 Now here she is glowing at night...I wish I was better a taking nighttime pictures...I know you need a open aperture and a tripod to keep the camera from shaking but that is too much work for me...

 I see we have a big puka with the lights....not my department...so me no fixey.

another year older today!

yep..the old man had his 46 birthday today.   so he got to pick what is up for dinner and of course he picked Machaca.  The recipe is under the category of Food and Drink.    Believe me....your whole family will love it.   You can spice it up a bit depending on what kind of Chile's you add to it.  I used an Anaheim..much more milder than the Serranos.  It came out perfect and will be actually better tomorrow.  We started to make the cake for the Birthday Boy but when we put in the last egg...i noticed the yolk was black.....Yuck!!  I bought Egg-lands eggs I don't know...maybe   they have a different shelf life.  Anyways the next three i got were fine....but I had to throw away the first batch of cake mix.  So that left me with only a Spice cake and German chocolate mix to choose from, so we went with the German Chocolate.  My hubby is not wild about Cinnamon.  We used a butter/confectioners sugar mix...and it came out pretty good.  The cake came out very moist...i seem to always over cook the cakes, not this time.....I have gotten smart and have learned to check the cake five minutes before the box says it's done....and see if my dip stick comes out clean.  Here is the crew celebrating their favorite guys' birthday.......yes..I know the decorating of the cake leaves much to be desired but....hey...one hurdle at a time......