Azaleas

These azaleas were amazing this year, they must have loved the hot dry summer and fall we had, followed by a wet winter.

We had some pretty azaleas at out old house too, so let's turn back time a little, here is 2005:

and 2007

Recent finds for the home

The rest of my family teases me about my "pillow collection", I just love new pillows though, and I'm happy with my blue and white ones on the couch.  The 2 matching ones I picked up a few weeks ago at IKEA, the floral / bird one is from Pottery Barn outlet (do you have a Pinterest account?  I pinned a picture of this pillow and I think it is the most "re-pinned" picture I have on there), and the chevron stripe one is from Target.

The fiestaware and vintage dish collection is my other little obsession.  I have been changing out the displays in this cabinet,  but right now it has the gray / blue theme going on.

I re-painted my foyer recently and like the reflection in the antique mirror - this was a $5 junk store find

Our little Emmy enjoying the sun.

I got this little black A letter for my office, it was already painted black.

I have been looking for a vintage globe for a while and finally bought one recently.  It has moved around to various places but at the moment it's at the top of the shelf in my office.

I've had a collection of the blue jars for a while and they have been in the kitchen, but I brought some into the office to use as frames for favorite pictures.

This art piece was from a goodwill in San Antonio.

the other side of my office, I have my green chairs all in here now.

And last weekend I found this little art piece at an antique shop for $3 (alongside it is a garage sale planter, I think it was 50c!)

and my latest piece to the fiestaware collection is this little teapot.  This gray color is not one of the original colors, but it is not that common to find as it was only made from 1999-2001.

I see I have not had a blog post since December, I will try to do more soon.  It's spring break for me and the kids, we are off to the beach tonight for a few days.

Christmas break

I took some better pictures of the Christmas tree earlier this month - we were still counting down to Christmas break on the chalkboard, now the kids are counting down the days until Christmas, only 4 more days now!

 newly arranged "gallery wall" with some family pictures and some little plates and art from thrift / antique stores.

We're having a good break from school so far.  Last weekend we went to the zoo

The week before Christmas is definitely the best time of year for the zoo.  It was calm and quiet, everyone must have been out at the malls.

Yesterday we made this fudge:

Christmas Fudge (recipe from Parent's Magazine)

Your child can stir in the dried fruit when the fudge is off the stove.

• 2 bags (12 oz. each) white-chocolate chips

• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• Pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Line an 80-square pan with foil. In a saucepan over low heat, stir and melt chips, condensed milk, vanilla, and salt. Remove from heat and stir in fruit. Spread evenly in pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Very easy to make and yummy too, Merry Christmas!

Christmas events and decorating

Breakfast with Santa yesterday at Chris' work.  I don't know what he was telling them, but it looks like they're listening.

Thomas asked for Lego and Kate a microscope.

Then we headed out to Mill Hollow Christmas tree farm

and found the perfect tree.....

Last year at the Christmas tree farm - last year we got a Virginia pine tree, this year it is a Leyland Cypress.

Brought it home to decorate last night, and took some pictures today, it's a dark day so I need to take better pictures on a sunny day. 

it is so pretty, the nicest tree we've had, these pictures don't do it justice.

Emmy checking everything out...

the chalkboard Kate decorated.....

the black and white picture is my Dad as a little boy, and his father going to see "Father Christmas" - he grew up in England.

this little picture was a thrift store find, as well as the silver owl and penguin.  The little brass shoes is the ornament from Thomas' first Christmas

little silver sheep (from New Zealand antique store) and another thrift store find - fiestaware juice pitcher

the Santa stocking holders I've had a few years (from Marshalls)



Last year's Christmas tree and decor