Love, love, LOVE these candles!  I have told you about them before, but it bears repeating, I think.  The pictured scent is my favorite.  I can light it in my kitchen and it scents the whole house.

 And, the scent lasts all the way through the candle.  I’ve learned recently about how some of the more famous candle makers scent their candles on the top only, so that by the time you get halfway down the candle, the scent is gone.  Not fair, I say!  And, that is why they smell so strongly when you open the lid to smell them.  Now, this little candle…WalMart…around $5.oo…is wonderful.  There are several scents to choose from, but in all honesty, this one lasts the longest.  I have, however, found another one in the collection that I really like, as well, for this time of year.  It is Mulled Cider.  Very nice, cozy, homey scent…perfect for fall.  This is the size I always buy, even though they do come in a larger size with a glass top.  Haven’t tried those…so don’t know how the scent holds up.  I use the Cranberry Mandarin all year long.  And one more good thing…that big sticker on the front…it peels right off  (with no gunk left over) so the candle looks presentable any where you may wish to place it.  (It’s the little things, isn’t it, friends?)

No, Wal Mart did not hire me to sell their candles.  Nor did they pay me to endorse them.  I just think if something is good…and makes you smile…we ought to share that info.  So, that’s what I did.

OK, you’ve got to hurry if you are going to take advantage of this next goody!   This is available for a limited time only…and that’s the truth.  I found this two years ago. And, I learned then that it is only sold during the Fall.  Last year, I never could find it and after some super sleuth work on my part…I learned it is only sold at Wal Mart.  This year, I went early…and there it was!  Pretty as you please…right in the frozen food section of Wal-Mart.

This is wonderful!  Now don’t go thinking that it tastes like frozen pumpkin pie.  It doesn’t.  It is very smooth and creamy…with just a touch of pumpkin flavor.  And, there is graham cracker crust mixed in.  It’s divine!  Really!  Just one thing…this is a pint,  just a little, bitty pint.

I ‘m sorry this is such a bad photo, but…I think you can read it well enough to see that someone who obviously doesn’t enjoy the delight that is scrumptious ice cream, decided that this itty, bitty,little pint holds 4 (FOUR) servings!  Four?  Are you kidding me?  I’ve heard of people who ate the whole pint at one sitting.  I don’t know them personally…but I think that it really could be possible.

No, Wal Mart did not hire me to sell their ice cream.  Nor did they pay me to endorse it.  I just think if something is good…and really, REALLY YUMMY…we ought to share that info.  I did.  And, you can eat as many servings at one time as you want to.  No one is looking.  Really.  Enjoy!

Recently I shared with you a sweet CD I had bought for Levi before we even knew there was going to be a Levi.  And, I’d like to tell you about another one that I found just the other day.  It is by Jewel.  Are you familiar with her?  Well, while I was shopping, I found this and decided to give it a try.  

It is titled Lullaby.  Jewel has a soft soprano voice, and this CD is beautiful.  There are a few classical children’s songs on it, but for the most part, the songs are all original.  I put it on when Levi goes down for his afternoon nap.  And, we both listen.I have found myself humming several of the melodies.  I hesitate to tell you where I got this.  But, I will…you know ‘truth in blogging and all that’.  It is put out by Fisher Price, and I bought it at Wal Mart.  I checked, though, and you can also get it at Barnes and Nobel or Amazon.

No, Wal Mart did not hire me to sell their CD’s.  Nor did they pay me to endorse this one.  I just think if something is good…and soothing and calming…we ought to share that info.  And, so I did.

Friends, I never go to Wal Mart anymore, really.  I have to cross the highway to go there and Target is on this side of the highway.  I went once a few weeks ago for something specific, and obviously my shopping radar was on full blast.  It’s just not a place I go regularly anymore.  Though it’s clear to me they have things that have quite an appeal to me!  Maybe I should just go ahead and cross that highway and visit there more often.  Perhaps when my supply of candles is gone…..or my supply of Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream !

PS

Joy and I are taking Pop back to Birmingham on Wednesday and Thursday to see 2 more doctors about his eyes.  They definitely want to do surgery, but Pop is still not sure.  So, we are going to see the doctor that does the surgery to get some more information.  Then seeing a low vision specialist to see if they have some aids that may help him.  Please say a prayer for us as we travel.  And, as we begin to make decisions to help Pop’s vision.  Also, Alex has had an extremely bad few weeks dealing with his pain.  Even his strongest meds are not helping.  We thank you in advance for praying for our family.

Hope the weather where you are is as nice as it is here.  Enjoy your week!

When Amy began planning her wedding, she had a distinct idea about what she wanted.  Searching online, she found pictures of decor she liked for the reception and her cake and the actual wedding decor.  Her new hubby was able to put most of the pieces together.  He works with wood and so he knew just where  and how to get the trees, to cut apart, to cut into circles, to drill holes in, and exactly where to get the little trees that were used atop all this when it was glued back together! 

Then we took 3 sizes of clear glass cylinders and wrapped each with a variety of rustic trims…burlap, jute,cords, raffia.  These were placed on the larger of the rounds, and each had a white candle of varying sizes.   Pods, flowers,etc was placed around the cylinders.  Each table was covered with a white cloth and a burlap topper.  These pieces were not stained or varnished, but left ‘as is’.

This was the tall arrangement that was on the food table….along with the display around the bottom.  There were 5 round tables with the long table in the center, all under the big white tent.

And look at this wonderful piece Blake cut, stained, varnished, for the cake.  It was beautiful!

Then under this tree…….

…and in front of this pond…

Tina and Shirley did this arbor…

On either side of the arbor, we filled 2 fern stands with ferns ( of course!).  Now, Shirl had learned this wonderful trick to filling these stands to make them look full and pretty, and I want to share it with you.  The ferns came in those old, black plastic pots.  Shirley pulled them out of the pots and dropped each one into its own plastic bag.  We used the bags the moss came out of. 

The 2 black pots would not fit in here, but by putting them into the bags, they are able to be molded into the pots, and they have a very full look…

Then fill in all around with moss to hide the bags.  You can also push the moss in from the outside, as well.

Add a large bow…and you are done.  The bags can be left whole if they will just be used a short time.  This will keep all the dirt inside.  But, if they will need to stay there for a few days, you can poke holes in the bottom of the bag, so they will drain when watered.   They should be OK in the bags for 3-4 days.

At the wedding……..

Oh, we did have a very nice visit from some very special folks on Friday…Suzanne and Baby Levi.  I know, I know.  He’s just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen!  I happen to agree with you!

And, that is all I will show until Amy gets back from her honeymoon.  I do not want to publish the pics of the actual wedding without her permission.  But, I’ll tell you this…she was a beautiful bride.  You’ll see…

I have had the privilege, over the past few weeks, of helping my friend, Tina, get ready for her daughter’s wedding.  Sweet Amy was to marry Blake…at his very rustic farmhouse several miles outside of town.  After Tina and Amy talked and came up with the plan…she and I met and figured out the way to get it taken care of.  We have been working on projects all along, so the majority of things we needed to make were done ahead of time.  One of the first orders of business for me was to make the brides bouquet.  I was anxious to get started, because I like to do this.  I made what is called an all-in-hand bouquet,where you start with a flower in one hand and keep adding flowers and turning it and adding flowers and turning…all the time keeping all the flowers in that one hand.  Then wrap the stems.  Oh, it looked great!  But, Amy thought it was too small for her…and I think she was right.  So, I set about making another one…still not big enough.  OK..I decide to use a form this time.  She says she wants it BIG!  Big enough to cover  her side to side when held in front of her.  I got the form and I got the flowers, and I clipped and wrapped and poked and wrapped and poked until I ended up with one of the biggest bouquets that I have ever seen!  Side to side, it would cover her.  This is bouquet # 3…

Shirl had come down from Moultrie Thursday and she and Tina went out to the house to get the decorating underway.  They worked most of the day  Thursday and got the front of her house decorated and then moved to the back and got things started there.    When I joined them on Friday, we had a discussion about the size of this  ‘fistful of flowers’ and agreed that it was too big.

 So, I set about removing all the flowers for the 4th time…placed them all into groups…and started over.  

 Now the danger of making something around a group of people, is that they all have an opinion about how to do it.  And, as such…I had 4 voices other than mine.  This didn’t annoy me..it just gets a little  frustrating. So, I pulled this flower out and put that flower in.  Then I took out this flower, and put another one in.  Then I’d take out  2 flowers and put back 1.  And, finally…finally it was finished.  Here is bouquet #4…

I was happy.   Amy was happy.  Shirl and Tina were happy.   Do you see how happy we were?   And, all was right with the world.    We should have taken that bouquet to a locked vault and put it in and not looked at it again until right before the wedding!     But , NOooooooooooo…..we decided that we  needed to make one ‘little’ change.  Because we don’t know how to leave well enough alone.   So, I pulled out a few blooms.  And, then…AND THEN !!!!!!!…

…the unthinkable happened…the foam, which was glued to the base, broke loose.  The flowers and a small bit of foam went one way.  And the handle, with another small bit of foam, went another way.  The rest of the foam went EVERYWHERE !  I was shocked!  Idon’t understand why this happened …the foam  only had 683 holes in it!!!!

And I cried.

Because the nearest store from which we could buy

 foam was 15 miles away…and it was already after lunch.  Tina and I began to brainstorm a solution.  And, somewhere in the house, Tina found a old silk flower arrangement…with dead oasis stuff.  It only had 10 or so holes in it.  So, I got a piece of tulle, wrapped the oasis all around, and hot glued the mess out of it onto the base.   And I made the bouquet for the fifth time.  Many of the stems had to be re-wrapped and wired and cut because the shape of the oasis was different.  And, it was so fragile already, I knew I could only stick the flowers in one time.  It finally came together, and, I finished the bouquet.  I did not ask them if they liked it.  They had to like it. Because IT  WAS  DONE !!!  And, I was done, too!

Now all that really did happen.  But, I loved every minute of it!    It’s always the most fun when we are working together.  It was an honor to be asked to do the bouquet, and help decorate.   All’s well that ends well…RIGHT?  Here is the finished bouquet…

And, the bouquet held together.  The bride was very pleased with it and she looked beautiful carrying it.  It even lasted through the reception.

Next post, I want to share with you some of the decor.  We had some really neat things to work with, and I think you will enjoy seeing it.  (But, I won’t show any pics of the bride and groom and the actual wedding.  She will want to do that in her own time.  But, once she does, I will share some with you, too.)

Oh, and maybe by the time Christmas rolls around, I’ll get to finish my posts on Hawaii! 🙂

“GOD HAS GIVEN US THESE TIMES OF JOY.”                     Nehemiah 12:4

Our family and Suzanne’s family have all been watching the little miracle that is Levi as he grows and gets closer and closer to coming to be a part of our lives.  God has blessed us so!  Now, finally, it’s time for the celebrations to begin…as in Baby Showers.    Joy, Tara, Lori and Patty gave the first shower. 

 And, they decided that the Creek House was the place to hold it…which was just fine!    I did not have to lift a finger.    BUT…’having’ to and ‘wanting‘ to are two different things.  So, I set about doing a little sprucing up.  I worked on the mantel to make it more baby friendly.  I made a banner with Levi’s name in her nursery colors.

 And, I made a wreath for the front door.  But, I classify none of that as ‘work’… it was fun!  And the other stuff..the real work…wasn’t mine to do.  So, at the shower, I could sit down and enjoy watching Suze open her gifts and talk with the guests.  It was nice!  And, then….THEY did all the clean up, as well!   My kind of party!!!

She got some wonderful gifts, lots of the things she had registered for, and other sweet surprises!  These are just the gifts that arrived ahead of time!  Our friends are so kind and generous!

 And, it’s always such fun to welcome them into my home.  Some of those attending  were friends of Mom’s as well.  When they are here for things such as this, it makes me feel as if a part of her is here.  She did love to throw a party!  I know they loved her and they love me and my family.  Their support is like another hug from my sweet Mom!  Thank you my friends!

 Joy and Tara were at the house on Friday evening  getting a few things done ahead of time, and Suzanne came over to see everything.    Here is that sweet boy, John Thomas.  We were working on trying to slice 4 yards of brown and 4 yards of blue netting down the middle so we could make 2 bows for the front porch.   I finally handed this project off to Suzanne.  And, once she spread it out on the floor…John Thomas decided to plop down in the middle of it!  He was so funny!

Sweet girl did allow me to make a picture of she and Levi before she left.  Oh, and a little bit of JT, also.

OK…Don’t you think this is a cute outfit?  A little orange polo style romper, and cute little shoes, with orange stitching!  Too cute!  But, why is Suze cutting her eyes at me like that?

Don’t you love orange?  Well, there is a big rivalry between 2 of our universities, Alabama and Auburn…red and orange…she is Alabama red.  But, that’s not the reason.  I don’t even understand football.  Actually, I was thinking of all the orange highlights in my kitchen.  And, wouldn’t a picture of that sweet, sweet boy wearing that bright orange romper look great in my kitchen!?!!!  🙂  Just thinking  ahead, people.

And, look at this……

…the next gift she opened was this colorful ORANGE lion…from her mother, Mary.   Serendipitous, wouldn’t you say?   So I’m thinking Leo should definitely be in the picture with Levi in his cute ORANGE romper!!!  I’ll be sure to share it when it comes to pass.

Here is a picture of the table and the mantel decor.  OOPS!  I think the cloth has a little wave in it!

And, look!  Here’s the New Mommy and the New Grand Mommies!

And, so the gifts were all opened and displayed and ‘oohed and aahed’ over.  The friends were greeted and hugged and time spent ‘catching up’ with their news.  The cute duck cake (which had a serious molting problem…which Tara fixed) was cut…yummy!  the other party goodies were enjoyed too…along with the blue punch with 3 little ducks swimming happily!  Such a pretty table they set!

Time passed and Suzanne began to pack up the wonderful gifts.  The girls all did the clean up, and I took down the banner and wreath and sent them home with Suzanne.  Hugs all around…and then…it was over.   Suzanne took the gifts and spread them all out so that Adam could see them when he came home.  You know, I remember doing the same thing after my baby shower for Adam. 

It’s wonderful, bringing a new life into the world.  Despite the odds, God decided that Adam and Suzanne would be parents…and they will be fine ones.  I’ve thought often about the children that are born into the world that are not wanted, not looked forward to, and not held and cuddled and sang to.  It breaks my heart.  We are so blessed that God has chosen to send another baby to grace our family.  He is wanted by so many family and friends…he is looked forward to by the same…and, oh, how held and cuddled and sung to he will be.  God is good…and all praise goes to Him!

“THE LORD HAS DONE THIS.  IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES.”       Psalm 118:23

I had a little project to do at home last  week  (before I hurt my back) . Alex gave me this great  sign for Christmas, and I wanted to get it hung up.  I knew I wanted to hang it in the rear foyer, and the only appropriate place was on this small wall next to the oven. 

I knew there was no way to use a nail there, so I headed to T*rget to see what was available.  I found about 50 packages of C*mmand  products.  However, I had never used them before, so I ws a little uncertain of which ones to buy.  And, there is never anyone to assist you when you need it.  This looked promising, so I bought this package.

All was fine, until I started to put it up last week.

Will you look at all the steps you have to go through?    All I wanted to do was simply get my sign up….this looks like enough instructions to put a stove together!  But, I soldiered on.  Yes, I was determined.  I could follow these directions…and get this job completed.  Donald is very, VERY particular about putting things on our walls.  It would be a wonderful thing if every wall was totally empty…according to him.  “You build a new house…you don’t put nails in the walls.”  But, sometimes things happen when he is at work.  It is a wise woman who knows the optimum time to tackle decorating projects.  If you know what I mean.

So, let’s look at this book of instructions.  Because if I mess it up, it will be a topic of discussion for as long as we live!

Friends…you can’t read it, can you.  This is just what it looked like to me.  This pic is made at the distance I would actually read it.      This type is so small…it is ridiculous.  I’m telling you…not just small….itsy. bitsy, teeny, weeny….miniscule…diminutive…lilliputian…microscopic…wee…oh, so, very tiny!  I tried.  I really tried.  I rubbed my eyes.  Then I tried to widen them…nope.  So, I squinted them…nope.  I held it at a distance…then touching my nose.  I moved to the window.  I took off my glasses…I put on another pair of glasses.

I went and got my magnifying glass.  I held it close, and far away.  I went to get a battery for the handle.  This magnifying glass has a light in it.  Didn’t help.  Not a bit.  I even looked through the small super magnifier spot.  This type was not meant to be read.  Because I tried every single way I knew to read it.  Unless you had the eyes of a 18 year old…this was just scribble-scrabble with pictures. 

Now, I wouldn’t have been so worried about reading it except with all those pictures, I thought there had to be some magic formula.  And, because in a smidge bigger type at the very bottom, it said that “failure to follow these directions will cause the wall upon which you put your picture to fall to the ground and bust into a million pieces.  And, also, you can never remove the sticky things from the wall even if you try for 10 years.  All of which will cause your husband’s head to explode…and make him really mad.”

I had to put it away.  There was no way I could read it.  I was so outdone.  I felt old…very old.  That package cost me $11.49 !  What to do?  I couldn’t ask Donald to help me.  As I explained, these things need to be taken care of when he is at work…to spare him unnecessary grief!  So when my friend, Patty, and the famous and beautiful Lucy Jane came over, I put her to work on it.    Patty…not Lucy Jane.  Besides she was busy eating cheese and ice.  Lucy Jane…not Patty.  And, people, she could read it just fine.  Patty…not Lucy Jane…she’s only 3! 

But, here’s a helpful little hint for you, my dear friends.  Are you familiar with v*lcro?  Well this is sorta like that.  Looks the same.  It says to put one rough piece on the wall and then put a corresponding  smooth piece on the picture.  Patty had determined that we needed 4 pieces.  And I determined…and I am sure you will agree, that putting 4 pieces on the wall and then putting 4 pieces on the picture and getting them to align would require many math skills, and measuring and other such things too horrible to speak about.   And the chances that the pieces would ever match up in this lifetime were about the same as ever seeing me wear a bikini on the beach!  So, we just put the smooth piece on the picture….. then stuck the rough piece on top …removed the sticky back…checked level…then smashed it on the wall!  Easy Peasy!  And I felt very builder/construction/handy man like when I got out my level…and actually knew how to use it!

Why does this sign resonate so to me?   To me it says :  draw and  color your own picture…don’t just add color to someone else’s.  You can draw as well as anyone.  Live your life and color it to suit yourself.  Don’t try to live another’s life…they may not even like the same colors as you.  Don’t be confined to just the little picture on the page…it’s all tight and confined and stuffy there.  Instead, venture out.  Look for the beauty and fun and blessings that are waiting just for you.  Oh, and be sure to bring your color box with you…life takes lots of colors.”

PS .  Even though I said this was like v*lcro…don’t actually use v*lcro.  Unless what you are putting up will never be moved.  I know from sad, sad experience that the velcro just might, could possibly, pull the paint off the wall.  And, just maybe a little of the drywall. as well.