The Bestest Day Ever!

I got my first sale!

Thank you soooo much Carole! You are the absolute sweetest! I hope you enjoy the cards!

Thank you to everyone else who has visited and marked the site as my favorite.

You All Rock!

Woo Hoo!

The Etsy shop is open!

People are visiting and looking!

I am being added to favorites!

Oh happy day!

I feel inspired to go do some more creating!

And The Winner Is....

Mary @ Isabella's Closet!

She is the winner of the 100th post giveaway.

Congratulations!

Here is the link for the Etsy store. I will be adding the items in the next few days. More items will be coming soon. For those of you in Michigan, I will be at the Hartland Farmers Market the weekend following the 4th.

The fence is coming along.....

slowly....

The posts are in though.

Today comes the stain. I think the neighbors are getting curious cause they are all stopping and looking.

I mostly supervise....

and keep little witches entertained.

It's a dirty job but someone has to do it!

Conversations with my kids

Can you beleive my kids don't know who this is?

or him?

Don't they know how long it used to take me to copy that famous do of Farrah's only to get 10 minutes out of the house and have it go flat? There is not enough hairspray in the world to keep my hair curly.

My daughter just said isn't that the oldie singer that I did the one dance for that year?

OLDIE SINGER?!

Just last year I was watching his cartoon on Saturday mornings!

Listening to Donny Osmond singing "Go Away Little Girl" over and over and over......

Watching the Perry Como specials just to see if Michael or Donny was going to be on....

I even went to school with Perry's granddaughter Melanie.

It was so sad to hear of their deaths yesterday. Farrah was sooo beautiful with that big pearly white smile. I think I pulled a muscle trying to smile like her when I was younger.

I hope they are at peace and wish their loved ones well.

To add insult to injury, my husband and I did the Wii fitness test late last night. According to Wii....

I'm 63 years old....

But he is 64!

Teehee!

The good news is.....

1 post left!!!!!

Happiness is....

....running through a Sponge Bob sprinkler in your diaper like you don't have a care in the world!

More of My Babies!

They have popped their gorgeous heads out!

A white Easter lily that I transplanted and thought the cold had killed.

A pink Stargazer....

A yellow and red....

I think the bees crossed a red with a yellow to make this one.

Lotsa oranges!

A pink lipstick stargazer.....

and finally a sunny yellow.

Still no reds.

And my helpful hint for the day is that whipping cream CANNOT be used in coffee!

Put a post....

.... in the hole, fill with quikrete and repeat 30 more times.

I don't think that I want to see another post as long as I live!

I mean it's only 90 degrees out here! HELLO!

I do think my husband officially killed me cause I now smell like it.

Cinderella stopped by to wave her magic wand, didn't help though. Had to finish the hard way.

Somewhere in one of those holes is a pair of my sunglasses too.

How you ask?

Well I looked down just as he was pouring the quikrete in the hole and they slid off my nose into the hole. I could not have made a more perfect shot if I tried!

I also found that this being the biggest I have EVER been my whole life that there are places that I used to tan but the sun can no longer get at. Now I am on a serious mission to get back into a shape other than round.

So now I am off for a big day of dieting, painting posts and sweating things off that I never was born with.

I guess I am not going to be able to put my fence on Jen's Makeover Party on the 25th.

(insert pouty face here.)

Maybe next month!

4 more posts to go!

Our Visitors

This weekend we had some very special visitors!

First was a butterfly that dropped by just to entertain.

Weeell that is until she threw down her wings and pouted. I asked her why and she said "cause her wings are broke they don't make her fly!"

Crazy kid.

The next was Hannah Montana.

Jeffy decided this wig was cool and wore it about all weekend. I don't know if it was really cool or just drove his sister crazy that he was really into. A football jersey and a Hannah Montana wig, what a combination!

We got some BIG gophers here in Michigan!

Actually we did get all the postholes dug. Being Father's Day and my MIL's Birthday, we did not get too much done. Being lazy people, we don't get things done too quickly either!

I did get this jungle tamed though.

There is a huge lilac bush, an arborvitae and 2 boxwoods in this corner. I cut out the bushes and arborvitae and now I need my husband to pull the roots. My husband told me he has been surprised cause usually I am the queen of clipping hedges and I have never touched these. I told him to let his imagination go and look at them. Tell me what you see.

His answer was overgrown bushes.

So I told him to go away for awhile. Since I was going to pull them anyways, I trimmed them the way they should be. Then told him to come back and look.

He still didn't see it.

The 13 year old walks up and says "Oh gross! That looks like a penis and 2 balls!"

Needless to say the bushes went.

I'm still disturbed at how the 13 year old saw it and not my husband though.

Now it looks like this.

Much better! I still got more to pull out of there, but you can see in there now.

Riddle Me This!

Okay, if you were stuck at an old 1890 farmhouse for the weekend....

with a hunky contractor man/husband (we will hereby refer to him as Handy Manny)

and all you had was a string, masking tape, a tape measure, lotsa wood, a circular saw, a hammer and nails and maybe Toodles to bring you 5 mystery tools to help.....

I'm sorry I watch waaaaay too much TV with the 2 year old......

what would you be doing?

I'll give you a hint....

Does that help?

Oh yeah, you have lots of these too....

Hmmmmm......

What is up with that crazy woman you may ask.....

The crazy woman thinks you will have to wait and see though.....

She really is a b#@$h!

Mwahahaha!

But in the meantime....

take a gander at what popped their beautiful heads up....

My Asiatic Lilies!

Even a pixie made a showing!

The reds know they are my favorite and very spoiled. Like me they are b#@$hes and make sure they are the last to bloom so they are the stars!

So.....

I guess you have to stay tuned to see what those wacky DeLauders are up to this weekend!

6 more posts til THE DAY!

Cutesy Etsy Cards!

First up is an any occasion card

Outside says "I love giving homemade gifts... pick a child!"

Inside is blank for you to write your own message.

Next is a get well card for a humorous person.

(Thumb not included, I kinda need it!)

Inside says "Heard you caught a bug"

Next is my all time favorite. I don't know how many people I have sent these to. It can be for any gift occassion.

Inside says " I've been looking everywhere for just the right gift."

I know I am strange, but I love that card!

Price is 1 - 4 cards $2.50 each

5 - 9 cards $2.25 each

10+ cards $2.00 each

Price does not include shipping

Card size is 5 x 7

Multiple numbers of cards can be mixed

All come with a coordinating colored envelope

If anyone is interested in these before I post them to Etsy, let me know.

7 more posts to go!

My Evil Side

I have an evil side that rears it's ugly head. It happens when you mess with my kids, my husband and my dog.

I try to be nice and take things in stride. But sometimes idiots (my nice side) get in the way.

My evil side does not get to come out and play often. She scares my Marine husband, that is how bad it is.

But last night......

she came out!

It started out all innocent. The 2 year old let the dog out. The dog ran. Ran like no dog has run before. She was free from being cooped up in the house for the last 3 weeks since she has been in heat. Can't say I blame her, if I got locked up in the house on my period I would run at the first chance too. Course knowing my tribe I would be tied up in the middle of the yard instead.

Anyways.... the very nice roofing crew that was cleaning up on the house behind us tried to catch her. My friend Kelly tried to help. Her 2 little girls tried to help. Sheba wasn't having anything to do with anyone who was going to help me get her back into the dreaded house.

Crap!

So there I was running down the street chasing this big goofy Great Dane with her big ole ears flapping like Dumbo.

Running is a form of excercise. Something I try to avoid at all costs. It's taken me 3 months to get this out of shape and I'll be damned if some dog is going to force me to get back into shape!

She ran into the neighbors yard. I heard the wife, who I know, telling the kids to stay away from the dog. She didn't recognize it. I came huffing and puffing up telling her she is friendly and unfortunately mine. She was real nice. She was trying, with her little boys, to catch the dog.

Enter the idiot.

Her husband opens the door and tells their dog to "get her". Well, their dog is a 20lb American Eskimo. Sheba is a 100 lb Great Dane. But she was good til the dog attacked her. Then he joined in kicking Sheba too. Poor thing was trying to defend herself and get away. I'm yelling at Sheba, his wife is yelling at him cause he let the dog out and he is screaming at me to get my dog.

Eventually Sheba got away and ran to my husband who is now in their front yard. The idiot comes barreling at me yelling to keep my dog away, he has every right to be in his yard, his dog is hurt and bleeding and he is going to call the police.....

I walked past him and calmly walked over to my husband. I was secretly hoping he would grab me though. I was in the Army, was Airborne qualified, have had hand to hand combat training, studied Tae Kwon Do and have a CCW. Plus, I got my Marine husband covering my back.

But he kept his distance. We got the dog and walked home with him following us all the way yelling that he was calling the police and going to sue us. Then he made a comment. He asked "why we were so chicken s#@t to not even talk to him".

Could I keep my mouth shut?

Nope!

I turned around and told him very calmly "I don't have a problem talking with you. I will not stoop to your level of maturity and yell and scream insults at you like a spoiled 4 year old not getting his way though."

The roofing crew cheered.

I bowed.

Then he called me a b#@%h.

I laughed out loud and looked at my husband and said loudly "He says that like it is a bad thing!"

My husband said "He's too stupid to know he hasn't seen that side of you".

He just amazed me that he took a situation that was getting under control. A nonviolent situation and turned it into a big deal. People like that just amaze me.

I feel so much better getting that off my chest though.

Oh yeah, he never did call the police.

We waited and waited and waited.

We also were going to go up north this weekend but a neighbor who has had run ins with him said not to. The idiot sliced up his trampoline as soon as they were gone for a couple hours. They came home to him sitting on their porch drinking a 6 pack. He said he was guarding their house cause he chased off a group of kids messing with their stuff. So, now we are staying at home to make sure nothing happens to the house.

and still no police.

100 post contest!

So I noticed the other day that my 100th post is coming up!

I got something up my sleeve!

To celebrate my 100th post, I will be opening up the Etsy store!

I think we also need a giveaway for all you wonderful peeps too.....

So.....

Wait for it.....

For everyone that is a follower you will be entered in a drawing.

But.....

There is more.....

For every person that joins as a follower they will get entered too....

But....

That is not all.....

If they post here the name of who brought them here, that will person will get another entry....

And.....

If you post on your blog about this contest and link back to this blog.....

You get another entry!

What will you win you ask?

Well.....

The winner will win a $25.00 gift certificate to my Etsy store.

I know pickings are slim at the store....

So......

This certificate will be good for 1 (one) year!

The contest will end on the day of my 100th post.

So get working, y'all know how I LOVE to gab!

Etsy Cards!

A birthday card for someone with a sense of humor

Inside says...

"You know you are getting old when the candles cost more than the cake."

Blank card you can write your own message

The saying on the outside of the card is: "They say a tub relaxes you.... I've been here since Tuesday."

All cards are handmade, handstamped and handcolored.

Card size is 5x7 and comes with an envelope the same color as the card.

Price is $2.50 each

5 - 9 cards are $2.25 each

10 or more cards are $2.00 each

Cards can be mixed to receive discount pricing.

Pricing does not include shipping

More cards are coming! Watch for seasonal cards also.

My Favorite Place!

Yesterday I got up at the butt crack of dawn to pack up the kids with my sister and her son to go to my favorite place!

The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo!

For those of you who live within driving distance you should definitely go. It is so worth the trip. The kids enjoy it also. For those of you who don't live close by I'm sorry. But I do have pics to share!

This is a hands on zoo. The animals you can get close to and touch you are allowed to do so. My oldest kissed a kangaroo when she was about 4. My son is nuts over penguins and has pet one. My youngest got licked by a giraffe which she screamed at him "Don't touch me!".

They have these very cool topiaries all over. I thought I had a pic of the horse one. I will have to have my sister send it to me. Peacocks are all over the place!

Everywhere you turn there is something to do. They have sections that are climate regulated for the animals. They have an African, Mongolian and Australian section right now.

Here is one of the giraffes in the African section. You view the giraffes in this treetop deck. They can walk right up to you and they sell lettuce for you to feed them. I had Syrina by the rail so she could touch one and when she reached out her hand he stuck out his tongue. Have you ever seen a giraffe tongue? It 's about a foot long and black. Scary. She shirked back and screamed at him!

This guy was in the Mongolian Rain Forest section. He just reminded me of Dad. In fact if this guy was in a green lazyboy they could be twins!

This is also in the Rain Forest section. It's one of the waterfalls in the garden they created. We even found bananas growing on some of the trees.

They have all these topiaries around the grounds. Here is one of them. I thought I got a pic of the horse one, but I guess I was using my sister's camera.

In fact, I think I was using my sister's camera alot more than I thought.

I took the kids in to feed the goats. Syrina was asleep. We got the food and 5 goats jumped up on me and mauled me for food. When Syrina woke up, I took her to see the goats. She ran one way when they all came running over and jumping up on me. Later, we went to eat and my sister asked me what I had down my shirt. Goat food! I guess it wasn't my winning personality that had them following me all over after all!

This zoo is a 4 hour ride for us, but it is soooo worth the trip! If you ever get the chance to visit, you should, you won't be sorry!

My Perfect Night

The kids and hubby are down the street at Grandma's.

The Blood Orange Italian Soda is chilled.

There is a pint of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia in the freezer.

The bubble bath is running.

Mmmmm.... the perfect night.

Slip into the tub, pour a glass of soda and pop the top on that ice cream.

WAIT A MINUTE!

WHAT'S THIS?!

Who said they could change the Cherry Garcia?

The ice cream is supposed to be pink! Not white! How can it be CHERRY Garcia in white ice cream? Who did this and where do they live?

Empty the tub, chuck the ice cream in the garbage, dump the soda in the toilet.

Wah!

My Motherly Advice for the Day

Let sleeping children lie

Let the kids fall where they may

And most importantly, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

It more than likely will wake up madder than a wet hen!

More Etsy Pillows

Hot off the sewing machine!

Another style of pillow with the same ticking material. Available in blue, red and tan stripe on a cream background.

These are a pieced pillow with a muslin flower in the center. The flower has a covered button center out of the same ticking material. The flower edge is unfinished so there will be fraying with age.

They are filled with down alternative guaranteed not to ball up in the washer.

Price is $20.00 each plus shipping.

If anyone is interested, please let me know before I post these to Etsy.

Keeping up with us is easy!

We have these neighbors that no matter what we do, they do.

We got 4 wheelers and they got 4 wheelers.

We got a trampoline and they got a trampoline.

We mow the grass and they mow their grass.

We stop halfway.....

....and they stop halfway!

Not hard to keep up with the neighbors when we live next door!