Tuesday Times

Hi Dee Ho there Peeps!!!

Long time no chat!   So so very much has been going on and I don't really know where to start so I figured I'd start with a Tuesday Times edition and catch everyone up a little bit. 










Reading:  I subscribe to a couple of different email lists that send me daily books that are free or almost free and I started the most wonderful book series: Bellingwood.  Here's the link on Amazon, I've finished 4 of the books and 1 of the novella short stories, ready to start #5.

                                                                  


Listening:  Listening to the dog snore, VERY loudly.

Not actual photo of him snoring but I thought you should be reminded of  Sir Winstons charming face

Watching:  Game of Thrones....does any other show matter??  I think not, especially since Fixer Upper is on hiatus. 

Trying: To make my upstairs craft room/ guest room / office balcony look like a New Orleans Bourbon St. balcony. I may bankrupt us in the process but it'll be awesome!!

Here's where we are so far in the transformation:

From L to R: My travelocity gnome, an orange tree that we started from seed from a tree when we visited Arizona State, garlic in the small blue pot.  Up on the railing basket we have purple and yellow and white trailing flowers ( from Home Depots HGTV collection) and back down to the middle we have a rectangular planter with 2 hibiscus plants.  I'm picking up another planter and 2 more Hibiscus plants this week to balance things out.  Then we have a Sun Parasol Mandevilla in Pretty Pink and over in the far right corner is the lime tree (with limes growing) that we've had for years.  Over in the back right corner that you cannot see is a Gardenia tree that is FINALLY starting to leaf back out, a pineapple plant that I actually started from a pineapple top and a rosemary plant. 

I've found a round lounger and a swing that I'm trying to decide between for this space and I'd like to cover the roof decking with either artificial turf or a large outdoor rug. I think it'll be a great spot for my morning coffee or evening glass of wine.  No one ever wants to sleep up in that room but by the time I'm done up here I'm betting it'll be the most requested guest spot.  

 Cooking:  Tried making a Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Crumble doughnut yesterday.  I thought it was "chalky", Hubster loved them and the Abogg surprised me this morning and he loved them too.  I twitter chatted with a lovely blogger who gave me some tips on baking with GF flour mixes so I think I'll go find that recipe and maybe give it another try.

Eating: So in this crazy world of messed up change of life events, I was recently diagnosed with a wheat allergy.  Basically this means I cannot have anything made with flour.  In case you wondered, that's almost everything on the face of the earth.  Between the Hummus recall and the Blue Bell Ice cream recall, I may starve. Thank goodness for cheese. 

Drinking:  After I get my water for the day finished, it's Dos Equis time.  (yes, I can have that beer and believe me I've done HOURS of research on the beers I can and can't have). Yes I'm fully aware that I lead an uneventful life. 


Pinning:  I've been researching companion planting for the garden. Hours of time I've spent and we finally have everything in the ground.  We'll see how this goes-hoping for bumper crops and less pests.

Here's our little garden: cherry tomatoes, kale, cucumbers, sunflowers, basil, tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, squash, dill, banana peppers, green beans, black eye peas, cantaloupe, bell peppers, LOTS of marigolds, onions, lavender.  That's all planted and coming up beautifully and when the time is right we'll add eggplant and okra.  

We finally convinced Hubster into another fire pit.  This is our little seating area off the back porch.

]

Here's another view.  We enjoy sitting out here with the neighbors and plus it's a legal way to burn all the sticks and brush.  Woohoo

Tweeting:  My woes of GF baking and pics of products I review.  I'm @SammaSpot if you're a Tweeter! 

Crafting: I haven't really been crafting. There's too much yard work, gardening and general stuffs to be done.  

Doing: It's that time of year, when the inside of my house is a mess because I'd much rather be outside planting flowers and working in the garden and enjoying the non suffocating temperatures.  It's Sir Winstons favorite weather too!

Going:  We're making a trip to Arkansas this weekend for the girls Uncle Matt's wedding celebrations.  Uncle Matt married a delightful girl from Thailand and they've already married over in Thailand but now they are heading back to the States to celebrate their joyous new marriage. 

Loving:  My acupuncturist!  Seriously, she is DIVINE!   People I was dying, the allergies on top of my thyroid had me feeling so bad and down in the dumps that I knew I was ready to try anything.  My only question is WHY did it take me so long???  I've had 3 sessions and I'm feeling amazing (allergy wise-dang thyroid still misbehaves). I'm allergic to pollen, every flipping tree in Texas and wheat flour.  Seriously, is there any wonder to why I felt so bad?

Hating: Negative judgmental people.  Seriously ain't nobody got time for that!   I'm just leaving this one because the older I get the more this bugs me. 

Discovering:  That it really is time to get some decorating done around here. We've been here for a year now and we've done one tiny little powder room and that's it.  Time to quit pinning and start painting!

Enjoying: My friends, my family and my neighbors. Seriously, we have the best time with these neighbors.  Good people I tell ya, really good people.

Hoping:  For my sweet mama to feel better. She's having a tough time so prayers, good thoughts, positive vibes her way would be much appreciated. 

This photo was a little over two years ago, Winston was a wee tiny pup.

Smelling: Everything because my nose is no longer stopped up. 

Thanking:  Once again I have so much to be grateful/thankful for and I try to never take anything or anyone for granted.  

Considering: Which room I'm going to tackle first in this house.  It's open season, they all need something done.

Finishing:  The garden planting.  Our pepper seeds didn't come up so I need to get a few bell pepper plants.  However every stinking cucumber seed did burst forth so I've got to thin those out. If you need cucumber plants, come see me.

Starting: Finally going to get started educating myself and selling my Young Living oils.  A little extra cash to help out the flower funds around here.  Plus I'm out of about 4 oils so I need to get an order out.  Message me if you need something.

Reviewing:  I took out a couple of categories and am adding this one. Currently I'm reviewing YSL mascara for Influenster. 

 

Arrival day and unboxing.

The goodies!

Creepy before eye photo

Creepy after photo.  Can you believe that is only one coat?!

Pros:  Lengthens wonderfully without clumping
Doesn't flake off in my contacts
Stays on most of the day
Easy to remove

Cons:  I wish it thickened a bit more like my regular mascara
Does tend to smudge
Because it's easy to remove it isn't as long lasting as my other mascara

All in all it's a great mascara if you are looking for a lengthening mascara that's easy to remove.  Head over to the YSL page to see the product information and find out where you can pick up your tube.

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."
       

I just threw this in for fun because these guys melt my heart!  When you wish things for your children you always hope that their lives are steeped in deep, wonderful friendships.  The kind of friends that you can go for months without seeing but the minute you do it's like no time has passed, friends that are there for you no matter what is going on in their life...that's these boys.  Another thing I'm ever so grateful for, my "other" sons as I call them.  I can tell you too that all the other moms feel the same way...blessed indeed!

Peace, Love & Spring