Summer List

When summer begins, I am always frantic to begin my to-do list.

I've mentioned before with summer break beginning, you go from ninety to nothing in a day's time.

And sometimes I struggle with the transition from being crazy busy to having absolutely no job-related responsibilities. 

Cry me a river, right?

Anyway.

I find that making a list helps.  Otherwise, I might squander away my time. 

(I am an accomplished time squanderer.)

So here are a few things I'd like to accomplish this summer........

• Schedule our laundry room redo
• Find a matching set of thrifted lamps to makeover (get looking glass spray paint)
• Plant succulents
• Prep for our (SEVENTH) annual garage sale
• Clean the special room (again.......and for good)
• Visit as many local tea rooms as possible
• Grill more veggies (corn recipe and the famous Pullan stuffed peppers)
• Conquer the squat challenge
• Have mom teach me how to make her homemade biscuits and pie crust
• Clean and organize utility closet
 

lamps  //  corn  //  challenge

Don't worry.  I have some fun lined up too.  What's summer without a concert or two?  A few float trips.

And maaaybe I'll convince the mister to take me to see some palm trees.

Blogiversary

Five years ago today, I published my first post on this little blog.

So lame.  Cringe-worthy.

But it was the beginning of a hobby I love.  Who knew I'd take up writing for fun. 
And stick with it.

I've covered a lot of ground.......

Most Pinned Recipe // Home Renovations // Decorating // Craftiness

Here's to five years of blogging!

Oh, and if you feel so inclined, click on over to Peacoats and Plaid to vote for my blog button!  I'm button number nine!

Happy Memorial Day!

Spring Break (in Instagram)

One whole week off.

Between lunch dates and sleeping past 6:00 am, it's been a good week.

I welcomed spring break with fun mail.........

Some thrifting did occur..........

The booth got freshened up and rearranged........

It was finally warm enough to spray paint..........

I baked a new-to-me cake.........

And tried to decide where to hang these babies........

But then I remembered that I'm crazy.  The whole "must be perfectly symmetrical" thing.

It's an issue.

And that hanging them alone would only end badly.

I mean someone has to hold them while I'm standing at the foot of my bed eyeballing how high they should go.  How many inches they should be from the curtains.  Their distance from the nightstands. 

Right?

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday and Insta-Friday. 

Snow Day (Instagram Style)

Dear Winter,

Thank you.

Do you know the joy I felt when I saw my school district's name scrolling across the bottom of my television yesterday?

I was able to bake fudge brownie cookies for the mister (who was hard at work out in the elements).......

I managed to clean a bit.  And decided to keep some vintage items meant for the booth because they made organizing scarves and makeup a little cuter.........

I took a bubble bath and read my favorite magazine......

Annnnd experimented with some ingredients to make my own dinner concoction.......

Then (and best of all) I found out I get to do it all again today.

Winter, your timing was perfect.  You totally rock.

Love,

Danavee

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Randomness

Because Puffs (with lotion) are my best friend.  And because I've emptied a bottle of Nyquil as of late.  I'm sharing randomness.  Not outfits.

Random #1.......

source

That, my friends, is a '79 Mercury Zephyr.   My first car. 

I can sum my feelings for it up in one word:  HATE.

The cassette player ate tapes.  (Yes, I said cassette player.)  It died at intersections that had any sort of slope.  It was brown.  It was huge.

While I was thankful that I had a ride of my own as a 16 year old, you can be sure I didn't shed a tear when my parents sold it.  

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Random #2.......

Yesterday.  In Wal-Mart.  A lady, who was about four feet away, pointed at me and said to her children in a loud voice, "She looks like Whitney."

As in the actress Whitney Cummings.

I only know this because I get it a lot.  Usually from people I know.  Not from strangers who are pointing and not really talking to me but about me.

source

What sayeth you?

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Random #3........

source

Winter might be having it's last hurrah this week.

Actually, I'm sort of counting on it.

That's why I went to Wal-Mart........I had to prepare for a day off!

Cookie and chili ingredients are snow day necessities.

Oh, and I was out of Nyquil.

Lately (in Instagram)

Last week, my fourth grade team showed up to work in our school shirt..........totally not planned...........except for me........

I do not think it's possible to love the people I work with more than I already do.  I am seriously so blessed to have not only a great fourth grade team, but a building full of amazing co-workers.

*   *   *   *

I hung my favorite piece from Grampy's house.........

He would hang his hats and jackets from it.  It makes me happy.

Are you judging the wallpaper right now?

I know you are.

I have plans for it, you know.  Give me a break.

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We went to bed Wednesday night with the hopes of a snow day........

I know what I said last week.

A girl can change her mind, right?!?!

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No such luck......

It melted by noon.

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Then came Valentine's Day..........

The.  Longest.  Day.  Of.  A.  Teacher's.  Life.

*   *   *   *

But I survived.  

So the mister and I had a romantical Mexican dinner.  

With the Schlager's........

Chips and queso.

Screams Valentine's Day.

Who needs chocolate or roses?

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Recently (in Instagram)

The weekend is near.  I am good with that.

Here's what's been up on Instagram this (and last) week!

Pa took us to lunch.  We all wanted to try a new restaurant in town......

We liked Five Guys a lot!

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I won a giveaway!!!!!  French Press Mornings makes the. best. prints.  I love her work......

stolen from @frenchpressmornings

You should check out her blog (she has the c.u.t.e.s.t. twins) and Etsy shop!!!

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For a Super Bowl shindig, I got my multitasking skills on.  I am thankful for my (ancient) double oven.........

Cookies on bottom.  Little smokies on top. 

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I might have purchased something else in the midst of my spending ban.....

When Drunken Mermaid Oddities puts vintage cameo pill boxes in her Etsy shop, you have to buy them.  

Two of them.

Because you want need two of them.

 

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And finally. 

It just so happened that our hair dryer wouldn't turn on one morning before work.

And the backup quit after about ten seconds.

So I pulled out a backup for the backup.........

Third time's a charm.

More proof that hoarding is a good thing.

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Scenes (from the weekend)

The good........

I got to giggle with my girlfriends (and our boys) Saturday night.  Dinner at our favorite Italian spot and a new downtown venue afterward. 


The bad.........

There was a heatwave on Saturday and Sunday.........temps in the 60's.  Which was actually good.  Except it made us want to clean the garage.  So the mister could park INSIDE for the first time in almost three years.  I guess that's good too.  It's just bad that it took that long.


The ugly........

I'm trying out a new recipe tonight.  I did not read ahead prior to purchasing the ingredients.  It requires you to make three. different. recipes.  Then you combine them in a casserole for the final product.  I am a one-step-recipe kinda girl.  This had better be good.


The worst thing of all.........

I have a stack of papers to grade by tomorrow.  Four sets actually.

I am dying inside.

Linking up with.....

Lately (Instagram Style)

In the last week (or so):

I re-staged my counters to accommodate the KitchenAid........

That baby can shred chicken in seconds!

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Sir Chester wore a bandana.......

He was not a fan.

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I surprised Whit with a birthday message on Instagram.......

With the help of a particular student.

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The mister surprised me with a coffee date........

That is an Oreo Latte, my friends.  It was i.n.s.a.n.e.

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And finally.

I began one of my favorite winter rituals..........

Monday nights with The Bachelor and a fire.  Wearing sweats and ugly socks.

From the hours of 7 to 9 CST, you know where to find me every Monday evening for the next two months.

Viewing quality television.

I am not ashamed.

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This Week (in Instagrams)

I spruced up the hallway......

 

 

Those are vintage rug beaters.  

 

Yes, that's a thing.

 

And I think they make a fun, unexpected gallery wall. 

 

Yes or no?

 

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I wrapped 23 books........

I love it when the kiddos walk into the classroom and find these under the tree.

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Mother Nature was such a tease........

 

We got our first snow of the season.

 

And it melted about four hours later.

 

Not good enough, Mother Nature!  

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Whit and I planned matching outfits for sweater day at work.......

 

 

The antlers didn't last very long.

 

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Porch Creeping 2012 Christmas Edition........

 

 

Porch creeping is exactly what it sounds like.  

You creep onto the porch of an unsuspecting friend.  Scramble to pose whilst the self timer on your camera ticks away.  And post the photos to Instagram.  

 

You try not to get caught.  

 

The point is for the friend to find these photos while innocently scrolling through Instagram and be like, "Hey!  That's my porch!"

It.Is.Great.Fun.

 

Until you fall over an adirondack chair and the homeowner springs from the sofa because he thinks you are really a pesky opossum and you're caught red-handed. 

 

Stupid adirondack.

 

 

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Weekly Recap (in Instagrams)

The Christmas shirts made their debut..........

This is my favorite one.  

It does not, however, sum up my feelings for the season.

I just think it's funny.  And I like the graphics.

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 A vintage cardigan was purchased........

I snatched this up for a song at Relics.  

That's the danger of having a booth at a great antique mall.  You buy things when you're there checking to see if you sold anything.

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I won a great giveaway from a lovely blog buddy..........

You are looking at some handmade boot toppers.  I'm in love.  Thank you Sara!

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Whit and I brought identical lunches one day..........

Down to the BBQ chips.  

I mean, first it's outfits.  

Now it's food!?!?

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And more work shenanigans.........

I mean who wouldn't be caught off guard by that penetrating stare?  

While in the staff bathroom.

Could it get more random?

Or awesome?

I think not.

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday and Insta-Friday.