Monday, Monday

Happy Monday. It is a new week...lots to do. It will be a short one too, because of the 4th of July weekend.

We are back on a structured school schedule, as the kids have been having a hard time with a more relaxed routine. It really proves the need for structure and schedules in my home. They certainly do thrive on it.Summer school is still more relaxed than the September through May schedule, but it is enough to keep them focused.

I plan to walk my treadmill and do some Christoga. The kids will join me.

I was suppose to go to my mom's house today to help her get things back in order. Problem....her walls are not in a condition to paint, so they need to be papered. That will be done Tuesday and I will go to her house on Thursday.

I ordered the valance for my kitchen. I am waiting on the eating area. Still not sure. I was so pleased with the price of the valance. $9.99. The bad news, the S&H was almost as much!!!

Along with school and exercise, I have TJ for a while as Mom has a doctors appointment. We will play outside and then it is back to work!!!!Laundry, basic cleaning, dinner prep, and I have several quilting deadlines I need to get working on. It will be a busy week. Hope yours is as productive!!!

Let's Go Shoppin!!!

What are we shopping for??? Window treatments!! I need some advice. First let's look at a couple of choices for the kitchen window.Just one window above the sink. It has a valance and mini blinds right now. I would really like to have "kitchen curtains" Here are a couple I liked. Let's call the first one A and the second one B.Hard to tell, but they both have fruit. Ooooor, should I stick with a valance?Next room....the eating area. It has matching valances and blinds just like the kitchen. I want something for the windows on either side of the sliding door.I reeeeally like this table cloth.
So here are a couple of valance choices. Again A & B.
I like that color, but I am tired of it...it is what I already have, so how about that valance in a mustard tone.Or this one.....
I am terrible at making decisions in this department! Any input is helpful!!

It was a nice weekend. TJ came to see Grandma today. Bud had a run to Dallas this last week, so he was able to get Zach a Texas hat and postcard. He also got one for himself, so they match. I love this picture of the "brothers" hanging out in the garage! Look at Zach's hand on Bud's shoulder! Awwwww. That hat is perfect for covering up the haircut Zach gave himself!!!!
The other side matches. We first noticed this in the dentist office. Too bad we didn't have the Texas hat then!!!

PRAYER REQUEST

Please pray for Baby Joe. You can get updates on his condition and leave words of encouragement to his family on his Mommy, Kendra's, blog.

"The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much!"

Super Give Away

There is a great give away at Families Against Feminism. This 7 DVD set is wonderful. You can read the review of it on the same post.

Treasures

Monday, while helping my mom get ready for the kitchen re-do, she gifted me with some special treasures. The above coffee carafe and warmer are from sometime in the 60's. I love it. You use a tea light to keep the coffee warm. It has the coolest gold elongated tear drop pattern going around it.

My mom always "dates" things by where we lived when she got them. This tea pot was from when we lived on 9th street, so I was probably 6 or 7.

She had that teapot stored in a cupboard above her frig. It had probably been there for years. The handle was not there and I figured it was missing. She said "Wait, I know exactly where that handle is". Sure enough, she pulled it out of one of her kitchen drawers.

This teapot is from when we lived in Byron. I would have been 12 or so.

It has a print on the back too.
I placed these on the middle shelf of my hutch in the eating area, along with the one teapot I had (also from the Byron era) and my teacups.
See that middle teacup? It is a lime green. My neighbor bought it for me a couple of weeks ago from her MIL's antique store. The inside is gorgeous.
Now here it is....the big kahuna! My Grandma Grace bought this for my mother when we lived in Wheaton. We lived there until I was 2, so this dates back to around 1961.
I have no real memory of this set. I am not sure where Mom kept it all those years I was growing up. It is in perfect condition, except the stoppers in the salt and pepper shakers are missing. Here is a better view of the pieces.
Aren't I blessed??? I was just tickled by these treasures. I look at them MANY times a day and just admire them so. Such a part of my history (even if I can't remember the basket weave set) and someday they will be in the home of my children and grandchildren. I am rubbing off on Charlotte, because she is as sentimental as I am!!

Thanks for sharing my treasures!

Tackle It Tuesday

Like I mentioned yesterday, this weeks tackle took place at my Mom's house. In her kitchen to be exact.Sweetheart put up the wallpaper and border in her kitchen countless years ago. Really, I can't remember it has been that long.Well, it's comin' down!!! No, that was not the tackle...she hired people to come do it and then to paint her kitchen and a spare room which will become a computer room. My tackle was to help her prepare for the hired group. I cleaned all the wood in the spare room, door frames, window frames, baseboards. Clean away all cob webs. Also in the kitchen. We also cleared her counter tops.Look closely at the counter top. It is a sage green paisley out of the 60's or early 70's. She wants to replace it, but I LOVE it and so did the decorator she hired, who thankfully convinced her to keep it! It is in great shape. She actually tried to burn it several years ago so they would HAVE to replace it. No luck...it would not burn.

I also wiped down all the wonderful tile she has. It, too, is original and so great! I love it...she is rethinking her hatred of it.Isn't it great??? She IS replacing the sink though. I don't blame her on that one, though I would keep it myself and just replace the fixtures. It is also sage green.We got everything done in short order. The kids played a game while we worked. I will be sure to show you the end result next week. I am going back on Monday to do all her cupboards inside and out!Afterwards Grandma took us to lunch at "The Red Flame" Can you believe they had an Atkin's section on their menu??!!While waiting for our food, Zach snacked on a dinner roll and loudly asked me

"Is this where ALL the old people come to eat???"
After looking around, I whispered, "Yes, Zachary, it certainly appears that way!"
My mother blessed me in another way too. Lunch was great, but wait til you see what treasures she gave me!! So wonderful I can't even stand it!!! I will show you tomorrow!

For more Tackle It Tuesday's visit
5 Minutes For Mom

Family Day

Sunday was a WONDERFUL day here. I did not do anything that was planned, but everything was perfect. It was a gorgeous day and I did 2 long walks.

After a trip to the store to buy ingredients for Bud's favorite meal, I spent a bit of time in the kitchen.
The menu???....Homemade Lasagna......homemade white bread.......salad...and store bought carrot cake.Everyone said is was good. I did not eat any of it except the salad.

You are what you eat, and today I am not lasagna, carrot cake, and white bread!
My son had a wonderful birthday. Thank you for your wishes. He brought his mom a present.
A Missouri mug. We all have our favorite destinations...mine is Missouri, down in the hill country! When Bud travels to a state he knows is special to one of us, he gets a little something. He got Kyle an Alabama t-shirt last week. Kyle and Sweetheart have a running joke since Kyle was tiny. If Kyle said "Where's Mom?" Sweetheart would reply, "She went to Alabama!" Silly I know, but tradition. Charlotte received a map of Charlotte, North Carolina a couple of weeks ago. Zachary will get a Texas "something" next time Bud has a run to Tyler. My son is very thoughtful. Though he was quite irritated in this picture cause I kept snapping....
Here is some good news for me and the blog. TJ has decided getting his picture taken is not quite so bad. Instead of dashing off and leaving the photo a blur, he has a "say cheese" face for you all!

What a riot. Here he is with Charlotte saying cheese for me again. This time he closed his eyes tight!
While I was cleaning up the kitchen, TJ came in and said, "Grandma, can I have a Popsicle?" Oh, no...Charlotte and Zach ate the last 2 earlier. "Oh, honey, Grandma is sorry. I don't have anymore." "That's ok, Grandma." Well NO it is NOT! "Let's go get a surprise, TJ." With hands still wet, I grabbed my purse and off the two of us went. To Baskin Robbins for an ice cream cone! I had a water. I will be getting Popsicles today!!!

After the cone, TJ helped me water the garden.He is growing up SO fast!

Having my entire family here for the afternoon and evening was such a blessing! It could not have made for a better day. Zach was in and out all day, and Kyle had a friend over to watch a movie and play basketball. This morning Bud is back on the road, a year older, and a little happier I hope. Now I am out the door to Tackle a job for my mom. I will share it for Tackle It Tuesday!

Thanks for sharing my day with me!!! See you tomorrow!