Awards! and Tips! and FOOD! Oh My!

First of all to do my Plastic Joy Award that Lori @ Wildflowers gave me!

Thank you again Lori!

Now I have to name 5 sexy characters from either movies or TV.

Hmmm....

The first one I am going to break the rules a wee bit on. Who wouldn't think Sean Connery as yummy?! So pick any character that he has played. The man could make a troll sexy!

Excuse me while I have a hot flash!

Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs! You would figure someone named Leroy Jethro would be a total dork, but not him.

Whew, it's still a little warm in here!

David Boreanaz as Seeley Booth on Bones. I love shows like this and he just makes it so much nicer to watch. Why couldn't all cops be this handsome?

Rutger Hauer as Capt. Etienne Navarre in Ladyhawke. This has been one of my all time favorite movies since I was younger. How romantic to have someone love you so much that he will stay with you no matter what. Always together, forever apart. I guess it does help when someone as gorgeous as Michelle Pfieffer plays your love.

Is it hot in here to anyone else?

Alex O'Loughlin as Mick St John on Moonlight. Alright, so I got a thing for vampires. He loves Beth though and is always there for her.

Okay, so now to pass the joy onto 5 others!

Cher @ Cher Shots

Maggie @ Just Between Me and You

Julie @ It's The Little Things

Jackie @ Home

Debbie @ Fairfield House

Have fun ladies! List your 5 sexy characters from film or tv. Then pass the joy onto 5 others!

Now for a quick cold shower and then onto those tips!

Just kidding about the shower thingy.

I'll wait....

Anyways, Debbie @ Dragonfly Treasures asked if I had stock in Sherwin Williams. Unfortunately, I don't. But.... I do have a cute story. My husband is a General Contractor. He does residential and lots of commercial jobs. Right before Christmas he had a customer that he remodeled her master bedroom. I was in charge of the painting. So we went up to SW (of course) to get some samples for her. We walked in the store and Matt the new manager said "Hey Maggie! How are ya doing? I just made fresh coffee so grab some!" My husband just looked at me. I shrugged. I told him we were there to grab some samples for a customer. He said not to bother, he just got in some new paint decks. My husband grumbled "how much?" He replied "For Maggie, free". Again he glared at me and I just stuck out my tongue at him.

I even get Christmas cards from the local store!

And a discount since I registered my husbands business with them.

Seems that I buy alot of paint....

So onto those tips!

I used to buy these. You know those cheap brushes. If you ruin it who cares?!

Then I got this! A Purdy brush! You would not believe the difference! I will never go back to those cheap brushes again!

You have to make that statement like Scarlett O'Hara though!

I also hate hate hate to clean up after painting. Even when I buy those liners I clean them to reuse them. The expainter guy that we hired told me to use tinfoil to line the pan!

Ingenious!

If your tin foil is not big enough to fit the pan, just put two sheets together, fold over one edge twice and press hard.

Voila! Instant pan liner!

See??? It won't leak either as long as you press the seam tight and don't rip the foil.

Clean up is easy peasy too! Just fold up and throw away!

See where my very unmanicured finger is pointing? That is a hole in the ridge of the paint can. You just poke a few holes with a flat screwdriver and a hammer. This helps the paint to drain from the ridge into the can. Saves some from painting your can of paint shut. The lid snaps into the ridge so your paint can is sealed and won't dry out.

As far as naps on rollers, you really don't need anything thicker than 1/2". You get into thicker roller covers and you get more splatters.

Also you don't want a cover 100% polyester. Get a cover with wool in it. The wool allows for more paint to be absorbed cutting down on how many times you have to dip your roller. Saves when you are up high painting on how many times you go up and down the ladder. You can get the sheepskin rollers that hold ALOT of paint, but since I cut in as I go I don't need them.

Now for painting....

I make a "Z" on the wall. Then I go back and fill it in with vertical strokes. This helps to get even coverage.

See?

I was lazy and just cut in around the floating shelf brackets.

You want to keep track of where you leave this pest. Seems that every time that I paint I manage to sit on the lid!

My husband told me that I look like I am losing weight cause the paint stain looks bigger now. I guess that was a compliment?

On that note, let's move onto food!

Yum! BBQ Shishkabobs!

You want to soak wooden skewers in water to help keep them from burning.

Unless you are like me and turn the grill on raging inferno and forget to turn it down before you put the food on!

Cut up chicken breasts and marinade them in Teriyaki. I used a bottled sauce.

Cut up some green peppers and wash the cherry tomatoes.

Take a skewer and chicken, pepper, chicken, tomato, chicken, pepper, chicken until all the chicken is used up.

Now for a little side salad. My kids LOVE this salad! It's so simple too. Fresh spinach, sliced strawberries and crumbled bacon. I used applewood smoked bacon. Toss with some raspberry vinaigrette and then top with crumbled gorgonzola cheese.

Yum!

A little brown rice with chopped broccoli thrown in for good measure and....

Bon appetit!

Dinner is served!

Now to get back to that painting....

Catching Up!

So I have spent this week trying to decide on new colors.

Jeffy's room is now SW Lightweight Beige but I am thinking that I am going to repaint it SW Kilim Beige

I think I want to repaint the girls room and do a treatment on the wall behind Brianna's bed. This room is SW Familiar Beige now but I am thinking of going with SW Divine White. I still have to do some thinking on the treatment though.

The kids have done a great job keeping their rooms clean. My daughter still refuses to make her bed though.

The stairway....

living room....

and foyer are SW Lemon Chiffon now. These I want to paint SW Divine White also. When my hubby goes bear hunting I want to do a little something with them. It's a surprise though!

The mudroom is SW Lightweight Beige now but I didn't like it as soon as I painted it last summer. It looks purpley in here. That is also going to be painted to match the foyer.

The kitchen is SW Nomadic Desert now with the white beadboard wallpaper. The white will stay, but I am going to lighten up the top with SW Kilim Beige. It is too dark a color in here. Makes the room look dreary.

I did get the other pillow sham done for my bed....

I also made this little pillow for it. I put the pin that I won from the Daisy Cottage giveaway on it also. It's a silvery blue microsuede fabric from the Christopher Lowell collection at Joann Fabric. I love this fabric!

But tomorrow we start the painting.

Fun!

I do have some tips on painting to share with you.

One of the guys that we just hired used to paint houses and he shared some secrets with me.

And I will share with you!

Also, Lori @ Wildflowers gave me an I love your blog award. So first I have to list 10 things that I love. I hate to disappoint ya but I don't have pics to go with my loves.

1. Reading a story so funny that I squirt coffee out my nose! Yes Jackie, it still hurts from reading your blog the other night!

2. Driving my son to school in my powderpuff jammies and donkey slippers, waiting til he is a safe distance from the car, getting out and yelling really loud "Mommy loves you pooder!" If being an embarrassment to your kids is not a joy, there is something wrong!

3. Feeding my husband a really big meal and setting the scale up 10 pounds.

4. I love it when my son tries to do the same trick to me but goes 10 pounds in the other direction!

5. Chasing around my 3 year old who has bolted out of the back door with nothing on but a crown and a pair of butterfly wings.

6. The smell of my new ocean scent candles by Pier One.

7. Listening to my oldest singing to her IPod with her earbuds on and not realizing everyone else can hear her.

8. Having my period FINALLY being over!

9. The smell of coffee!

10. Chocolate!

Now to pass it on!

Carla @ Country Diary of a Southern Lady

Nancy @ Rosewood Cottage

Marydon @ Blushing Rose

Dar @ Dar's Stuffings

Jan @ Bobbypins Boardwalk

Londen @ Sixty-fifth Avenue

Carmen @ Life with Sprinkles

Julie @ It's the Little Things

Deb @ Dragonfly Treasures

Yvonne @ Stone Gable

Have fun ladies! Can't wait to read what you love!

I still have to do the plastic joy award.

It's harder than I thought it would be to think up 5 sexy characters!

Next post I promise though!

Pinky swear!

Backtracking

So this week has been hectic!

It was Teacher Appreciation Week sponsored by the PTO.

Guess who is PTO President?!

The principal is also retiring (sniffsniff). He is such a wonderful man to have as a role model for your children. He knows every kids name. And remembers them!

I laid down in his office and told him I wasn't moving til I spied that damn candy bar in the corner....

Let's say my sit in/lay down did not last long.

Anyways....

I managed a few hours to squeak in some cleaning around the house.

As I was giddily cleaning the girls room cause they have done an awesome job, really they did, keeping it clean. I realized something.

It was off.

It was not what I had envisioned.

I think it is the wall color.

So.....

Then I went into the boys room. He has also been superb at keeping his room clean too. I guess bitching and whining does work on men under 18!

Yeah, it wasn't working for me here either.

Now a quick clean in the living room and foyer cause these are projects waiting to happen.

Then onto the kitchen....

The kitchen I just painted in August last year.

I don't like that color either....

Do you see a trend here?

I need to repaint!

The whole frigging house!

Well.... except for my bedroom cause I can live with that....

So I got out some paint and painted some "samples".

The color I like in the kitchen I don't like in the living room and foyer.

Too dark.

The girls room I am thinking a really light grey for the walls.

An old vintage iron bed in white....

Mmmm....

Maybe some quilts?

Gotta have a puddled bedskirt!

The boy likes his curtains.

Dammit!

What color in the kitchen would make ironstone pop?!

I still need a clock too....

Ah crap!

Now after a trip to the helpful SW store I am armed with a new paint deck.

A paint deck they just gave me I believe they gave me out of desperation.

To get me out of their store.

When did they make so many colors of white?

Now I am left with a paint deck, a stack of options and two kids who "iduncare"!

ARRRRRGH!

I also have an award that I got.

The very ubercool Lori @ Wildflowers gave me!

If you don't know already I just LOVE Lori!

But....

Aunt Flo (wink wink) is visiting and I will address this as soon as she leaves!

Sean Connery did pop up though.

Sigh!

So....

Happy Mothers Day to all!

Kiss your bitty ones and the ones that are "too old" to be kissed!

Just think of it as a drunken Irish holiday!

Erin Go Bragh!

Thank you!

To everyone who made an Inspiration post, left a comment or just visited the Inspiration Party!

You guys are the best!

So let's do it again!

You have a whole month to get ready for it.

I will put up the post on Monday May 31st.

Okay???

Now as for this week....

Get your cereal boxes ready

Don't get rid of those dandelions

And prepare yourself for more boring pics of my house!

Intrigued?

Well I guess you will have to come and see....

In the meantime, I have something else to celebrate. I haven't done as great as Lori, but I have managed to keep those nasty 7 lbs off. It feels so good! All I heard this weekend was "MOM! Pull up your pants your butt is showing!" But showing in a good way. Not the "I have on pants 2 sizes too small and my buttocks are trying everything to escape" way. So now I am off to go get some britches that will cover my butt. Or a belt. Piece of rope. Maybe a couple really large safety pins?

Something....

My Nightmare

I was trying not to post while the Inspiration party is going on.

Do you know how hard that is though?!!

The party ends Monday night, so you still have time to enter your inspiration post!

It's been alot of fun reading all the wonderful posts and meeting some new people out there also!

Thank you to everyone for participating!

In the meantime, I used this weekend to catch up on some things on my to do list.

Can you say yuck?

I am only posting these cause it no longer looks like this though.

The boys room....

Why are boys so messy?

I don't even know how he was able to find anything much less move around!

Crap was piled up EVERYWHERE! But I hitched up my big girl britches and spent the day in here.

Once all the laundry was pulled out of there it didn't look too bad. Now I know where all my towels went too.

Who am I kidding? It was still pretty bad. You can see bits of the floor though.

Here is garbage bag number 1. More of the floor is visible. I do believe that I picked up 983,436,787 teeny tiny lego pieces. The next smart ass who buys my kid tiny legos is going to be in for it! Go ahead and kneel on a lego and tell me you don't curse out whoever bought them!

Just when I was getting closer to done, I opened the closet door. It is now the title of my new horror movie. "Don't Look In The Closet!" I mean there was so much that it just tumbled out!

I now know where all that clean laundry ended up!

In all honesty one of those bags is clothes. I thought that while I was at it I may as well be daring and go through his clothes. I think at 11 he has grown out of all the Shrek shirts!

He did draw on his closet doors. They are painted with chalkboard paint though.

There is my little Tae Kwon Do dude. We had that pic of him taken with his first trophy that he won. You can actually see the top of his dresser now!

He actually has pretty nice floors in his room. Now that you can see them!

His desk with his new rolly chair that he can use now. Maybe for homework?

For now though he likes spinning around in the chair.

Which he can now.

I still have a couple more things to do in here. I am painting some shelves for his trophies but they are slow drying since it is kinda cold here this weekend.

And rainy.

He also wants a "clubhouse".

Are you kidding me?

I do have a project tutorial coming this week also.

It involves organization and cereal boxes.

Yup, cereal boxes!

Ya'll won't want to miss it!

In the meantime, don't forget to get your posts in for the Inspiration Party!

Posted at BNOTP Met Monday!

The First Inspiration Party!

Welcome to the first Inspiration Party at the White Farmhouse!

I hope that everyone has on their party hat!

Ok, so here are the rules.

I put a McLinky for you to use to post about someone who has inspired you lately. Big or small. It takes alot to put together the wonderful and thoughtful posts that are out there. So now is the time to thank them for all their hard work!

You have to invite them to read the nice thoughts that you read about them.

You can also give them the above button as a gift.

Thanks again to Jan @ Bobbypins Boardwalk for making me the button!

You can also just leave a comment cause I am a tramp for comments!

So now onto my inspiration. There are so many wonderful people that I have met out in blogland. I told my husband that I want to win the lottery so I can go meet all of you. And cook for you. And clean for you. For a week. Because for some odd reason I just LOVE to clean other people's houses. I don't want anyone to feel slighted by not being my first choice. It was really hard to pick just one!

But....

There is one out there that is an exception.

When I started blogging, I almost gave up on it. The only followers that I had were family members that I could threaten with death or great bodily harm unless they joined.

She was my first though. She made my day in so many ways that year + ago that she will ever know. My daughter feigned blindness when I did my "I got my first follower" happy dance.

Since then she has gained a special place in my heart. I actually cried when she gave me my first award.

She has inspired me to continue on. For that, I am truly a better person.

Hell, she even inspired me to lose weight! 7 lbs down now! About 200 more to go though.

Who is this wonderful person?

Lori @ Wildflowers!

If you haven't visited her blog you must! She is just the sweetest, upbeat, happiest person on the face of the earth! She is encouragement and inspiration all rolled up in one sweet little package.

She calls her an ordinary girl, but she is anything but ordinary. She is married to a wonderful man who loves her deeply, she loves and is dedicated to her family and likes to keep momentos around to remind her of them.

I am so proud to call her my friend!

I guess she has been on my mind lately because I have been working on the kids rooms. She was my inspiration for their rooms. I have tried to decorate them to what they would like them to be, not what I want. To express their individual personalities. To encourage them to grow. Every time that I go in them I smile cause they make me think of her and how she has improved my life.

So.... there it is! My inspiration for the month. My friend who I absolutely love! Lori!

Thank you for being my friend, for your support and just for being you! You truly make the world a better place to be!

Party ends Monday night!

Tutorial and Dinner

Or maybe Dinner and a tutorial.

If you are not a foodie you may want to scroll down....

....but you will miss out on the most fantastic ribs ever!

As soon as the weather is warm enough to keep the horse out for longer than 10 minutes

It's BBQ time here!

What better way to kick off the BBQ season than with ribs?

I stick those bad boys in a big pot still frozen even.

My secret marinade. Shhhhh....

I don't know why, but it HAS to be A & W root beer. Don't skimp here. Just pour it on and let em soak all day!

Now don't even reach for that! We got something waaaaay better!

Home made sauce!

Roll up 2 thick slices of smoked bacon around rosemary. You can use twine to hold the bundle together or toothpicks like I did cause the kids used my twine for "something"

I don't even want to know!

Now brown it for about 3 minutes in 2 Tbs of olive oil.

Cut an onion in half and peel. Peel 2 cloves of garlic also. Add this to the pot. I use a big pot. You'll see why later. Cook this til the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups ketchup, 1/4 cup molasses and dark brown sugar, 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp each dry mustard, smoked oregano and cumin. Little pepper for taste.

Bring it all to a boil over medium heat and then lower to a simmer.

Simmer 20 mins until all the flavors have married to a wonderful taste!

Now parboil those ribs in the root beer while your sauce is thickening up.

I take the whole pot of sauce out to the grill. Dunk one side in the sauce and put on the grill. Slather lots of sauce on the other side and let her cook!

Hey! Get out of my sauce munchkin!

She loves my sauce. Along with everyone else. I got 5 orders for a jug of sauce already!

Grilled to perfection!

Some of Yvonne from Stone Gables Roasted Asparagus

Some Baked Macaroni from Giada DeLaurentiis

And my killer awesome Lime Margheritas!

The trick to them is to make your own sour mix.

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup lemon juice

1 cup lime juice

Add the water and sugar. Stir til blended. Add lemon and lime juice and chill.

To make a margherita?

4 oz sour mix

2oz tekillya

3/4 oz triple sec

Pour over crushed ice (my new fridge makes crushed ice!)

Shake

Pour into a sugar rimmed glass.

I need all the sweetening up I can get!

Now that I got ya all lickered up!

Onto the tutorial!

I used 2-1"x4"x2' boards

Artwork courtesy of the bitty one.

Some small nails, 2 sawtooth hangers and a hammer

Now into the snakeden of dispair to do some painting.

Don't get jealous over my gorgeous laundry room.

I guess now you know why I hate doing laundry!

Anyways.... paint one side of all the boards.

Let dry.

Nail the two boards into an "L" shape.

Paint.

Now I glued a piece of trim molding to keep the books from sliding off.

I dug this out of the snake den of dispair.

More paint!

Nail the 2 sawtooth hangers to the back....

....and voila! A book ledge!

Oooooh!

Don't forget about the party on Friday!

A very special to Jan @ Bobbypins Boardwalk for making this uber cute button.

I love it Jan and I love ya!

Now to spend some quality time with the boy.

Not because I am playing favorites.

He's just messier!