What a Week!

THE WACKY WEATHER

Coat? Check.
Scarf? Check.
Gloves? Check.

Ready for a cold week? Check.

Well, I wasn't actually ready for it to be the kind of cold with negative degrees !

That's right, this week in Texas has been a negative degrees kind of cold. The forecast predicted cold weather, sleet and ice (an annual occurrance down here in good ol' Texas!), and snow flurries.

I'll be honest, I didn't believe the snow flurries part of the forecast - that just seemed like too much of a stretch. After all, we had actual snow LAST year, so we surely weren't due for more actual snow just yet, right! But, I have to hand it to the meterologists - this time they got it right - and today we have snow covering everything! It's purdy and it gave us another day off from school!

Even though it's purdy today, it sure wasn't purdy around town earlier this week when it was just flat out nasty and icy. Icy enough to close the schools for several days (the cheers from the students in Texas must have been heard in space!). Icy enough to close businesses for several days (another reason why we should be prepared). And icy enough to keep the roads treacherous and dangerous (we might need to add more than sand to our road safety strategy).

I'm sure this sudden weather change came as a bit of a surprise to the Super Bowl Committee and to all of the fans who made their way to DFW for "The Big Game" on Sunday. After all, it was a bit of a surprise for those of us who live here! But right now the weather is wacky all over the place, not just here in Texas!

THE BIG GAME

Since the Super Bowl is here this weekend, ESPN is broadcasting from our downtown FW, so on Monday (before the weather hit), B and I headed to Sundance Square to check out the ESPN Broadcast Booth. We got to be part of the crowd during the broadcast of Chris Berman's segment. Surely you know Chris Berman, aka "Boomer," the guy who makes all the crazy sounds during his broadcasts. His sports reports are pretty interesting and funny (and you know I'm not a big sports fan!). It was fun to be part of the crowd filled with lots of "interesting" people!

We also headed over to where Channel 21 was broadcasting the news and jumped in with the hoopin' and holler' of that crowd too! After all of our television cameos (being on television is exhausting!), we were hungry and headed to Cabo Grande. Mexican food ALWAYS completes the day!

The night was a BLAST and I'm so glad we went down before the madness of the weather and the insanity of the crowds hit!

Just another adventure of B&K as we try to "Live Life Everyday!"

Hooray for Cool Weather!

But an even bigger HOORAY for car seats that warm up for you at 5:20 am on a shivery fall morning!

I love it when the weather cools down! Texas is blazin' hot in the summer and so these cool, crisp, sometimes flat out cold days feel great. Of course, I realize my limits of appreciation for cooler weather do not extend beyond the borders of cool weather in Texas, and I know that I am not cut out to experience the really cold weather of other parts of the USA. (I'm a wimp, really!).

So, now that it is cooler it's time for:

• my flannel pjs (and I am not ashamed to admit that I love changing into them right after school, but I promise that if I go out, I change back - PROMISE!)
• hot chocolate (yummers!)
• wrapping up in a blanket on the couch (which the cat tries to steal from me - BRAT!)
• snuggling with "The Radiator" (aka: B - he radiates serious heat!)
• watching a good movie

Actually, this sounds like a great plan for TONIGHT!!!

Summer 2010 - Lots of Fun in the Sun!

"Summer 2010"

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Summer Recap... WHAT?!? NOW?!?

Yep, it's true - back to school is quickly approaching and even though I hate to think that it is time for a "Summer Recap," the reality is that a new school year is staring me in the face and I am rushing into it headfirst (even though that could cause brain damage!).

FYI: For anyone who really thinks that "teachers get the summers off" - I'd like to find out which teachers you know that are living that life, cause I need to talk to them and figure out how to cash in on that part of my career since I haven't managed a "summer off" yet in 13 years of being an educator. Holy crumb, just by saying "13 years as an educator" I felt myself age!

So, here are some of the things that I would have to include in my summer wrap-up (oh yeah, I have pictures, they're just still on my camera!)...

• Taught classes at our school's summer enrichment camp.
  
  
• Co-facilitated the Community Partners Program at school where students in 7th - 12th grade act as a board of trustees to learn about non-profit organizations in our community and then decide as a board which organizations to disburse grant monies to and how much each will receive. A totally AWESOME experience!
  
  
• Met with the young lady who will be my intern this coming year.
  
  
• Went to San Antonio to visit family that I love.
  
  
• Hosted an Open House to celebrate my seester's graduation with her Masters in Social Work from UTA.
  
  
• Went to my little nephew's blessing.
  
  
• Had some friends over for a chat session. It was such an uplifting evening where we talked about the talks given during our Church's spring session of General Conference. I loved being able to share my thoughts and feelings and to discuss these things with some people that I love and respect a lot.
  
  
• Went with Brian to Houston for a week where I: Caught up with a friend that I worked with at Sycamore when I was just starting down the road that would lead me to"13 years as an educator;" Visited with Matt-ay Sapp-ay (he's like a brother-from-another-mother, since he grew up in our house with my youngest brother and has always been part of our fam); Went to the Holocaust Museum of Houston and was overwhelmed by the emotion of that event in our history - how anyone could think it wasn't real is beyond my understanding; Met some of Brian's co-workers (who were funn-ny!); Survived the torrential downpour of rain compliments of Hurricane Alex (who thankfully did not make landfall in Houston as originally predicted); Read a couple of great books while hanging out in the hotel room during the previously mentioned torrential downpour; Saw The Last Air Bender (and surprisingly liked it!); Went shopping; and mostly... I just enjoyed being out of town with B!
  
  
• B and I went with our friends Shelby and Kirk to see a late show of Eclipse as a spur-of-the-moment decision the day we got back from Houston because Shelby was going to miss our July 8th GNO. It was soooo much fun and we all think that we should do more random things more regularly! Just cause we age doesn't mean we get old!
  
  
• Girls Night Out events to see: Letters from Juliet (such a cute movie) and Eclipse (the movie event of the summer!).
  
  
• Went with the "Sunshine Girls" to deliver "Buckets of Sunshine" to some friends.
  
  
• Had a great time on the 4th of July at Heather and Spence's awesome get-together.
  
  
• Celebrated my birthday... 35 years of living life... I hope I'm living it well!
  
  
• Started planning for my new responsibility of teaching the early morning youth scripture study class (aka: Seminary) this coming fall. And when I say early morning, what I mean is... 17 teenagers (9th - 12th grade) get up and come to a 5:45 am class to study and learn the scriptures together Monday - Friday during the school year and I have the amazing opportunity to teach this class. I love working with these youth and even though 5:45 am is SUPER early, I am excited to be able to teach this class. Having been a student of early morning seminary many years ago, I know that there are great blessings that come from starting your day studying the scriptures.
  
  
• Dealt with home repairs like: replacing a section of pipe under our foundation (which is thankfully all finished - including the carpet being restretched) and having the air conditioner repaired when it went on the blink.
  
  
• Spent time with ALL of my family! Both of my brothers that live out of state came in with their families for a week and so we created "Camp Sturgill" with activities that all of us could do together each day (and by all of us, that would be 21 people - ages 2 months and up). It was fun to see everyone and I enjoyed spending time together.
  

And something that was really awesome this summer:

• Celebrating 15 years of marriage with B - whom I love more than anything!

Now to get ready for the school year - our teacher inservice days start August 11 and then school starts August 18.

So, farewell Summer of 2010, it has been busy but fun!

The Inevitable End of Spring Break

- EDITED: I forgot to include Friday night (Sorry D, my brain might be scrambled after the first day back to school.) So if you read this earlier than scroll down to read more about Day 5 -

The end of any break always comes too soon! Despite the inevitable ending of Spring Break, I am just grateful for the simple fact that I had a break from work with time to reconnect to my home environment, opportunities to do good, and the chance to sleep in!

The end of Spring Break came quickly and I neglected to wrap-up the week with the same gusto that I started with (tell me that happens to other people too!).

Anyway, I concluded my week off with...

• A trip to the podiatrist, complete with shot and anti-inflammatory pills to try and get a flared up nerve in my foot back under control. There was no denying that I had to seek outside help when I woke up on Thursday morning and couldn't walk... Seriously. I crawled to the bathroom... For reals. It made me realize that #1 I don't like crawling and that #2 I need to dust the baseboards in the hallway. After sitting on some ice for awhile (my foot, that is), I was able to get to the doctor for the aforementioned treatment - which DOES.NOT.FEEL.GOOD. I mean, there is this huge needle moving in and out of the nerve that is screaming and even with some good ol' numbing medicine, it still freaking hurts when it starts, but... I am grateful that I could get in and that the shot did it's job. Otherwise I could have been crawling a lot longer... and who knows what else I would have seen at ground level!
  
  
  
• Rested, iced my foot (see previous bullet filled with sarcasm), took anti-inflammatory medicine, rested, iced my foot (see previous bullet filled with sarcasm. Felt sorry for myself for just a minute because I.HAD.SO.MUCH.TO.DO. and Spring Break is only one week long (yeah, I know, for some that week doesn't exist anymore. Sorry). I did finally get in some good t.v. time but I'd like to state for the record that I was really working hard to avoid that all week. It was only because of this unseen event that the t.v. came on. Really. I'm serious.
  
  
  
• I did get the chance to have a great visit with my KLK-Clack friends (they know who they are!) They are also my awesome visiting teachers who came over, shared a great spiritual message with me, and hung out to chat for awhile knowing that B was off to training and I was "pitifully" alone (well, except for the cat and she's ALWAYS around, even when I wish she'd go lay down somewhere else). You girls are AWESOME!
  
  
  
• Had dinner with my sis who shared how excited, amazed, shocked the NICU moms and staff were with all of the scrapbook goodies I had donated.THAT made my day - in spite of the crawling, the shot, the medicine, the dusty baseboards.
  
  
  
• Friday rolled around (Sake's Alive, it's Day 5!) and I ran some errands in the morning. Well, didn't really run (see bullet #1), it was more like hobbled, but hey - it wasn't crawling! Then I went to see "The Bounty Hunter" with Laura and Karin, who after visiting me (see bullet #3) on Thursday in my shot-induced state of pity, decided that my Spring Break could not end on that note. Told ya' they are awesome!
  
  
  
• Got home from the movies and B was home from his week long training. Boy, I missed that boy! Of course, the cat was a pest as always, but that's how things roll in our little family!
  
  
  
• Friday night was a blast with Mike, D, and the Madster. Grabbing Mexican food and delicious queso for dinner was a perk, but hanging out afterwards was even more fun. We headed back to my house and had a few fun-filled rounds of hunting for eggs! Even though the eggs were empty (to start with), Maddy was hilarious "hiding" them (in plain sight) and then hunting for them herself. I was cracking up (Get it, "cracking" up! Bwahaha!). Of course no evening at my house is complete without repeated readings of whatever book(s) have caught Maddy's attention, so we visited and revisited No, David! and David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon a few times and had to discuss "wha happent" with each illustration. I love being an aunt!
  
  

See, it really was a GREAT break!

Hard to believe but... it's Day 3!

Day #3 of my Spring Break was another beautiful day and I have a pretty good "I Did-It!" List of events from the day...

1. Finished the final sort of my scrapbook stash - organized it, labeled it, boxed it to go with Jenny tomorrow. It feels GREAT to help out in some small way to such a great activity as the scrapbook group for the moms who have babies in the NICU at Children's Medical!
   
   
2. Put some more books into the hands of young readers and added to their personal libraries. It has been so much fun, actually it has been gratifying, to pass along books from my personal collection of children's lit and share my passion for reading with so many great families.
   
   
3. Organized and cleaned the middle bedroom so that the door can actually stay open when people enter the house - amazing, I know! Also had room to set out the materials to finish a project that I kept moving around because my work table was more like "dump city" - now I know that I can get that journal done!
   
   
4. Power washed the deck and back door - apparently a roosting bird has enjoyed flying over our deck after breakfast/lunch/dinner and left a bit of a mess that needed to be cleaned up. I don't think I'm really a fan of birds - especially when they leave a calling card!
   
   
5. Went on a walk with my seester - BEAUTIFUL DAY for it!
   
   
6. Ate a yummy dinner at Mi Cocina - the goal of eating at home has kind-of been blown this week. BUT... the weekend brings the opportunity to get back on track and have some meals at home.
   
   
7. Oh yeah... did laundry again. I'm really bad at forgetting when I have a load in the dryer and so there are multiple times when after I suddenly remember, I end up having to do a fluff cycle, like today!
   
   
8. No blog surfing today - just didn't have time (the horror!!!).
   
   
9. Talked with B - we have THE BEST conversations. Actually, I think we have THE BEST marriage!
   
   
10. Enjoyed the beauty of the day, the awesome weather, and my great neigborhood.

Spring Break - Day 2

Today's Did-It List...

1. Entertain the Madster while D is at a doctor's appointment. Oh wait, Maddy entertained me with her excitement over a really quick egg hunt I pulled out of the closet and how much she loved playing her own version of checkers: put Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Big Bird on the checkerboard and then stomp the board with your foot so they fall off. Don't forget to throw your head back and laugh hysterically at yourself!
   
   
2. Talk with D while she "shops" my scrapbook supplies - Encourage/force her to take what she wants since I am "exfoliating" my stash of materials - Convince her that I'm not really using them right now so she should use them- Feel a surge of excitement to see the supplies I have purchased in the past going to someone I love!
   
   
3. More laundry - Specifically the big blankets that need extra time to wash and dry. Isn't it nice to know that the laundry is always there, waiting anxiously for attention? Kinda makes me feel special.
   
   
4. Clean the bathrooms - Scratch that, SCRUB the bathrooms - Hands and knees kind of scrub- The kind of clean that happens ...well, on Spring Break!
   
   
5. Pick up the den - The goal is to actually see the coffee table (Random Question: why is it even called a "coffee" table?)
   
   
6. Blog surf - But just for a little bit - Still trying to avoid BIC this week
   
   
7. Have a great phone conversation with LaLaLaLeesa (who never really updates her blog... what, are ya busy or something?!?).
   
   
8. Talk with Karin - Remind her of what a great friend I am because of the awe-some email I sent her today! No seriously, talk to her about books for her kids.
   
   
9. Dinner with JoAnn - I love that even without B, I can go have a great dinner with his mom. She's an AWESOME mother-in-law (or she could be an out-law... if she wanted!).
   
   
10. "Exfoliate" the remainder of my scrapbook stash for the NICU at Children's Medical Center where my seester is an intern. The moms who have babies in the NICU scrapbook each week and the supplies that they have available at the hospital come only through donations.
    
    I can't even imagine (for many reasons) having a baby in NICU - but my friend Sharla can and I think she totally earned ROCK STAR status for the level of strength she had during that time. So, I want to do something to help other moms in this situation and making a donation of scrapbook supplies is something I can do!
    
    
11. Talk with B... talk with B... talk with B!
    
    
12. Stay up too late - It's a tradition - Or maybe a bad habit - Whatever it is, it just happens!

Spring Break - Day 1

Just to remind myself of how I've spent my Spring Break, today I...

1. slept in (just a "tad" bit later than I planned!)
   
   
2. chatted with my neighbor
   
   
3. did laundry plus folded it AND put it away (I know... a-maze-ing!)
   
   
4. went to the dry cleaners
   
   
5. had a DELISH lunch at a new place - Yucatan Taco Stand on Magnolia (warning: the nachos are enormous - seriously enough for two or more)
   
   
6. went to Target with my sister
   
   
7. drove with my windows down and my sunroof open - BEAUTIFUL day!
   
   
8. updated my blogs: Chatter That Matters, The Kingdom of Books, plus B&K (you should really click on the links and check out all my hard work!)
   
   
9. made a homemade barbeque chicken pizza (yep, I made it - me - moi - K! Write it down, it's a memorable moment!)
   
   
10. shopped my house for things to decorate my mantle (pics coming soon)
    
    
11. watched "Surviving Survivor" (this was the ONLY show I watched tonight and that's because I was scrolling through our DVR to see what was recorded)
    
    
12. did a little blog surfing, but avoided BIC (you know... Butt-in-Chair)
    
    
13. read emails
    
    
14. talked with B about lots of things - especially his exciting new job
    
    
15. stayed up too late (ALWAYS a problem - not just during Spring Break!)
    

Sing with me

Pause the music player at the bottom so you can keep the tune in your head while you sing...

Kirsten's Version of "Jingle Bells!"

Dashing through the door

Christmas is on it's way

the days will quickly go

laughing on their way.

The boxes must come down

we'll decorate tonight (NOT!)

the ornaments and shiny things
will dress our house up bright.

Oh... December Days, December Days

they fly by in a haze

the hardest thing for me to do

is to avoid the craze.

December Days, December Days

I want to use them well
if anyone knows how I can
please leave a note and tell!

So... with all of the busyness of the season how are YOU managing your December Days?

Sunrise, Sunset (NOT the song!)

Can anyone explain why the month of November seems to fly by so quickly?

For a month that is centered on gratitude, family, things that matter most, and giving thanks, it sure doesn't seem to stick around very long!

Maybe that's the answer... maybe because we spend November focusing on so many good things, time really flies!

Well, before the sun sets completely on the month of November, I wanted to take a minute to jot down some things that have filled my heart with gratitude and mattered most to me this year:

1. SERVICE. As I have had different opportunities to serve others, I have learned the truth behind the statement, "it is better to give than to receive" and have seen how incredibly blessed my life can be as I strive to be there for others.
   



2. BRIAN. There is not enough I can say to accurately describe my love and appreciation for my husband. He gets me (and loves me anyway!). He supports me. He encourages me. He listens to me. He loves me. He is my rock.
   



3. FAMILY. It is an interesting thing to be a grown-up in your family - roles change, responsibilities shift, relationships stretch - and yet we all still cherish, support, and look out for each other.
   



4. FRIENDS. I have really come to see how blessed I am to have incredible friends in my life. People who build me up, value my standards, encourage me to excel, make me laugh, boost me spiritually, care for me when I am down... this list of good that I see in my friends could go on and on and I recognize just how lucky I am.
   



5. CAREER. I have been blessed to have a career where I really, truly get to make a difference. I get to help children (of all ages!) learn and discover and that is an incredible feeling of happiness in my life. Plus I am blessed to work in a great school where I have tremendous opportunities.
   



6. HEALTH. I appreciate being healthy. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual - all forms of health that must be maintained and nurtured, and although I am not perfect at it, I am working to take better care of myself in all these areas.
   



7. HOME. It may not always be 100% organized (okay, it's never 100% organized!) and my shoes may not be put away (ever!), but I am so grateful for the home that we have and for the Spirit of peace and love that resides here. Even though I am still trying to purge, sort, minimize, simplify the things that are found in our home (I have a "creative collecting" problem - you know, I get a "creative" idea so I "collect" what I need to get it done - someday!), our home feels warm, inviting, peaceful, and comfortable and I love it!
   



8. EDUCATION. I am always learning and I am grateful for the opportunities that come my way to make this happen. Education comes through formal school experiences, but also through daily life experiences, and from interacting with others. I am grateful for the things that I learn in all these educational forums.
   



9. TESTIMONY. I am so grateful to know that I am a child of God, that He loves me, and that Jesus Christ is my Savior. Daily life can be hard, trials can be overwhelming, things don't go as planned, and because of this I am so grateful that I know God has a plan for me. This knowledge brings me peace, even in the most difficult times.
   



10. THE LORD. He loves each of us. He sees the best we can be. He is there for us no matter what. He paved the way for us to return to live forever with our Heavenly Father. He is our brother, our friend, our exemplar, our Savior, and for His love I give my thanks.

I am so glad that I sat down and thought about this list and that I took time to reflect and record some of the things that matter most to me.

The sun may be setting on November, but for just a few minutes tonight time has slowed down a bit for me and I feel a sense of peace and happiness that comes from taking time to just be thankful.

Ahhhh... cool, crisp air

All I have to say is YEAH for cool, crisp air! It's one of the things that I love most about fall!


Other things I love about this time of year...

And this year, I am really excited to "get my spook on" in October!



Check back to see how that goes!


Now the question is...how long have we got until the cool, crisp air changes?

Who knows... this IS Texas! So, I'm taking advantage of this cooler air and snuggling down into a nice warm blanket tonight (dreaming of ways to "spookify" my house!).

P.S. Any great and budget friendly ideas for "spookification" are welcome!

How did it happen?

I know that there are some of my friends who will be upset when I say it, but for me...

THIS IS THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!

As exciting as that is, how did it happen?

This year has flown by. Seriously! This has been a "kick the bird out of the nest, now it's off and flying, but hey...where did it go" kind of year.

I like that the year was filled with so many great things and neat experiences. But man, if time keeps flying by in this "crazy-busy" way (I'm quoting my blog stalker, Mary!) than there will be NO amount of magic that my friend and awesome hairdresser, Rochelle, can use to fix the color of my hair.

So...I'll have time away from school, but how do I make the most of it? After all, summertime flies even faster than school time!

I have several things to do professionally that will help me in my job (plus, I really don't know how to actually "have the summer off" and none of my friends do, either!)...and there are always things around the house that HAVE to get done now because they don't get done in the fall... but I want to enjoy the time available to me this summer.

I want to savor the time. I want to appreciate the time. I don't want to suddenly look at the calendar, realize it's back to school and think.... "what the" (see previous post for more details on this phrase).

It's not easy for me to slow down. I feel like I should always be busy. So any suggestions? All are appreciated!

Christmas Parties - Blogland Style!

Welcome to our Christmas Open House!

Come in and look around.

After your visit here, check out these great spots for more splendid Christmas ideas:

Kimba's Holiday Open House
Julia's Hooked on Houses
Thrifty Decor Chick's Christmas Tree Par-tay

(Just be careful of B.I.C.S. You know, Butt-in-Chair-Syndrome).

The Living Room

ideas in the living room:
* create your own cloche with a cheese tray dome
* use large vases or jars for jingle bells or ornaments

The Kitchen

ideas in the kitchen:
* use a fun, non-traditional color scheme
* use a tiered serving dish as an ornament tree
* frame gift wrap and ribbon for easy wall art

The Den

ideas in the den:
* use children's literature in a variety of places
* have a central theme (ie: snowmen) throughout the room
* hang stockings on front handle of fireplace door

And finally...

Find ways to emphasize that Jesus Christ is the reason we celebrate this season!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Don't forget to sign "the guest book" before you go
(This means leave a comment my silent friends and family!)

Merry Christmas!

It's A P.A.R.T.Y (and I'm going)!

Chris over at Just A Girl is hosting a great party all about gifts to give for Christmas.
(click on the picture above to get there).

Although I am "freaking out that Thanksgiving and Christmas are so close" (see earlier post), I did find some pictures of gifts I have given. So, I'm heading to the party and can't wait to see what other people have brought!

Idea 1: A Tad Bit Brighter Acrylic Frames

You need these:

Put them together to get:

Idea # 2: Meaningful Phrases

My seester (aka: my sister) made these first. They are great gifts!

You need these:

Put them together to get:

There are so many great gift ideas for Christmas! Head over to the party and see who brought what, and then add your own ideas!

Fall Treasures

Melissa at The Inspired Room has posted a new list for sharing what we treasure during this season of the year. Since I am a Fall kinda girl, picking out a mere 20 treasures is difficult...
But here goes:

1. Changing weather
   
2. Sitting outside with a blanket
   
3. Air that smells crisp
   
4. Trees with multi-colored leaves


5. Pumpkins and gourds


6. Longer nights


7. Candles


8. Climbing into cool sheets and wrapping up


9. Curling up with a good book


10. Hot apple cider


11. Warm socks & sweaters


12. My mother-in-law's homemade chili


13. Tomato Basil soup from La Madeline


14. Homemade Pies (I wish Kira was here!)


15. The perfect season for favorite movies


16. Red, orange, yellow, and brown


17. Cool and gentle breezes


18. Taking walks


19. General Conference at church


20. Spending time with family

So, what's on your list of 20? Make sure to link up your post at The Inspired Room.

Happy Fall, Ya'll!

I did it! I got some of my fall decor out and about and now it's starting to feel like fall (but only INSIDE my house! Outside it is hot, muggy, and so NOT like crisp fall weather at all!)

Thanks to the challenge posted at The Inspired Room, I have been driven to get started on the fall season now. It has been fun snatching ideas from those who have posted their fall decor and I have been inspired by the great ideas I have seen.

Now I think I need to get a notebook or something to help me organize the ideas I have snatched while "blog stalking!" Maybe like the ones Saucy at "Bloggedy Blog Blog" has created to keep herself organized. Of course, getting together cute idea notebooks is a different project for a different day (man, that diy project list I have keeps growing!).

For now, a few glimpses of fall at le chateau de B&K...

There's a chill in the air!

Have you noticed? The temperature is just slightly cooler and the wind is blowing a tad bit more! So... Fall must be getting closer! I love the Fall!

A few things I love about the Fall...

changing leaves (even in Texas!)

pumpkins!

and the fabulous fall scents of
Yankee Candles!

I am hoping to have my Fall decor up earlier this year so that I can enjoy it longer AND so I can participate in the Fall Nesting Party over at The Inspired Room.

Stay tuned to see if I can actually pull it off!

A Summer Storm

Texas definitely has it's own weather system!

Here's a typical Texas weather report:
hot, hot, muggy, hot, hot, muggy, muggy, hot...
(did I mention hot!)

So, when a cool rain falls, we jump at the chance to appreciate the gift - even if it is not long-lasting and the end results are muggy, muggy, muggy, hot!