Hospitali-Tea Cottage

Dinnerware Sale

2011-05-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

I'm having a Dinnerware Sale!
These stoneware dinnerware sets are on Sale for $87.50
And with my special coupon offer you would get $30 off
making their cost only $57.50

21120 Somerset Home- Set of 16 (4 place settings)

93350 Veranda Home- Set of 16 (4 place settings)

93353 Berry -Set of 16 (4 place settings)

93351 Veranda Home Square -Set of 16(4 place settings)

You can order online at Celebrating Home but you must contact me for the coupon code at hospitaliteacottage@gmail.com
These dinnerware sets are exclusive to Celebrating Home and are dishwasher, microwave, and oven safe.

Whether you need dinnerware or anything else you can shop my virtual catalog and puchase any one item for $55 or more for $30 off until May 30th. Just contact me at hospitaliteacottage@gmail.com for a coupon code before ordering.

This is an amazing price that you don't want to miss!

Amazing Bean Pot , Basket and Cookbook Special!

2011-03-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

Thought you would want to know...

You can purchase any Bean Pot and Bean Pot Basket

for only $52 or $57 for the Venetian or Sonoma Collection

(the cost is $62 or $67 but if you contact me for a special $10 off coupon code it will be $52 or $57)

If you order this special you will also receive

TWOMeals, Moments & Memories Bean Pot Cookbooks FREE!

Offering over 150 easy original recipes! $15.00 retail value!Bean Pot CookbookPrepare a hassle free Bean Pot meal and get rave reviews with any of
these 78 simply magnificent main entrée recipes.Side Dish Bean Pot CookbookMake every meal even more memorable with 80 scrumptious side
dish recipe selections.

Choose from any of our 10 collections

Then add a basket!

Great to have on hand and give as a gift for:

Mother's Day
Graduation
Birthday
Wedding
Housewarming
Thank-you
even Father's Day for the man who loves to cook!

Get just 4 orders together:

Earn $140 in product for only $24.95

plus

get 2 items of your choice - for half-off!

If you order from my website and use this party code
(ElaineRusso161016)
you will also get your name put in a drawing
to win an additional free piece of stoneware of your choice!

Hurry all of these offers end March 31st!

Click on my website to get more descriptions and check out other specials

Don't forget about our Treasure Chest - clearanced discontinued items

www.celebratinghome.com/sites/ElaineRusso

Call or email me for more details or to place your orders:

Elaine Russo

hospitaliteacottage@gmail.com

Wedding, Graduation, and Mother's Day Gift Ideas

2011-03-02T10:23:00.000-08:00

Well it’s time to Spring into savings! This is the time of year that we are all bombarded with wedding, and graduation invitations.

I use to find it so difficult to decide on a gift but now I have some amazing gift ideas that can work for everyone!

What more could a new bride want than to begin her own Celebrating Home stoneware collection with an amazing Bean Pot, Bean Pot Basket and pair of Bean Pot cook books.

For the month of March anyone who orders a Bean Pot, and Bean Pot Basket at the same time will get the two Bean Pot Cookbooks absolutely FREE!

This will make a wonderful wedding, graduation, or Mother’s Day gift!

All you have to do is click here , go to customer special under catagory and choose from our beautiful stoneware collection.

It will be shipped directly to your home or to the home of whomever you are shopping for.

And for the graduate in your life, why not consider our new Scents of Home Fragrance Warmers?

These warmers are wonderful for dorm rooms that don’t allow candles and they come in several different styles.

Our Scents come in Gel form which makes them easy to handle.

They are spill resistant, water-based, environmentally friendly gels infused with premium quality fragrance.

The fragrance continues to release until the gel is completely dissipated, allowing virtually no waste, and easy cleaning!

Be sure to go online and shop my catalog to find the Warmer and Fragrance that is just right for your graduate!

I must say that these are just a couple ideas for the upcoming gift season but there are many more in my Spring catalog so be sure to go here and browse my virtual catalog for all your gift needs.

Remember if you have any questions you can contact me at the email address in the sidebar.

Making Memories!

Christmas Happies!

2010-12-18T16:02:00.000-08:00

Every year I try to make a little Happy to keep by my front door so that when I have visitors over the holiday season I will have something to offer them.

This year Tim and I made Grandma Donovan's Christmas Candy.

My Grandmother made this candy every year when I was a child.
Here is the recipe
1 stick of butter, 1 can of condensed milk, l teaspoon of vanilla, 1bag of powdered sugar, pecans to taste, 1 bag of coconut, 1bag semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 bar of gulf wax
Mix butter and sugar, adding milk and vanilla, stir in as many pecans and coconut mixture will hold. Roll into small balls and refrigerate for several hours. Melt chocolate chips and gulf wax. Put a toothpick in ball and dip into melted chocolate. Place on wax paper to dry. Recipe makes about 100 candies.

The first batch that we made I packaged in plastic bags and tied them with a ribbon. By the way it’s always nice to have help when undertaking such a fun task. My daughter Mary and my friend Ashley helped me with the first batch.

The next two batches I packaged in boxes my daughter Rebekah and I made from vintage Christmas paper.

I actually had my friend Joanie tell me how to make the boxes over the telephone.

. I stamped the tops of each box with a stamp that says “From our family to yours.”

It’s really neat to have something simple to offer those who come our way over the holidays!

My daughter Rachel and I also put together a quick craft for the little people who visit. Rachel cut out all the antlers for me.

These whimsical little reindeer can serve as place card holders
for a holiday table, party favors, or give a large reindeer as a gift,
filled with the recipients favorite candy!
They are an easy and inexpensive craft.

You'll Need:
Scissors
Craft glue, glue stick or glue dots
Terracotta clay pots; 2"-5"
Plastic eyes
Red pom-poms (glitter pom-poms are a fun addition!)
Three shades of brown craft foam, cardstock paper or construction paper;
we combined all three to make our reindeer family.

How to Make It:
First, with one shade of brown, cut the antlers to match the size of
your pot. If you are making the larger reindeer, use a child's handprint as pattern. Then, cut the ears with the other brown. We used a lighter shade of brown to add yet another layer to the ears but that's not necessary.
Attach they ears to the back of the pot. Then add the antlers.
Glue the eyes and nose the front. Fill the pot with candy, nuts or other goodies. It's that simple!
I can’t remember where I got this idea but if you google “ easy crafts for children” I’m sure you will find it.

So, how about a cup of Christmas tea or cider?

If you don't have time to come by, I'm always looking for new recipes or craft ideas so why not leave me a comment and share your fun ideas?
Making Memories,

Harvest Bean Pot Winner!

2010-11-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Tammy Barnes! Tammy is the winner of the Harvest Bean Pot and the Bean Pot Cook book! I know Tammy will enjoy this great piece of stoneware for a very long time! Thank you Tammy for being so supportive of me and my business.

SOLD OUT!

2010-10-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

20 Round Baking Stones in 19 Days! Now they tell me we are SOLD OUT! I was so disappointed until I found out that one way the company will compensate for no longer having the Round Baking Stone is to sell some incredibly exclusive stoneware pieces for the same amazing price of $9.75! This is an unbelievable price and you don't want to miss it! It will only last October 20 through October 31 so get your Christmas gift list out and figure out how many you need.

There is a limit to 5 pieces per customer.

So I guess my goal hasn't changed, It's still "31 STONES IN 31 DAYS" but now you have a broader selection to choose from. Choose from any of the ten items below for $9.75, and remember there is a limit of 5 for each customer order.

Sorry about the poor quality of my pictures...I had to get them to you in a hurry. You can always go to the website and see a better picture if you want to.

This is how you order:
Go to my website here and purchase your stones. If you press the Search button and enter the item #(item # are listed by each item) you will go straight to it. Be sure to enter my party code (ElaineRusso122807) when you check out.
After you order go to the bottom of this post and leave a comment, Or if you would like for me to order your stones for you, send me a comment or email and I will be happy to do so.

Remember If you contact me by leaving a comment I will enter you in a drawing for the Harvest Bean Pot on Oct 31st!
Happy Shopping and Make Memories!!!

BIG GIVE AWAY! 31 STONES IN 31 DAYS!

2010-09-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

" 31 Stones In 31 Days"

Offer good October1-30

Purchase for just $9.75- a retail value of $27.50

Round Baking Stone

Item # 93094

This stone is a great buy as a delightful Christmas gift or holiday hostess thank you. It can be packaged with one of our wonderful cookie mixes found on page 58 in my virtual catalog!

For every Round Baking Stone you purchase from this blog, this month, your name will be entered in a drawing to win a Harvest Blessing Bean Pot(Item # 93306 on page 2 of catalog)! This is a $42 value!

If I sell 31 Round Baking Stones, I reach my goal and will do another drawing for the Bean Pot Cookbook with the same names!

This is how you order:
Go to my website here and purchase your stones. If you press the Search button and enter the item #93094 You will go straight to it. Be sure to enter my party code (ElaineRusso122807) when you check out.
After you order go to the bottom of this post and leave a comment, Or if you would like for me to order your stones for you, send me a comment or email and I will be happy to do so.

I am so excited about giving away this Bean Pot and Cookbook ! The winner will be sure to enjoy it for many years to come!

Remember you can't order until Oct 1st and your order must be in by Oct 30th. I will keep you posted about how many I sell!
Making Memories!

FALL-ing PRICES!

2010-09-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

I am having a sale now through September 30th! If you are interested in decorating your home for Fall these are Product Packs you don't want to miss. You get several items for a really low price! Click here to see the Autumn Accessories pack and here for the Harvest Blessings details! Remember your order will ship directly to you and you will receive it in seven to ten days from your order date.

Here are a few ways you can use these amazing products in your home.

Be sure to enhance the Autumn ambiance in your home by adding a few touches of frugal festivity!
You can shop my catalog by clicking on the Celebrating Home button on the right.

I'm working on a BIG project that I will be showing you soon so don't go away.

Making Memories,

Creativity At It's Best Part One !

2010-08-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

I just returned form visiting my friend Jackie! I always walk away from a visit with her feeling inspired. Jackie moved into her home a few years ago and is still working on it to get it to the place she wants it to be, but if you ask me it's absolutely perfect. My stay there was so refreshing! I felt like I was in an exquisite resort! Jackie's hospitality has no lack.
When you walk up to her front door you are greeted by her exterior entry way that greets you with a welcome that makes you want to stay and visit a while.

As you enter her foyer and living area her creativity is at it's best!

Jackie have "words" in common, we both like to use them in our decorating. The mirror in her foyer has the word "Sing" on it and her walls are enriched with some of the most important of words.

She also decorates with pieces of architecture...

I love Jackie's decorating style. She is attracted to over sized accessories and has a unique creativity with color. One of her favorite colors is purple and she also decorates with clocks both working and nonworking! We joked about how every room in her house is in a different time zone.

Jackie doesn't blog yet but I hope one day she will realize how many wonderful things she could teach us by blogging.Stay tuned for Part Two of Jackie's Creativity At It's Best!
Making Memories,

Apron Give Away!

2010-08-22T22:19:00.000-07:00

There is a great give away going on over at French Garden House! Go on over and check it out.

The Highlights of Our Family Trip to Fredricksburg

2010-08-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

The Rest!

The Laughter!

The Love!

The Stickers!

The Kitchen Help!

The Birthday gifts!

The Special guests!

The Competitions!

The Games!

The Happies!

The Shopping!

The Cinnamon Rolls!

The Sweetest Italian Man!

The Amazing Men that are my son-in-laws!

The Front porch visits!

The Wonderful Ranch!

Last but not at all the least,

The most adorable grandchildren!

I love Making Memories

Taco Braid

2010-08-12T06:19:00.000-07:00

I had a little get together recently and made a couple braids with this recipe!

They were quick and easy so I thought I would share.

OOPS...I forgot the cheese...

The recipe was for a pizza braid but I made the taco and dessert braids

PIZZA BRAID

2 Pkgs of Crescent Roll Dough or 1 Pkge of Pizza Dough

Mozzarella cheese

Pizza sauce

Pepperoni or other meats

Mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, olives, red pepper, etc

Lay dough out on tray with wide part of triangles on bottom of tray. Allow tips to hang over edges. If using pizza dough, spread evenly on tray.

Spread pizza sauce on dough

Sprinkle with cheese

Add meats and other toppings

Fold triangle tips of dough over dish/toppings

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or as directed for dough

VARIATION:

TACO BRAID- do the same with the crescent roll dough

but put on a mixture of cooked hamburger meat and 1 can of refried beans.

Add onions, olives, etc.. Cook and then add cheese on top and melt,

Serve with salsa and sour cream...

Look at that cute Simply Summer Hospitality tray! You can get one free as a hostess booking gift when you book a party with me!

DESSERT DELIGHT- Do the same as above but spread on the pastry dough softened cream cheese. Then add fruit filling of choice, canned or fresh. Try cherries, peaches, apples, jams or jellies. Flip the triangle edges over the filling. Makes a DELICIOUS and beautiful Dessert.

Featuring the Veranda Hospitality Tray!

Making Memories!

A message for you!

2010-08-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

I am excited about a new feature I have to keep you updated on all that's happening with Celebrating Home. Click here to listen to my audio/visual postcard and let me here from you if I can serve you in any way.
Making Memories!

Knocking On Doors

2010-07-26T20:27:00.001-07:00

Have you ever driven by a house and thought, I would love to meet the person who lives there? Well there’s a house in my daughter’s neighborhood that I kept passing and thinking, I would love to meet that person.

So recently while my sister and I were visiting my daughter I mentioned that I would love to meet her neighbor. She jumped on the idea and before I knew it she was at her neighbor’s door asking if she could bring us over for a visit. Hence…I met Leta! What an absolute treat it was to meet someone with so much talent! Leta decorates her home with a cottage style that is quite eclectic to say the least. Her unique and tasteful style was absolutely refreshing! She is a true artist and uses paint to transform just about anything. Leta sells her work in several shops in west Texas, one being Conch Confetti Antique Mall in San Angelo,TX

(I will tell you more about it later).

You can read more about Leta as well as learn how you can purchase some of the wonderful items she transforms here.

Here are some pictures of her booth " The Violet Rose"

What a hospitable lady to be willing to let complete strangers into her home at such short notice! It was so hospitable and kind of her.

In return, I decided to show my appreciation by inviting Leta into my home.

We visited while enjoying hot tea,

tomato basil, onion, and garlic quiche,

spinach, strawberry, and walnut salad with raspberry walnut dressing,

and raspberry filled cookies.

We shared our stories and decided we would get together again soon.

You may never know whose path you may cross, and how you might be inspired by knocking on a door.

Making Memories,

CELEBRATING LIFE CANVAS

2010-07-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to introduce to you a brand new product from Celebrating Home!

Turn your favorite photo into a beautifully framed family heirloom.
It’s easy to do –simply download your image. Choose one of three frame options to match your home décor and voila- you have a one of a kind piece of artwork.

This unique affordable canvas is the perfect gift!

As soon as you are ready to purchase your framed 16x20 CELEBRATING LIFE CANVAS for only $189 contact me at hospitaliteacottage@gmail.com and the fun begins!

It’s very simple-I make the order and in a few days you will receive a packet in the mail that will have your redemption code and website to go to in order to upload your picture.
You will then upload, crop, pick your frame( black, walnut, or bronze/gold), look it over, when you are pleased with your art, order, and then I ship it to your door step. You can't ask for it to be an easier than that.

Don’t worry about resolution! If the picture you choose isn’t the right size or resolution the website will inform you. It’s guaranteed that you will be 100% happy with your final piece of art!

Don’t delay in ordering your CELEBRATING LIFE CANVAS, they take 4 to 6 weeks to come in. Remember I can ship it anywhere.

I hope you are as excited as I am about this! It’s an amazing deal and the closest comparable price we could find was $300. Shop around a bit and you will see what I mean. This is unbelievable!

With this great opportunity we not only get to MAKE MEMORIES but we get to frame them afford-ably as well!

Simply Scrumptious

2010-07-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you the story of Charleen McCain, from Simply Scrumptious Tea Room & Emporium in Eureka Springs, AR. She always had the dream to open her own tea room and gift shop by the time she was 30. When she turned 50 this year, a series of events made her realize it was time for her dream to come true. With the support of her encouraging friends and her airline pilot husband, she has embarked on a journey that, at the time I met her, had only just begun.

Simply Scrumptious Tea Rome is absolutely adorable. It is located at 185A East Van Buren and you couldn’t miss it if you tried because the character of the building just grabs you and pulls you in.

When my Italian Man and I walked in the door, Charleen’s welcoming smile said “I am so glad you are here”.

The tea room was tastefully decorated with memorabilia from the past and present.

After finally deciding from the array of choices on the menu, the Italian Man and I both settled on the Quiche Sampler. It is the quiche of the day paired with a soup and salad. The Italian Man chose the soup of the day—loaded baked potato.

I chose the fresh strawberry soup, served cold. All of it was pure delight to the pallet!

Our salads were a spring mix, tossed with cucumber, carrots, onion and tomatoes, topped with balsamic vinaigrette for T and Raspberry vinaigrette for me. I loved the way Charleen chose to serve the soup in a tea cup and the dressing in a punch cup…so clever!

Just when we thought we had died and gone to heaven, the waitress came out with a tray of the most delectable deserts on the planet!

We chose the key lime cheese cake and because we were so full we decided to share it.

As usual the Italian Man’s piece was a little bigger than mine.

Let me not forget to add that I did have a couple of servings of hot tea…English Afternoon Tea if I remember right.

After our meal, Charleen sat and visited with us for a while and shared her story. I was so inspired and encouraged by the journey she has been on. It is refreshing to hear how her dreams are coming true.

The visit would not have been complete without browsing through the gift shop with all of its unique items.

I admit that I picked up a few “Happies” to always remind me of the wonderful visit with Charleen in her lovely tea room!

Thank you again Charleen for your warm hospitality!

Making Memories,

Fourth of JUlY !

2010-07-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

I'm a little behind on my holiday post.
Here are a few shots of our Fourth of JULY celebration!
This is the material for a project that never got done so you can look forward to seeing it next year.

I did a little decorating just to get in the Patriotic mood.

We had a quiet celebration with lots of food. I'm posting pictures of our food so B, JR, and Rusky can see what they missed.

My Italian Man grilled some pork ribs on the grill along with chicken and sausage. He also did a rack of ribs in the roaster just to see which we preferred. Most of us liked the grilled.

We had quite a few sides: Potatoe salad, berry salad, green salad, stuffed eggs and bread.

We had chocolate cake for desert but none of us had room for it, so we saved it for the next day. I would have taken a picture but I was forbidden to do so. One of the girls made it and after we sliced off the burnt parts...let's just say it didn't look very appetizing.
NOTE: If you ever burn your chocolate cake you can cover up the burn by piling on lots of cool whip on top of the icing.
Stay tuned... I have quite a few happenings to share.
Making Memories,

Maggie Mae's Tea Room

2010-07-04T21:26:00.000-07:00

Recently while in Missouri, my Italian Man and I visited a lovely quaint Tea Room and gift shop. This pleasant establishment was in the middle of the country in Miller, Mo.

Nature’s Corner & Maggie Mae’s Tea Room was opened in 1996 by owners Jack and Marsha Hill and is still going strong today. When the Tea Room first opened it served 14 people. Today after several rooms have been added, this absolutely adorable Tea Room has been expanded to accommodate 130 people.

In 1997 the Victorian and Library rooms were added.

In 1998 the Banquet Room

In 1999 the Garden and Coke rooms

In 2001 the Terrace Room

And the newest room “The Tuscany Room” was added in 2005

While visiting with owner Marsha Hill I found out that Marsha started out as a florist and continues to do some floral work even today but most of her time is spent as proprietor of the Tea Room. Marsha works in the kitchen and is known in surrounding communities for her delicious food.
Though the Tea Room is only open Monday thru Saturday from 11am till 2:pm, Marsha spends much of her time catering and hosting large groups in the evenings and weekends.
Her business offers an array of services for all your special events.

Marsha has been amazed by the growth and need for expansion through the years and is appreciative of those who continue to enjoy the specialties that Maggie Mae’s has to offer. She admitted that the support of her husband has been essential to her success.

All the remodeling and construction has been done by Jack and Marsha.

I can assure you that if you decide to join Marsha for lunch you will not be disappointed.
The menu is broad and filled with wonderful choices of some of the most delicious, hearty foods you will find for miles.

The Italian man chose the special of the day: a hearty serving of chicken breast stuffed with wild rice and a wonderful spinach salad topped with the dressing of his choice (I can’t remember what that was).

Notice the sweet little flower shaped bread...

I chose the scrumptious Rueben sandwich accompanied by a tasty Waldorf salad (consisted of raw apples, celery, grapes and walnuts, dressed in a special dressing).

We opted to not have desert but I enjoyed a couple of cups deliciously hot tea and a raspberry ice tea.

Marsha, Thank you so much for your hospitality! We enjoyed visiting with you as well as the food, gift shop and overall ambiance of your most lovely establishment. I hope we will have the opportunity to visit again some day.
Making Memories,

A Spot for Tea

2010-06-20T14:41:00.001-07:00

Tim and I are blessed to be able to travel to different parts of the country periodically because of our ministry. We rarely have the time to experience the places we visit to the fullest, but occasionally we do have a little time off. Tim enjoys the history of whatever city we are in but I on the other hand, enjoy visiting Tea Rooms! We visited a one-of-a-kind tea room in Oklahoma City recently.

“A Spot for Tea” is just the right spot for someone who enjoys the whole tea experience. I knew when I walked in the door that the owner Tammy Seibert was a kindred spirit. Actually I knew before I walked in because I had read her blog prior to going. So much effort has been put forth to create the perfect atmosphere in her 14,000 square foot facility.

Through her years of experience Tammy has been host to: rehearsal dinners, baby and bridal showers, anniversary and holiday parties, birthday parties for all ages, graduation dinners, and receptions, bridesmaid luncheons, church and club meetings, even wedding ceremonies and receptions. As she gave us the grand tour I was amazed at the attention to detail in every room.

Tucked away upstairs is the enchanted “Rose Cottage,” a dream place for girls of all ages.

Each guest will have fun picking out their dress and accessories. Then a picture and fashion show parade. During the tea party a special guest, Victoria Rose, will come and help each child learn about etiquette. It’s a party that the birthday girl and friends will remember forever.

Another upstairs oasis is the “Queen’s Room.” It’s a unique setting that is perfect for a day out with friends or a special event. Each guest gets to pick out a hat or dress up clothes for all ages. This room is sure to create a love for the art of tea while you sit and enjoy the fine loose leaf tea and delectable cuisine.

On the bottom floor you will find the “Red Room” and the “Green Room.” These rooms are absolutely lovely and can accommodate several guests for larger events.

This post would not be complete without letting you know how wonderful the menu is. I enjoyed the tea of the season, “Sweet Serenitea”, it’s a black tea blend with caramel and whispers of lavender.

Tim and I shared the wonderful “Tea Party Sampler.” It was served on a lovely plate and was an assortment of some of their finest delights: chicken salad on a small croissant, a smidgen of tuna salad and a sliver of guiche. It was more than enough for both of us.

Tim had a cup of the soup for the day and if I remember right it was a chicken and wild rice that he thought was wonderful!

We also decided to share a dessert and our choice was the “Chocolate Italian Cream Cake” which was amazing!.

If you are ever in the Oklahoma City area be sure to stop in and visit Tammy, and tell her I sent you. You can learn more about “ A Spot For Tea” by clicking here. Enjoy!

Making Memories,

Curb Appeal !

2010-06-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

As you may know our house is on the market. We have been working on our curb appeal. I have never been gifted at landscaping or anything that might have to do with real plants. Although I do have several women in my life who are really gifted at it. After consulting one of those women I took the plunge reluctantly. I am always afraid to invest money in this area because I am certain I have limitations that will hinder me keeping things alive. I have added a few before and after shots. It's not finished and will be an ongoing project as long as we live here. Any drought tolerant plant ideas are welcomed.

When we bought the house two years ago the lawn was covered in weeds. My Italian Man has worked quite a bit to eradicate them. The difficult thing now is to keep the lawn green throughout the summer months with a minimal amount of rain .

We wanted to put a paved driveway with a cover in but living inside the City limits, we would have to get permits to do so. Permits would require investing more than we want to. We decided to use a small pea gravel that is usually used for paving walkways. Interestingly we priced it at Lowes and it was going to cost around $240 to do what we needed. I called around and found it at a local sand and gravel company for $27 for a half of a yard, which was all we needed.

The stone you see outlining all the beds was given to us. Our sweet friends had an overabundance and wanted to share. All we had to do was bring our truck and load up all we needed. All it cost was a couple of chiropractor visits( I pulled my back out unloading them). I wasn't sure how it would look but it seems to accent the stone fireplace very well.

I also added a few window boxes, rather than planting a tree at the corner. They seemed a bit more decorative to me. Notice my sweet little flamingos. I was in Ballinger, TX and stopped at their True Value. I found the birds and thought they would be perfect but when I saw the price my mind said "Forget this", as I was walking away I saw a sign that said " All Accessories Half Off" then my mind said " These are mine!"

Just another view from the front.

...and another...

This is just a little project I have been wanting to do for years. I have had a picture of it in my project book for what seems like forever. The plates are actually suppose to be planted in the ground but because we might be moving I didn't want to leave mine behind so I used a container. Old chipped plates, platers, or saucers make great borders for flower beds, for those of you who like a vintage touch to your landscaping.
I hope you enjoyed and hopefully are encouraged that anyone can spruce up their curb appeal even if you might be lacking when it comes to the great outdoors! On to the back yard... and then who knows what?
Making Memories,

Things I enjoy!

2010-05-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much time these days to do some of the things I enjoy, like blogging, because I have been busy doing things I enjoy! I have a few pictures of the enjoyable things I have been doing! Enjoy!
In January I had the opportunity to work with a beautiful, creative, single(just thought I would mention) and gifted photographer. You can see more of her work here.

In Feburary I spent time with a wonderful group of women at the Heart of Motherhood Encounter...

I also enjoyed the musical gifting of my husband at the Winning Families 2010 "Rhythm and Romance" Ministry Awareness Night.

We had a little Frank Sinatra...

accompanied by some Celine...

Lets not forget Brad Pasley...

along with some MOTOWN...

and last but not least" The Italian Man" himself...It was a great evening enjoyed by all!

I cranked up the Month of March by celebrating 30 years of marriage to my best friend! We were awaiting a new grandson so we stayed close to home but enjoyed our trip immensely! We stayed at a quaint B&B right outside our city.

We also celebrating the birth of our first grandson in March."The Jewel" got to spend time with us while her Mom and Dad were away getting a new baby! We had a great time!

OK, that covers January through March...I'll have to catch up with the rest later.
Making Memories

The Jewels

2010-05-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Just when I think...it can't get any better...

then comes this sweet thing...

The Bean Pot

2010-04-15T09:27:00.001-07:00

I made the time to blog today because I want to share some amazing products with you.

As you well know MOTHER”S DAY is approaching quickly and if you are anything like me, I am usually scrambling to try to find something special and unique for the Mothers in my life.

Consider sending your Mother a Celebrating Home bean pot!

I purchased my bean pot in November of last year and have used it weekly ever since. It is an item that every busy mother will enjoy.

It is part of our stoneware collection and is very functional because every piece is microwave, dishwasher, oven, and freezer safe.

I am especially fond of the stoneware because of the versatility it offers me.

We have lunch together at our Church every Sunday and it’s nice to heat my bean pot up in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, put any hot recipe in it and the bean pot keeps it hot for up to 3 ½ hours. Likewise I can put the bean pot in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour, then put a cold salad in it and it will stay cold for up to 3 ½ hours.

I also have two amazing recipes that I would like to share with you:

Pot Roast

Put one roast of your choosing, ( I prefer a chuck roast) one can of cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup, and one can of regular coke (not diet coke) in your bean pot, cover and bake at 400 degrees for 2 ½ - 3hrs. You will have the most amazing tender roast with gravy that you have ever eaten!

Dessert ( I like to call this Dump Cake “ Death by Chocolate”)

Mix a box of chocolate cake mix with pudding in the mix, three eggs, 16ozs of sour cream and ½ cup of chocolate morsels in a mixing bowl, then pour into your bean pot, cover and microwave for 13 minutes on high power. Check to see if it’s done by sticking a knife in the middle (every microwave cooks differently). When done, remove lid and let cool for ten minutes then turn upside down onto a plate and either sprinkle with powdered sugar or cover with chocolate icing. Amazing, fast dessert! Once you try this you will never want to be without the ingredients in your home.

Things to know:

Right now if you order a Bean Pot you get 10% off for my Mother’s Day special!

You will want to order right away to insure delivery by Mother’s Day (You will be safe if you order by April 26, 2010)

Choose the one you like and send me an email ( hospitaliteacottage@gmail.com) or call (325-653-8521) me with your favorite item’s number, along with your shipping address or the address of whomever you want it shipped to. I can ship it anywhere!

I will add shipping and your local tax amount to your purchase less 10% and contact you with the total.

You can pay by cash, check, or credit card.

Remember you can shop for other items in my catalog at

www.celebratinghome.com/sites/51969592/PWPHome.ashx

Enjoy!

The Winner Is...

2010-02-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

It is my honor to announce that the winner of the "Veranda Dip Bowl and Seasonal Spreaders"
"is Shelley Gully! Thank you Shelley for becoming a follower of Hospitali-Tea Cottage. I hope you enjoy your visits and glean something that might be helpful to you as you pursue being hospitable. I will be contacting you about your gift.
Making Memories, Elaine

Hospitality 101 Part 2

2010-01-29T11:12:00.000-08:00

If you go over to Grace-Works you will know why I am not posting very often. My life seems to be hovering in the realm of busy these days. I love every minute of it! Though I will say many important people have been neglected and that I utterly loath. Anyway… here is another part to Hospitality 101.

Shop garage sales for second hand table linens, napkins, dishes and centerpieces. I recently found an entire shoe box filled with a variety of napkin rings for $5 at Goodwill. Not to mention that most of my tableware is bought second hand.

Have a centerpiece for your table for each season of the year. I recently found a roll of snowman ribbon at a garage sale for $1, along with an enormous bow. I used it decorate my Christmas table and could have left it for the entire winter. The snowman theme was versatile enough. I will admit it wasn’t my most beautiful décor but it was full of color and quite festive and very pleasing to the little person’s eye.

Do as much of the preparation ahead of time. Set your table the day before. Prepare any part of the meal you can ahead of time.

Until being hospitable becomes an art for you try to have everything done and ready to serve about fifteen minutes before your guest arrive so that you can use the last few minutes to relax and set a peaceful environment for your guest. Don’t forget to throw on some lipstick; it always makes you look together no matter what the rest of you looks like. When you get more experienced you may just want to allow your guest to be with you as you prepare the meal, as long as it doesn’t cause you anxiety for others to be in your kitchen. It could be a wonderful opportunity for you to learn something new or for someone to learn something new from you.

Though some would say you should never have your apron on when your guest arrive, I love wearing aprons! I have a collection and highly recommend them. Apart from the apparent reason to wear an apron I also think it signifies a servant’s attitude. It says to your guest that you are there to serve them. My last two aprons were gifts that I have so enjoyed! You can find an amazing apron like the black and white versatile one I am wearing in the picture at Apron Allure!

This one was a Christmas gift from "The Jewel"! We now having matching aprons!

Well, until next time keep Making Memories, Elaine

Three Big Events

2010-01-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

Go over to Grace-Works and check out these events that you don't want to miss!

Fettuccini

2010-01-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

Knowing that our home is one of the most practical places to share the love of God and the fact that being hospitable is a Biblical mandate, I have been compelled through the years to learn as much about being hospitable that I can. I find that when someone is invited into the home in our culture it speaks value to them. It is so seldom that we open our homes to others because, let’s be honest, many of us are not in our homes often enough to invest the time and energy required to offer hospitality. I want to encourage you that it’s never too late to begin. Too often, we use the excuse of time restraint, fatigue, or lack of resources as to why we are not hospitable. I assure you that it is worth any effort you make. When I was younger I would get myself all worked up trying to make everything just right. The house would have to be spotless, and the meal extravagant. Through the years I have learned that the most important thing to my guest is my attitude toward their visit. If I am completely frazzled by the time my guest arrive then our visit will most likely not be pleasant and they will feel like a burden. On the contrary if I am relaxed my guest will most likely enjoy their visit.

I have a few suggestions I would like to share over my next few posts to help make showing hospitality a little easier:

Have your own special menu for each meal, one that you are familiar with and can throw together fairly quickly. For example my dinner menu would be; chicken, shrimp or crawfish fettuccini, green salad, green beans, yeast rolls, some sort of cake, tea and coffee. You can make this meal as expensive or as inexpensive as you would like. And remember, everything taste better with Tony's on it!

Here is my Fettuccini Recipe:

1lb. Uncooked fettuccini

2lbs precooked, Crawfish, Shrimp or Chicken

Tony’s Chachere’s Creole seasoning to taste

2 Sticks of real butter

3 Med. Onions

1 Bunch of Green Onions

1 Med. Bell Peppert

1 Stalk of Celery

3 Cloves of Garlic

¼ Cup of Flour

1lb. Velveeta Jalapeno cheese

1 Pint Half and Half

Directions:

Boil fettuccini, drain, and rinse with cold water, set aside. Sauté in butter the onion, green onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery until soft; add flour and cook for 15 minutes stirring frequently. Add Velveeta and melt. Add half and half, and meat or seafood, heat for 15minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fold fettuccini into sauce, pour into 9x13 pan, sprinkle with green onion or parsley and bake for 25-30 minutes.

You may want to try one of these “Welcome Home Casserole dishes and the casserole stand from my catalog.

It goes strait from the oven to the table and looks fabulous! You can find it and many other wonderful products to add to your hospitality tools at Celebrating Home.

If you decide to give this recipe a try let me know how it turns out.

Don’t forget to sign up as a follower and enter your name in the drawing on Feb. 1, 2010

Making Memories, Elaine

A New Year

2010-01-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

I am so blessed with this amazing family! Life is precious and short, and with the passing of each year I am reminded that my purpose is not to live my dreams but to live for God’s glory. What an ambitious pursuit! Imagine the God of the universe receiving anything, much less glory, from the clay of the earth. Now that will put me in my place.
It will make one year this month since I started blogging publicly! It’s hard to believe how fast the time has gone by.
A few things I love about blogging:

Your sweet comments and email. Please keep them coming!
The opportunity and inspiration to put my thoughts to words.
That I am writing and how therapeutic it is.
The feeling of freedom and transparency that comes with making my life an open book.
The fact that whether or not anyone reads, it is written.
I have broadened my mind.
I have met some gifted and amazing people from across the country
I am getting to watch my nieces, nephews and their children live and grow.
Keeping in touch with those who have moved away (when and if they would blog already!)
The inspiration I have gotten from other godly women.

I could go on and on… Most of all I love that I have seen fruit in my life because I stepped out and did something I felt I was suppose to do, even though I was resistant. I was resistant because it was safer not to do it. Because I moved out of the comfort of my seemingly safe and private world … and I mean comfort…I have gained so many wonderful rewards. Though it was difficult in the beginning I am thankful I started this blog.
Here I am launching a new year with an excitement about what this land of blog has for me! You will see some changes. In case you haven’t noticed I sometimes lose my focus. So…I am trying to get back to my original intentions for this blog and those are, to share more about hospitality, decorating, and all things pertaining to home life. Though I am sure you will be hearing a bit about my faith and family here, I will be addressing those areas of my life over at Grace-Works. I will also use this blog to keep you updated about the wonderful products and opportunities I have to offer through Celebrating Home.
I invite you to FOLLOW as I step forward into whatever it is that awaits me!

Speaking of FOLLOWING, if you sign up to be a follower of this blog this month, your name will be put in a drawing for this amazing gift!

This is a "Veranda Dip Bowl and Seasonal Spreader Set" It offers a different spreader for each season of the year. I will be announcing the winner after the drawing February 1, 2010

Christmas 2009

2009-12-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Here are a few snap shots of ours.

Great Accomplishment!

2009-12-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

Over twenty-five years ago our oldest daughter Rebekah was diagnosed as Hearing Impaired/ Deaf. We were told by the professionals that Rebekah would never talk, learn to read or graduate from High School. Though some professionals may know best, this one didn’t take Rebekah’s determination and ability to persevere into account when making the prognosis. We believed that the Lord had a different plan for Rebekah. Among Rebekah’s many accomplishments she is totally oral, has learned to read, graduated from High School and this month graduated from Angelo State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in the Department of Teacher Education and Interdisciplinary Child Development. Woo Woo… Rebekah! We are so proud of you! (Sorry Dad missed the photo shoot because he was getting the car for us.)

Giving Thanks

2009-11-29T18:43:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving week. B and JR arrived late Tuesday evening and we

spent the rest of the week enjoying one another's company.

Aunt B reconnected with the Little Jewel at breakfast on Wed.

Later in the day the Nertz games began! We played on and off all weekend but I can't tell you who the overall champion was

The Little Jewel having story time with Rusky!

Thanksgiving morning and T's blueberry pancakes!

Chil-laxing before breakfast

I wonder what else we can put on these pancakes?

There were way too many people in my kitchen

Beka's sweet potato casserole, why so serious?

No matter how much work needs to be done some of us always make time for games

Uh...Oh ...somebody got caught testing the turkey

Nothing like being with family

Maime and The Little Jewel off in the kitchen testing the turkey

Our Thanksgiving menu consisted of: roasted turkey, corn casserole, sweet potato casserole, pea salad, rice dressing, veggtable salad, yeast rolls, pumpkin pie,apple pie, and homemade eggnog ice cream. I know...quite sinful. In my next post I will include the brand new recipes JR brought to share with our family. They were a hit. Thank you JR for sharing your traditions with us.

At dinner we went around the table and shared what we were all thankful for. My heart is so grateful for all that God had blessed us with, especially His presence in our lives. A wonderful time was had by all!

Friday morning we stayed in our pajamas and decided to shop online instead of fighting the crowds. We even found a few great deals!

The Little Jewel wondered if she would pop before all the food went away

On Friday evening some of my friends came over with their grown daughters and we spent the evening reminiscing. We had a great time with much laughter. Sorry no pictures.

On Saturday we celebrated Beka's birthday. I won't say how old just that she is old...just kidding...we cranked up the party with one of her favorite foods; chicken and sausage gumbo.

Now this is what I call a party

Wow! I wonder why your bowl is so small Mary?

After the meal Aunt Beka opened her presents

When the party was over we headed out to play a game of putt-putt

A great time was had by all...well...I think all...maybe... except...well...

Let's just say none of the guys won...even though they kept a close eye on the score. Love the scarf JR!

Pops tried hard to keep

The Little Jewel's hat on

while Aunt B taught her a few dance steps

Later we returned home and had birthday cobbler to wrap up our celebration

Overall it was a wonderful holiday weekend but I must say that we did miss our Firefighter/Paramedic son-in-law. Though he was with us Thanksgiving Day he spent most of his holiday weekend serving our community. We are so proud of him!

Celebrating Home

2009-11-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been spending some time praying about direction for some areas of my life. I am excited to announce that after months of research and prayer, some direction has come. I have recently become an Independent Designer for Celebrating Home! My experience of being a homemaker, caring for my family, being hospitable, and enjoying decorating, has presented an opportunity for me to do what I am passionate about—encouraging women to make their homes a place where they can enjoy their families and extend the love of God to others through hospitality.

When I stumbled upon this amazing company I was intrigued. Could it be that in one company I would find everything on my list of expectations? This is the case! Being an Independent Designer for Celebrating Home offers me an opportunity to go into a woman’s home and help her create an environment of warmth for her family and all who enter.

Three of the most common complaints I hear from women for not making their homes warm and hospitable are: “I can’t afford it” “I don’t know how” and “I don’t have the time.” Celebrating Home presents me with an opportunity to refute all three of those complaints. You can afford it! By inviting me into your home, along with your friends and family members, you can earn free and half price merchandise. If you don’t know how or don’t have the time, invite me over. I am willing to come into your home and help you solve all your decorating dilemmas as well as teach you some fun and exciting ways to serve your guests that won’t take a lot of time or resources.

I will be holding my Grand Opening November 29^th at 7pm. If you live in my area and would like to attend, all you have to do is leave me a comment with your name and email address and I will send you all the details.

If you are already enjoying your home but need a little sprucing up or some fresh ideas, I invite you to browse my catalog for all your decorating and hospitality needs. Celebrating Home has an array of quality items that I am sure you will be pleased with. Whatever you buy will be delivered directly to your door. All you have to do is click here or go to the side bar and click on the Celebrating Home button and begin shopping. Be sure to enter my party code (Elaine Russo 58007)if you shop before November 24th. If you shop after you can disregard the party code.

I am over the top excited about this fresh new adventure in my life and even more excited about sharing it with you!

Respite 2009

2009-11-03T05:14:00.000-08:00

WARNING, YOU ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK UPON THE LONGEST POST OF ALL TIME. READ ONLY IF YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY BORED.

I took the weeks following B’s wedding off to rest and seek the Lord for new direction in my life. I have been thinking that it was time for some sort of change, apart from the typical ongoing change that we are all doing as we are being conformed into the Lord’s image. I have finally become convinced that all work and no play is not part of God’s plan for us. His word is very clear about the importance of rest in our lives. Well, rest I have done! I have spent time with my family, done some much needed projects, a bit of baking, organizing and I have also done a little traveling through the byways of west Texas, making memories with my sweet daughters and a few friends. Honestly I hope that this is only the beginning of my restful adventures. Life has been hard the past few years, filled with much service to others and I have come to realize that often it is that way because of my own doing. There is absolutely no reason why I should not occasionally schedule in some rest time for myself. When my children were young I would get away occasionally to regroup and get rejuvenated. I would always return a much better person. I guess when they got older and my nest was empty I had a hard time justifying a break. After all I was no longer raising children so I should have free time all the time, right? Wrong! It’s interesting to me how difficult it is to set good healthy boundaries for ourselves no matter what season of life we are in, all that to say, I thought I would share a few things I have been doing to get rejuvenated.
Rachel, Mary, Julia, and I took a trip to San Antonio. We stayed in a friend’s brand new cottage right outside of Boerne. The cottage was amazing! Sherrie, the owner, has a real knack for decorating with old pieces of architecture. Here are a few pictures.

We traveled from the cottage into San Antonio to the zoo. We had a wonderful time even though the weather was quite nippy.

We also spent some of our time shopping and eating at some yummy restaurants.

Recently I traveled to Salado Texas to meet one of my dear friends, Edie. Edie and her husband Brian are really special to T and me. Our lives run pretty parallel to one another. They have raised three daughters who are very close in age to ours.

We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast I have mentioned before, Stone Creek Settlement. The proprietor Jill and her husband have been in business for over eleven years. I highly recommend there B&B if you are ever in the area. It has some of the most charming cottages along with a sweet restful environment not found many places. The B&B is also available for retreats. They can accommodate about 32 people, and offer catering as well. It would be a great place for a small family retreat, or a church staff retreat.

I arrived a few hours before Edie and spent some time reading, reflecting, and napping. It was a sweet time. I was reminded of how invaluable a change of scenery can be to our overall well being.

After Edie arrived we had a late afternoon meal at Ambrosia Tea Room. You have also heard me talk about this wonderful place before. It’s worth a drive over just to experience it. It’s the best kept secret for all you lovely ladies who enjoy the entire tea experience! I had a wonderful dumpling soup, chicken salad on raisin cinnamon bread, fruit and the most delicious lemon and spice tea.

Oh, and let’s not forget dessert, Queen’s cake, a light fluffy white cake with coconut and some sort of whipped icing.

We also had a late afternoon meal the next day at Adelea’s On Main, a Bistro with amazing food. Not to mention the ambiance! It is a neat house converted into a quaint eatery.

My visit with Edie could not be described adequately with words. All I can say is “Thank you friend for sharing your life with me and giving me time that you didn’t have to spare.My heart was encouraged!

I also took a day trip to a couple of small towns in west, TX with a two sweet ladies, Gwyn and Jill. Gwyn showed us some fun places to shop. We began our adventure in Sante Anna, where we visited “Pearls and Primitives.” It’s a neat little shop that boasts a unique blend of antiques, bling, and trendy décor. The owner is Carrie, but her mother, Betty Rae was shop keeper for the day. There was enough warmth in that place to make you want to pull up a chair and brew a pot of tea. I haven’t laughed that much in only God knows how long. Thank you Betty Rae for making our visit so welcoming that we had to stop back by on our way home!

We then traveled over to Brownwood, TX and had lunch at Steve’s Café. The wait was long, but well worth it. We didn’t realize it was homecoming week for Howard Payne University. I should have known, my daughter graduated from there. Their food is as tasty as tasty gets (in west Texas that is). The biggest treat of all was running into two friends that I share with my daughter B,  Sarah and Stacy. Those girls have some of the best hugs ever! It was almost as good as if I had gotten them from B herself. It was so great to see you two!

We then walked around the corner to the shop that drew us to Bwood in the first place, “Cheapo Depot.” I could not believe that my daughter lived in that city for almost four years and I never knew it existed. After spending time there I realized why she never told me about it. She was trying to save me from temptation. To bad B, I’m hooked. This little store is so fun. Everyone should visit it at least once in their lifetime, and if you can’t, that’s ok I will visit enough for you and all your friends. I can’t wait to go again! I know, I really should get out more.
Our time together came to a sad ending when I returned to Gwyn’s home only to be greeted by her husband who had a smashed cell phone in his hand that he had found in the driveway. Did I mention that I couldn’t find my cell phone all day and thought someone had stolen it? You guessed it! I dropped it in the driveway when I picked Gwyn up and rolled right over that cute little pink thing.

Now you know why I don’t have an IPhone! I guess this is why my hubby insists on having insurance on my phone! The company was sweet, the fellowship rich, the fun exuberating! Thank you ladies!

After a month filled with a wee bit of adventure I am settling in and getting ready to prepare for the upcoming holidays. I have begun to get some direction about the future but still not seeing as clearly as I need to. I will continue to rest, to hope, to dream and look to the Lord for His guidance.

"The Poot-mobile"

2009-10-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

In 2006 I bought an older PT Cruiser at a really low price from a lady who hadn’t driven it in quite some time. It was in great condition and had such low mileage it seemed like a wonderful deal. Besides it was fully loaded with sun roof, leather seats, and the prettiest teal green exterior ever. I fell in love with my little cruiser at first sight. What I didn’t know before I bought it was that there was a really bad smell in the air conditioner. We did everything we could to get rid of the smell, but to no avail. It was so bad we thought of selling the car just to get rid of the problem. My husband would always blame the smell on me, thus my little car was dubbed the “Poot-mobile”…we have a warped sense of humor. Blaming the smell on me seemed to get us through a few months before we found the culprit. The “Poot-mobile” had a critter living in the evaporator core. Not sure if it was a squirrel or a rat, but it made a nest and chewed up some really valuable parts. Every time we turned on the air conditioner we would smell the critters waste. I was so glad to finally find out where the bad smell was coming from and of course glad to clear my good name. Unfortunately the name “Poot-mobile” wasn’t as easy to get rid of. Even though I have continued to have trouble with the car since I bought it, I really like my little “Poot-mobile”. Now that we have invested enormous amounts of resources to repair all that was wrong with it, I feel like I have a brand new car. In spite of its high maintenance, I have decided to keep it. I have even grown to appreciate and enjoy it.

Some relationships are like “The Poot-mobile.” When we first meet we only see the good qualities, and it’s not until after making a commitment to the relationship that we notice something a bit smelly (You know what I mean). Because we can’t put our finger on the problem we tend to either willingly take the blame or lay it on the other person (be careful not to call names because it may stick after the problem is resolved).

When smelly is left unresolved in a relationship it can cause real damage that can be quite costly to repair. The good news is, most things can be repaired if we are willing to pay the price and make the required investment. As you evaluate the relationships in your life you may find trouble. It is always more beneficial to choose to make the investment needed to fix the real problem rather than lay false blame or hope the problem will go away by itself. Some may even choose to abandon the relationship thinking there is a more meaningful relationship with less problems right around the corner. But I have found that even when there are multiple repairs that need to be made that repeatedly reveal themselves over a long period of time, it’s not impossible for the relationship to take on the feel of a brand new one. I encourage you to make the investments needed to get your relationship functioning at its best. In spite of the high maintenance costs most relationships are worth keeping. Who knows you may even grow to appreciate and enjoy the other person.

Inviting All Readers!

2009-10-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

You are cordially invited to attend a virtual tea party
At
Maime's Hospitali-tea Cottage
Today or any day

The only things needed for a tea party to be successful are friends who are willing to share their laughter, or tears whichever is relevant at the time. I would love to have all of the above at this special party. This is how it works: You can attend this party by leaving me a comment or email giving me some information such as: your first name, what state you live in, how old you are, how you found my blog or what you want to hear about. Then write a bit about your life. I really do want to get to know all of you better so we can be friends. Come on out of the woodwork will you? Let's get this party started! The tea table is set so I'll go first... My name is Elaine (Maime), I live in TX, I am 48 years young. I started this blog as an outlet to share my life with others. Due to a very busy lifestyle I don't have time to talk with each of my friends and family members individually on a regular basis. I find it easier to keep them posted on the happenings of my life through blogging. I also hope to meet new friends. The only problem is I don't know who is out there. You guessed it ...I'm not getting comments or email. If you aren't sharing your lives with me this will only be one sided. Besides this is probably the only time you will get to share something with me and not get interrupted (still working on that). Alright, now I'm sounding desperate...or bitter... or something not good...uh oh here come the tears..:) Seriously this could be so much fun, I have plenty of tea cups ready and waiting for some of you to come and visit.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

2009-10-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

IT'S FALL YALL! I don't bake goodies very often because I just can't afford them(I'm referring to the calories in case you didn't get it). I just couldn't help trying this amazing recipe from Alisa over at Carolina Panache. The recipe was simple and made so much that I had some to share.

If you are looking for a great fall snack for your next party these cookies might be just what you need, or you may just want to surprise your family with a home made treat. Hope you enjoy!

Organization

2009-10-08T08:05:00.001-07:00

I really enjoy my home much more when it is organized. I am naturally an organized person but I will say that the older I get the less efficient I seem to be. I don't know if I have grown up a little and realize some things that I thought were important just aren't, or if I have just gotten lazy in my old age. Whatever the case may be, I find myself occasionally wanting things organized to the hilt. If you happen to be in one of those get organized moods like I am, I have a little something to share. I ran across this great interview with Krista from one of the blogs I follow. Its great information on organizing your child's closet and I thought you mom's with little ones might enjoy it. Krista is an organization specialist and you can read about her wonderful ideas on her blog.Be sure to go over and check out the rest of her great ideas and tell her I sent you.

Nunchin

2009-10-02T11:32:00.001-07:00

I stumbled upon a refreshing book at a half off book store in San Antonio that has been a wealth of fun . It is titled “The Art of The Table” by Suzanne Bon Drachenfels. I have enjoyed it so much. Did you know that in the eighteenth century food was prepared at daylight and the main meal was served at midday or in the early afternoon around 3pm? It was called dinner. In the long stretch between breakfast and dinner an informal snack was served and it was called nunchin. Eventually nunchin developed into nooning, a more substantial meal. And then the midday snack became lunch from the word lunshin meaning “lump” or “lump of food.” Today’s word “luncheon,” comes from the word lounge, meaning” a lump of bread and cheese.” There are many more interesting facts I will share with you as I continue to learn from my knew acquaintance, Suzanne, through her most lovely book.
I would also like to share my Fall tablescape with you. It’s very simple, which is unlike me, but I just felt a need for less.

I got these dishes from Wal-mart years ago and love them because it doesn’t matter what season it is , they always go with my décor. I have collected clear glass for years and find it to be the most practical way to change my tablescape, apart from white or ivory. I can add any color table linens and they just blend right in.
I’m off to enjoy my nunchin or nooning, or lump of food, or lunch as I call it.

Fall Decor

2009-09-30T13:51:00.001-07:00

I finished decorating for Fall today…Ha…I’m not sure if I finished but lets just say I finished for today.
I did a couple of crafty things that were so easy.
My first project was an autumn platter. I found a green platter at a garage sale on Saturday for $1.00. I kept picking it up and putting it down. I just wasn’t sure what I would do with it but decided to bring it home anyway. When I got home I remembered that I had picked up some letters at Hobby Lobby with the intentions of doing something with them but what, I did not know. Anyway I threw them on the platter thus, an autumn platter was born. Love it!

My other project was an autumn banner! Lots of fun! I’m already working on another. Banners seem to be the craze right now in vintage decorating. I love words, so anything with words on it attracts my attention.

A friend picked me up this week to take me on a belated birthday outing. She paid me a great compliment, she said, “Your porch is so inviting it makes me want to come and visit.” I have always wanted my porch to lure people… well meaning people of course. Have you ever passed someone’s home and just wanted to know who lived there because of the warmth of the porch? I have, and sometimes I have to stop myself from walking right up to the door and saying hello. I want the first thing my guests see when they approach my home to be a message of warmth and welcome. I have even thought about my mail carrier and how boring his or her job must be. Why not leave something of interest to add a bit of joy to their day?
Remember the chalk, and dry erase board I got for “The Jewel”, at the garage sale, the day of B’s wedding? Well I found use for it, until she gets old enough to use it. I decided to leave quotes on it on my porch. I figure I will change it’s décor with the seasons.

Well I know your lives are busy, mainly because I’m not hearing from many of you. If you have time let me know you’re out there. I would love to hear from you.

A Random Act

2009-09-28T09:55:00.001-07:00

As many of you no I am an avid reader. After spending the last five months planning a wedding I decided it was time to pick up the books again. I went to the library this week and picked up four books. I typically will have about five books going at a time. Lately since I have been reading blogs I don't have the time I use to have to read. I will say that I am a fast reader and I can jump from one topic to another quite easily. I rarely pick up a book and read it all the way through without putting it aside to read another, promising myself, of course, to finish it later. The book I just read was an exceptions.It was titled "A Random Act" by Cindi Broaddus with Kimberly Lohman Suiters.

If you think your life is bad and you feel like a victim this is a must read for you. It was so encouraging and amazing to read about this woman's fight for life. It was equally encouraging to witness her path of forgiveness. I also really appreciated the fact that I was able to read it in one day. I started on my way to church on Sunday morning and finished it in the late afternoon. No, I didn't read through the sermon but I did pick it up after church and read all the way home. I even took a nap in between chapters. Needless to say it's a really quick read that's hard to put down. If you find yourself needing a bit of inspiration this book could do it for you.

Why not find a comfy spot grab a good book and have a great day? Send me a comment and tell me about one of your good reads, I love hearing form you.

Projects

2009-09-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share a few projects the Hubby and I did over the past few months. If you would like any details just email me for them.

Hubby found the little picnic table at a garage sale for $l.00 and the screen was left behind by the previous owners of our home. When I decided to have a beach theme in the back yard everything took on a layer of paint. My inspiration was a beach ball that had the colors, red, aqua blue, and yellow. My yard project isn't completely finished but here is a sneak preview.

This project was an old dresser that I found for $5.00. I had it for years and finally got around to sprucing it up. It now serves as an island in my freshly painted kitchen. I really enjoy the chalk board on each side for leaving messages and for the drawings of my little guest.

Speaking of fresh paint. When we moved into this house a year ago we had to paint and move in rather quickly, so my Hubby painted the kitchen gold because I didn't have time to decide what color I really wanted. After living here several months I went back to the red that I have loved for many years.

Here is a before with the gold walls and after with red walls.

We also decided to resurface the kitchen cabinets but didn't want to invest too much money at this time. I found a roll of paintable wallpaper that looks like beaded board at Lowes for $6.00 and resurfaced all the cabinets with it. I really like it a lot and so far it seems to be holding up well. I can't wait to find another project for the remainder of the roll.
Before

After

One last thing! This was an old trunk that Hubby picked up for me one Saturday morning when he went without me to shop garage sales. I have wanted to do something with it for a long time but never did.

Now that I have a grand-child I decided to turn it into a trunk for books. I love it when the " Little Jewel" comes over to play and goes straight to it. She already knows what it's for. I used the same red paint from the kitchen redo. I also covered parts of it with fabric I picked up at Wal-mart on clearance.

I wonder if anyone can guess what my favorite color is now that you have witnessed my most recent projects?
Leave me a comment before next Friday telling of your most recent project and the one I like the best will receive a nice little surprise "Happy" in their mailbox!

Main Street Boerne, TX

2009-09-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

When I went down to Corpus last weekend I took a little detour and spent the night in the San Antonio area. I did a little shopping and thought some of you might enjoy hearing about a few places I visited. For those of you who don’t know, Boerne is a quaint little town west of San Antonio. One of my daughters used to live there so when I visited her I would frequent some of the shops. Unfortunately the shop I enjoyed the most closed down due to the owner retiring. I will say that on this particular visit I definitely found a new favorite. “Vintage Bliss & Co.” They have a great mix of new traditional home decor along with the always changing old shabby, chippy, vintage junk! They have fun jewelry, tees and stationary. They also have great kid’s gifts and decor. They work hard at finding merchandise you won't see in all the other stores in Boerne. Their customers love their uncommon selection of gift items like frames, signs, cards, candles, bath salts and soaps. If you want to step into the world of vintage be sure to stop by and visit them the next time you are passing through. You can also visit their website at vintagebliss.com.

I also browsed “The Landmark Antiques and Collectables.” This is a neat shop that houses several different vendors and no matter whom you are shopping for you will surely find something to suit anyone’s taste. Be sure to visit them at 404 S. Main St. in Boerne.

And last but definitely not the least is the sweetest little children’s shop called “Topsy Turvy” located at 346 S. Main St. If you are looking for a special gift for a little person in your life this is the store for you. It would be an understatement to say their shop is unique. The shop keeper was so friendly I could have stayed and visited all afternoon. Be sure to check them out the next time you are in Boerne, TX.

Hope you enjoyed the info! If there is a special place you like to visit why not leave me a comment?

Ice Cream Social

2009-09-22T19:18:00.001-07:00

This should wrap up my wedding post. The last of the wedding events happened this weekend in Corpus. JR’s parents hosted a reception for all the family and friends that weren’t able to attend the wedding. There was a great turnout and it was so nice to get to meet all the wonderful people that B will be sharing her life with. Paula, JR’s mom did a wonderful job pulling everything together. The reception was an ice cream social, so as guest arrived they were invited to go through the line and make up their own creation and the topping options were endless. It was really fun to watch so many people who might normally feel that all the sugar was taboo, have the time of their lives. We got to choose between a myriad of waffle bowls. They were dipped in chocolate and coated in a variety of coatings ranging from nuts, to sprinkles, or coconut. I chose the conservative options so my treat consisted of a waffle bowl dipped in chocolate; coated in nuts; filled with two large scoops of chocolate Bluebell ice cream on top of a chocolate chip brownie, sprinkled with chocolate morsels, covered in hot chocolate syrup; sprayed with whipped topping, and topped with a cherry. Yes, I did say conservative! Needless to say it was a wonderful evening! Visiting and making new friends was quite enjoyable. We came home from a weekend spent with the newlyweds blessed by how good God has been to them, and how grateful they are.

The Wedding Reception

2009-09-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

Off to the Hotel we went. It was B and JR’s desire that their guest begin eating as soon as they arrived at the reception. The Bride and Groom stopped at an undisclosed location on the way to the reception to take a few pictures with the rest of the bridal party and didn’t want anyone waiting on them. The food was amazing! When we first started planning the wedding B and JR had some special wishes but we weren’t sure if we could pull it off. Their request was that we would have four stations of food, two representing JR’s favorite cuisines, French and German and two for B’s favorite cuisines, Italian and Cajun. It was a wonderful idea but I wasn’t sure we could make it happen until we talked with my friend Dana Boles. Oh, how we love Dana! I cannot even begin to tell you the work this woman and her family did to make this happen. B and I sat down with her one afternoon and she totally caught the vision. She got so excited and assured us this could happen. With our input Dana came up with an amazing menu and here it is:
German Table:
Char grilled Bratwurst with onions, sauerkraut and red cabbage
Stone ground mustard
Rye and Pumpernickel breads
French Table:
Cheese service including
Brie
Roquefort
Camembert
Gruyere
French Goat Cheese
Baguettes
Italian Table:
Tortellini Salad with roasted red bell peppers and kalamata olives
Pesto Cheese Torta (Blend of cheeses, peppers, pesto and lots of garlic)
Assortment of crackers
Chicken Parmesan (Bite size breaded chicken over penne pasta coated in semi-homemade marinara sauce. Shards of parmesan and mozzarella melted over the top)
Italian fig cookies-Made by T’s Mom, Tena
Cajun Table:
Crawfish Etoufee served as a dip with crackers-made by Joanie Jarreau
Jambalaya made in the biggest black iron pot I have ever seen-made by Mike Russo
Fruit and Vegetable Tower
Garden Dill dip
Cinnamon Sugar Dip
Caesar Salad with homemade croutons
Marinated olives

The food turned out amazing! We are so grateful to Dana, her mom, Gwyn, and sister-in-law Ronnie, along with their husbands for being such wonderful friends and working themselves to death to make it all happen so beautifully! We are forever indebted to them. I know your reward will be great in heaven!

By the time everyone had eaten the Bride and Groom appeared, and had their first dance. As soon as they were finished she was handed over to her Dad for their special dance. Now, what many people don’t know is that B and her Dad had been practicing their dancing for several weeks. Because T has been a musician most of his life, well, lets just say he hasn’t perfected his dancing. Anyway they practiced to a particular song and all the while B thought that this would be the song they would dance to at the wedding, but as they got out on the floor and began to dance the song faded out and another song came on. It wasn’t just any song, but one that her Dad had written for her and surprised her with. It was a very special moment that I don’t think either of them will ever forget.

The bride and grooms cake were cut just in time for everyone to have a piece and then the dance party started. Let’s just say that I was amazed at the energy of those out on the floor. I think the last time my body was that agile was when I was two years old. Oh, my how they cut the rug! It was a great time of celebration for both young and old! The party ended with everyone taking a noise maker to the lobby and making lots of noise as two of the most precious young people traveled through to their awaiting getaway car.
I have to say that this evening ranked very high on my list of favorites. There is nothing quite as joyful as knowing that your daughter just married the man of her dreams and that by the grace of God he will take wonderful care of her.

The Wedding Ceremony

2009-09-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

At 4: pm the wedding began with the parents and grandparents entering the sanctuary to the song Zephaniah 3:17 sung by Charlie Boyd written by Steven Manuel. JR chose to escort his mom down which was really sweet. After we were all seated we viewed a video presentation that B and JR recorded ahead of time. The message was profound.

The Minister, groom and groomsmen entered from the left as Katie Curry and Charlie Boyd began singing “He Loves Us” written by John Mark McMillan. The song continued as the bridesmaids entered, and reached a crescendo as B and her Dad entered. It was a beautiful depiction of Christ and His Bride, the Church. The love and joy they felt beamed from both of their faces.

Both sets of parents joined them at the front for a time of prayer, along with the Minister, David, and his wife, Sarah. Everything from this point on was pretty usual, you know, the vows, communion, until it was time for “the kiss.” Just before David pronounced them husband and wife T came up and presented JR with a sword. The sword represented a changing of the guard so to speak. It is symbolism for the transfer of responsibility for her care from T to JR. JR received the sword and quickly handed it off as he joyfully anticipated “the kiss.” You see this wasn’t just any kiss it was “the kiss.” The reason this kiss was so special is that B and JR had waited their entire lives for it. Both of them by the grace of God had kept themselves pure for each other. They had each made the decision when they were very young that they would keep themselves only for the person they would marry. Now I know neither of them would want any credit for this because they know that it was only by God’s grace and strength that they were able to wait. I share it with you as encouragement to those who choose to wait, because I think it gives God glory and because as a parent I am very proud of both of them. Well, the rest is history, they were married in the eyes of God and more witnesses than I ever imagined would be there. We then headed off to the reception…

The Wedding Jambalaya

2009-09-17T03:30:00.000-07:00

Now before I tell you about the wedding I must tell of something else that was going on the day of the wedding. T’s brother, Mike and sister-in-law, Suzanne, came to town on Thursday to help us out. On the day of the wedding they cooked a huge pot of jambalaya. It was amazing! It was quite a bit of work and I’m sure they were worn out by the time they got home on Sunday. Here are a few pics of this major event going on behind the scenes. I don’t know much about what went on because I wasn’t there but I do know that they cooked over thirty pounds of rice and we had to get two extra men to haul the big pot to the Hotel. It literally took all day just to cook it, not including all the time they spent preparing the meat and seasoning. All I can say is “What a great brother to haul that big ole pot seven hundred miles just to cook for his niece’s wedding.” Amazing!!!! Thank you Mike and Suzanne for making us feel so loved!

The Wedding Day Afternoon

2009-09-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

After leaving the Hotel the day of the wedding my friend Joanie went with me to get my hair done. It only took about twenty minutes so that gave me a bit of a breather. As we were traveling home we passed by a garage sale and needless to say we had to stop. Joanie took a picture of me because she couldn’t believe I was using my extra ten minutes at a garage sale. Yes, I bought something, or I should say Joanie bought me something. I found an easel for The Little Jewel that has a wipe off board on one side and a chalk board on the other. Joanie bought B a piece of crystal for 75 cents as memorabilia that her mom went to a garage sale on her wedding day.

You can see the little easel sitting down beside me.
We then headed back to my house to pick up B’s wedding dress and head to the church to get her dressed.
The florist arrived at 1: pm to drop off the flowers which were absolutely beautiful! I hope to show you pictures later when we get them from the photographer. I regret not taking my own but I was just too busy. Our friend Heather came at 1:30 to drop off food she had prepared for us, since none of us had time for lunch (thank you, Heather, that was so sweet of you). The bride and bridesmaids had all gotten their hair done together at a salon in town so after they finished we all gathered in the brides room to get dressed and ready for pictures. It was such a special time. B was so calm and beautiful. B and JR chose not to see each other until the moment she walked down the isle, so, no couple pictures before the wedding. Everything went as perfectly as it could have. At 4:PM the wedding began…

The Wedding Day Before Noon

2009-09-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

I woke up early the day of the wedding and headed over to the Hotel. The wedding cakes were going to be delivered at 8: am and I was responsible for decorating them. I must say that this daughter of mine sure knows how to stretch me. She has so much creativity! When she first described to me what she wanted her cake to look like I was a bit surprised. She was going for the all natural look. She requested that her cakes be placed on stumps, five to be exact. She drew it out on a piece of paper for me and of course being the mother I am, I said “no problem we will make it happen.” Well, thankfully our wonderful friends Rodney and Carolyn caught the vision. I explained what I was looking for and they went to work creating it. In no time at all they had five beautiful mesquite stumps ready for a preview. When we saw them, both B and I were amazed. It was as if they had read her mind and created exactly what she wanted. The other request was that the cakes have sugared fruit on it. After doing a little research we scratched the sugar because of possible melting and decided to stick with fresh fruit. B and I took a trip to the grocery store and she picked out everything she wanted on the cake which consisted of tangerine oranges, sweet dried mango, and fresh figs. We added a few willow branch tips as well as coffee berries from the florist and voila! She also requested that no two cakes look alike. No bows, nothing symmetrical, those were her request.
When I arrived at the Hotel I looked at the bare cakes (Irish cream with cream cheese icing) and prayed “Lord, you know what B wants so please guide me.” She was so pleased with the outcome! I think I may have surprised myself as well as her. I really do think my hands were divinely guided. It was just too pretty to take any credit for it. Who would have ever thought a bunch of stumps would turn out so beautifully?

Here is a picture of the grooms cake as well. It was a chocolate stout cake covered in ganache. Very Tasty!

Speaking of stretching I think I really challenged my friend Joanie when I handed her a pot of flowers and requested that she make nine corsages and a throw away bouquet. She immediately got to work as though she knew exactly what to do, and didn’t complain not once. When she was almost finished she informed me that this was the first time she had ever made corsages. Well, she sure could have fooled me. They were gorgeous!
I have to say that the most hilarious thing that happened on Saturday morning had to do with T, my husband. It was his job to go to the pet store and pick up the twenty-four goldfish that went by pairs into the sixteen inch vases in the ballroom. He took great care to fill the vases with water, insert special drops, and then gently place the goldfish in. He came to me very disturbed and said “I don’t know what happened, I must have forgotten to put the drops in one of the vases because when I put the fish in they immediately dropped to the bottom and died” with emphasis on immediately. It was so sad. He went ahead and finished putting all the other fish in the vases and then came back to fish out the dead ones and replace them with two more. As he reached in the vase he realized he hadn’t forgotten the drops but had forgotten to put the water, which explained why the fish went directly to the bottom. We all had a good laugh at T’s mishap but were sad for the little fish.

When all was done we left the Hotel only to return after the wedding. I will tell you more about the wedding day in my next post…

Wedding Rehearsal

2009-09-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

The rehearsal ran very smoothly thanks to our family friend Jeanie. She is an amazing organizer! B and I met with her on the Monday before the wedding and ironed out most of the details so she was able to make everything happen the exact way B and JR wanted.After we practiced we all headed to the fellowship hall to enjoy a wonderful meal hosted by JR’s family. Outback steakhouse did the cooking and it was delicious! JR and B put a slide show together of their lives to share with us and it was just so special. We then enjoyed family and friends sharing how much the couple met to them. Many tears flowed.

My husband T presented the groom with an iron. After hearing that JR had been inspired by T’s ironing he thought the gift would be appropriate to use as an analogy of marriage and the role of the husband. He shared with JR how important it is to understand your wife and her moods just as you take care to understand different fabrics and what they need. Sometimes you need a hot iron for the resistant fabric and other times you need a much lower setting for the very delicate fabrics. As a husband you must know what your wife needs because one setting won’t work on every situation. Sometime she may require heat and other times cool firmness. I then presented them with what I call “The Legacy.” It’s a tradition I started when our first daughter was married three years ago. “The Legacy” is a frame with pictures of the couples parents and grandparents on their wedding day. I also include their anniversary dates with the words “A Legacy of Commitment” written across the matt. There is a spot in the very center for the newlywed’s wedding picture. This symbolism is to be a reminder to JR and B as they go through life that there are those who have gone before them who have remained committed through the difficulties of this life and that the same is expected of them. It is my hope that they will be reminded when they face trying times, that they are not alone and that the same God who has kept their parents and grandparents together can keep them as well.

As the evening was coming to a close with a sweet time of prayer for the young couple, B asked me to go to the bride’s room and retrieve some gifts for the bridal party. As I walked down the dark corridor to the bride’s room the doors all closed behind me. It was only when I tried to return with the gifts that I realized I was locked in or should I say locked out? I saw movement way down the hall and began to bang on the glass doors. It was one of my daughters in the hall going to the restroom. She heard the banging, turned and looked right at me but because of the darkness couldn’t see me and returned to the fellowship hall. I realized that there was nothing for me to do but sit on the floor and wait for someone to miss me. As I sat on the floor in the dark I couldn’t help but ask the Lord what He was trying to teach me. I’m not sure this was His response to me but I surely thought, everything would be just fine without me, and I don’t have to be there for it to go smoothly.” Eventually JR’s uncle came into the hall and heard me banging on the door. I was released just in time to say goodbye to some of the guest. Again, no one missed me.

Wedding Friday

2009-09-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

Friday morning we were up and dressed loading the vehicles by 7: am. The excitement in our house was contagious! Everyone headed off in different directions to accomplish all the many jobs that awaited them. My amazing friend Joanie and her husband Frank hung closely to T and me the whole day, or I should say the whole weekend. It seemed that before we could think of what we needed they were there ready to assist us. Most of the work for decorating at Hotel had been done ahead of time. B, T and me spent the previous weeks:
Making and Ironing table runners and toppers
Gluing ribbons to vases
Putting the stones in the vases
Trimming a gazillion candle wicks
Washing votive holders
Cutting ribbon sashes for 222 chairs
Cutting trees down and cementing them in pots
Tying raffia on over twenty vases
Printing and framing wedding pictures
Ordering favors and wrapping them for our guest
Ordering noise makers
Packing and labeling everything so that it would be easy to find…
We arrived at the Hotel at 8: am and with the help of our friends Jim, Judy, Mylea, Frank, and Joanie, we were able to knock out the decorating and head over to the Church to decorate there.

After getting everything pulled together at the church(Sorry no pictures yet) I headed toward home. As I got in the car I remembered that I hadn’t picked up the fresh flowers at the local florist. All their stems are half price on Fridays after 4:pm so the plan was to wait till then to pick them up. I zoomed over and picked them up just before they closed. Then I had to drive the flowers back to the Hotel and put them in the cooler which made me run terribly late. Who knew the entire population of our city would be on the road at that time? Just as I arrived at home everyone else was heading to the rehearsal so I told them to go ahead without me that I would drive over shortly in our other vehicle. This is where the fun really started! I got dressed and headed out the door only to remember that my key to the extra vehicle was in my purse, that was in the car that my husband took, along with my cell phone. Here I was standing in the sweltering heat in my front yard with no way to get back in my house or call my family members to come and get me. I decided to walk to a neighbor’s house and asked to use their phone. As she handed the phone to me it dawned on me that I didn’t have any of my family members telephone numbers memorized(thank you speed dial for making me a dummy). After calling several wrong numbers I gave up. My neighbor offered to bring me to the church which was across town so not having a better plan I accepted. I arrived about twenty-five minutes late and it appeared that no one had even missed me. You would think the mother-of–the–bride would play a more vital role but it seems that the efficient woman that I had in charge of the evening was doing a wonderful job. Everything continued as planned and I just joined right in thinking "if only you people knew what I have just been through, and by the way the reason I don't have lipstick on right now is because it too is in that same purse with my keys, and cell phone."
The rehearsal dinner was wonderful! Please stay tuned for the rest of the saga…

Wedding Week

2009-09-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we celebrated the marriage of our third born daughter to a very amazing young man that we are honored to call son. After months of preparations we are able to say that B’s dream came true and she had the wedding of her dreams. I am overjoyed at how everything came together and turned out so beautiful. God has so blessed us with some of the most wonderful friends and family members that did so much to make everything come together. There is no way that we could have pulled it off without their help. In my next few post I will share more of the details of the big event but I would like to begin with the week before. Because I did so much ahead of time I was able to spend most of the week enjoying my time with B. We spent the first part of the week stocking up on groceries for our family and friends as well as finishing up some last minute details. By Wed. B and I were able to go out to lunch to share some sweet time of fellowship and also take in a movie. In the afternoon we headed out to the log cabin that our family would be staying in, cleaned and put fresh sheets on the beds. Thursday morning I was able to head off for a pedicure and manicure along with a little last minute shopping. Family and friends began arriving Thursday afternoon kicking off the celebration. We had a house full by the evening meal, twenty one people in all. Some wonderful friends of ours prepared the meal to relieve me so that I could enjoy my guest. It was wonderful! We had chicken, beef, and sausage fajitas. They also went above and beyond by preparing three different flavors of homemade ice cream, served everything and cleaned up afterward. I was so blessed by the generosity of these sweet friends. They anticipated our needs and met them before we even knew what we needed. They also brought us the biggest sweetest watermelon I had ever eaten. As the day came to a close I was again overwhelmed by the love of God shown to me through His people.

The Begining of Wedding Pics

2009-09-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

The wedding has come and gone. These are just a few bridal portraits. There will be more coming when we recover a bit.

Shower #3

2009-08-31T22:51:00.000-07:00

I have been anxiously awaiting writing about shower #3! It was also held in Corpus and was hosted by several women from the church JR and B have both attended. It was on a Sunday afternoon in the home of one of the hostesses. This shower did not go without a hiccup. Though everyone involved in hosting did a remarkable job making everything so wonderful the bride to be and her entire family arrived thirty minutes late. Somebody say “We made a memory!” It seems that we arrived on time at the wrong address only to realize that the shower was actually across town. Those hosting as well as the guest were extremely gracious about the whole mix up and were able to make everything flow smoothly in spite of our mishap.

When we finally arrived, all of the guest were mingling and we started playing Bethany Bingo. A game that had been made up to help everyone get to know B and the rest of her family better. I had been contacted a couple of weeks prior to the shower and asked to come up with interesting facts about B. Boy, was that fun! While eating tasty treats and drinking wonderful coffee punch we all visited. Everyone tried to get the info they needed about B out of us. It was really fun and a great way to get to know people. I am so blessed that B will be surrounded by so many wonderful women. When the game was over B began opening her gifts. They were all so thoughtful.

I must say that there was one that was really special. JR’s mom gave B a book that was given to her by her mother-n-law when she was newly married over thirty two years ago. It is a very special book about being a daughter-n-love instead of a daughter-n-law. The pages were worn, yellowed, and filled with special handwritten notes. As B’s soon to be mother-n-love stood and shared with us what the book was about, her mother-n-love stood beside her and shared how she had never been disappointed by her daughter-n-love and how she was just like her own daughter. It was a very special time and I am so blessed that B will be loved in such a beautiful way by such special people.

As the shower continued the tears flowed freely as each of B’s sisters; her soon to be sister-n-love; her soon to be mother-n-love; and myself all shared words that we had been asked to prepare ahead of time. She was blessed with accolades of encouragement, and affirmation. We let her know how happy we were for her and how much we believed in her choice of a husband. It was so nice that the hostesses chose to honor her in such a special way. Everyone gathered around her and JR for prayer as this lovely afternoon came to an end. B gathered the hostesses and presented a special thank you gift just to let them know how much she appreciated all their hard work.

As this wonderful weekend of celebration ended I couldn’t stop thanking the Lord for His goodness! I know that God’s Word is true and that what he has planned for us is far beyond what we can imagine. I am so grateful for the love that I have experienced in the Body of Christ. Thank you to all you wonderful women who have done so much to make this a joyous occasion.
This past weekend B had a lingerie shower and a batchlorette party in Brownwood. I got to stay home and keep “The Jewel.” It sounds like they had a wonderful time. You can hear more about it later at beaversbeyond.blogspot.com. And don’t forget the special day is quickly approaching!

Shower #2 Corpus Christi

2009-08-29T05:43:00.000-07:00

The second of B’s showers took place in Corpus Christi. It was given by six wonderful women who have watched JR grow up. It was so nice to hear from them, especially a comment one of them made during prayer,“ Lord, you know all of us had hoped that JR would marry one of our daughters…” which was nice to hear from ladies who have known him most of his life.
These ladies went all out! The shower was in the morning so we had yummy brunch food as well as a chocolate fountain. They new one of Bethany’s favorite desserts was chocolate.

The hostesses planned some really neat activities. The theme of the shower was “Sunrise, Sunset” based on a song from “Fiddler on the Roof.” The creativity in the room was out of this world! We began with JR and B telling their engagement story while unwrapping items in a picnic basket. Heather, one of the hostesses, had put the basket together after hearing JR and B’s story. Each item represented an aspect of their engagement to help them remember everything.

B and JR’s Fathers were asked to write out the story of their engagement from their points of view. As the stories were read aloud the tears began to flow. It was so special to hear their story from a Dad’s perspective. Both of these fathers seem to be very happy with the choices their adult children have made. There blessing was apparent.

Sheri, another one of the hostesses and my new BFF, revised the song “Sunrise Sunset” to make it personal for JR and B. She sang it for them and we laughed hysterically! It was sung beautifully and so appropriate for the occasion. It seems that most of these women knew in their hearts that B and JR were meant for each other long before either of them did.

After being showered with love, care, and many wonderful gifts the shower came to a close. Before they left, B and JR presented the hostesses with a special gift ( Remember, I will tell you more about that later).

Again I left another event with my heart full of joy due to the overwhelming kindness others had shown my daughter and her soon to be husband. Thank you all for letting God’s love flow through you to our families.

THE MAN KABOODLE

MATCHING APRONS MADE BY SISTER MELISSA AND A HOE DUBBED "THE SNAKE KILLER" FROM GRANDMA BETTY

B's First Bridal Shower

2009-08-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

B had her first bridal shower and it was amazing! Six of my special friends and their daughters hosted the shower and they did an amazing job! All they asked B and I to do was make a guest list. We kept it to about 60 invites and had about 45 attend. From the moment we walked into the room we both felt honored and blessed. We were greeted at the registry table that was decorated with framed baby pictures of both JR and B. The guest tables were set with four place settings at each one. The tablescapes were all different. Each hostess brought her china from home and decorated the tables with fresh flowers to compliment their dishes. They were all gorgeous and done so creatively. Having only four to a table made conversation flow freely. As we were all seated the daughters of the hostesses (all girls who had been in Bible study B had for them in our home) began serving the food. Oh, the food! A woman by the name of Melissa James and her sister Angela prepared it all. The meal began with a crisp tossed salad and dressing followed by chicken served with a mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a dinner roll. It was amazing! I was so impressed not only by the wonderful flavor but also the fact that these women would do so much work to make this occasion so special for me and my daughter. I cried through most of the meal. Let me not forget the dessert! We were served a puffed pastry with strawberries on top that was quite refreshing. I’m sure the dessert had an official name but I never got what it was. As the hostesses served us coffee the soon-ly-wed game began. B and JR were asked questions about each other and had to try to answer the way they thought the other would. It was hilarious! I cried more from laughing so hard. After the game, B proceeded to unwrap all the wonderful gifts that everyone had brought. More tears flowed from my eyes as I watched my daughter and her fiance savor each gift as though it was the first one they had ever received. They stopped and read every card and thanked each person that was present. It was a wonderful afternoon that was filled with the love of friends that feel like family. The afternoon came to an end as Bethany and JR called the hostesses to the front and presented them with a special thank you gift that she so thoughtfully put together ( I will share more later about the thank you gift) Words could never express the warmth I feel in my heart over the love that was shown to my daughter by the women I call friends and their lovely daughters.
Just a few pics!

I am also blessed to have such a sweet daughter who genuinely appreciates what others do for her. My life has been touched deeply by the kindness many wonderful people have shown through their gifts. Tears continue to flow even as I write, and I pray that I would never take for granted these wonderful acts of kindness.

Let The Festivities Begin!

2009-08-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

Let the wedding festivities begin! Though we have had a wonderful time planning B and JR’s wedding nothing compares to the fun we are embarking on as I write. We have spent the past six months dreaming, creating, investigating, spending, and just making wonderful memories. I so enjoy planning events! B has had everything she wanted for her wedding in her mind for a very long time and I have had the privilege and joy of helping her dream come true. In the next few weeks many fun events will unfold and I will do my best to keep you all posted without giving away any secrets. We have already had some interesting things occur that will make for some sweet remembering for years to come.
I have had the opportunity to help many brides plan and carry out their special day, but I must say that none of those event’s compare to helping my own daughter, especially when it comes to the budget planning. Everything takes on a different perspective when you are spending your own money. Thankfully I am blessed with four frugal daughters!

Recently while having a family discussion about weddings, one of my daughters shared about a friend who helped plan a wedding with a $250,000.00 budget. After asking for clarification on the amount, my husband looked at me and said “I guess that means we are having a “garage sale” wedding!” I took his response as a compliment because I know that he has always been affirming of my tendency to frugality. Garage Sale wedding or not, it will be wonderful because this bride and groom have decided to make the emphasis of this covenant making ceremony Christ and His love for His bride, the Church. Nothing is more important to them than honoring their Lord with their lives. All that said, they both have been given a grand dose of creativity and this wedding will be unique because of it. So please stay tuned and we will share our memories with you.

Love A Rainy Day

2009-08-04T19:47:00.000-07:00

At 4.11 inches of rainfall recorded this past month, I would say we have had a wonderfully wet July! Being that I am a “girl raised in the south” I was accustomed to afternoon rain showers, and day long thunderstorms, but after moving to west Texas twelve years ago I learned to accept the fact that a good rain shower would not be a regular part of my life. I have so enjoyed the rain over the past couple of weeks!

Although our lawn is green, and the newly planted grass is taking over, our beds have lost all their mulch, and the few bedding plants that I planted in the spring have all washed away. Our yard was not prepared for this type of saturation. I must say the plants that have survived are looking better than I’ve ever seen anything in my yard look (Thank you Tim for all your hard work). If your yard is green, luscious, and overflowing with vegetation, you must try to understand where I am coming from. The only green and luscious things that have been in my yard over the past twelve years have come from the half off sales at Hobby Lobby. Yes, I’m talking about silk, plastic, artificial, or whatever you choose to call them. I’m that woman! I cope with this hardship by making regular trips to the florist for discount cut flowers to enjoy inside my home.
I'm not sure about you but many times I try to cope with the drought and the storms in my life the same way. I try to figure out ways to experience the good things without waiting patiently on God. I'm not always willing to tarry as long as it might take. Spiritual drought can make me quite uncomfortable but I am also not always prepared for the saturation of His love when he pours it out on me. The sad part of this is that when I do things my way I only get to experience artificial fruit and not the luscious rewards that God has for me. I ultimately rob myself of true genuine growth. What about you? Do you find yourself trying to help God out with His plan? How about the rainy days in your life , do you love them or do you fear the possible out come ? How do you cope when things don't appear to be going the way you had hoped?
Do tell!
Oh the beauty that awaits us when we do things God's way!

These are a few stems I picked up from a local florist. For $16 I had a beautiful bouquet for Bethany's bridal portraits. Stay tuned for more on the upcoming wedding.

Peek-a-boo Doilies

2009-07-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

My sweet little granddaughter (AKA as “The Jewel” to her Maime) already has wonderful taste. I am introducing her to the vintage scene as quickly as possible. Somehow I have ended up with a ton of crochet doilies. My mom crochets and has made several for me. I dare say I have a collection. After moving into our new home last summer I never really found a resting place for these wonderful friends. I left a basket full of them sitting on the floor just to remind me to find a home for the worn old sisters. I noticed that “The Jewel” seemed to be preoccupied by the one doily that lives on the coffee table. She will play with it for what seems like forever. She laces it around her shoulders, through her arms, around her head and then starts all over again. She recently discovered the basket full of doilies sitting on the floor and that’s when it happened…she became a vintage chic. I have never seen such passion! She takes them all out of the basket, sniffs them, puts them on her head, drapes them on her neck, laces them through her arms, drags them across the floor and signs the word “please and more” for me to play peek-a-boo with her. Needless to say that’s when I get on the floor and proceed to find a new appreciation for vintage doilies. I lace them around my arms, drape them on my shoulders, put them on my head and slide around on the floor laughing and playing peek-a-boo with my little Jewel. My heart is content! The doilies have found their resting place and will continue to live there in the basket on the floor until they are no longer appreciated. When that time comes they will retire to their original purpose but it will never compare to the one they served while living in the basket on the floor, bringing laughter and joy to a little “Jewel” and her grandmother. Is there anything unusual in your home that your child or grandchild love to play with? Do tell!

The Pink Tractor

2009-07-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I spent a morning with my friend Gwynie Pie over at “The Pink Tractor.” She is such a sweet lady. Be sure to visit her blog for some inspiring insights. Gwyn and I enjoy doing projects together and this particular day she was helping me make table runners for my daughter’s upcoming wedding( be sure to keep reading because after the wedding I will have much to share). I have prayed for a long time that the Lord would put someone like her in my life. She is definitely an answer to prayer. She can motivate me like none other when it comes to getting things done around my home. We share many common interests. One in particular is our absolute love for giving “happies” or “sussies” as she calls them. She so blessed me with this sweet tea cup and iron bird wall plaque.

Gwynie Pie is one of those ladies that appreciates a good deal and loves to share them. My life has been so enriched by her and I felt a need to share her with you. Thank you, Gwynie Pie for who you are and how you bless my life. Your friendship has been one of my great finds!
Do you have a special friend you would like to give honor to? Do tell!
Making Memories, Maime

Transmission

2009-07-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

I headed off to LA on July 6th to be with my father as he recovered from a major operation. Things didn’t go as we planned and though I am home now, he is still in the hospital. He will be there for at least two more weeks. He is doing better every day. I would appreciate your continued prayer for him.
My sweet husband decided that he would drive to LA and pick me up on Friday evening. Even though it’s an 11 hour trip he insisted that he wanted to come and get me rather than have me fly or drive home by myself. I admit that I was suffering from a bit of sleep deprivation and his decision seemed to be a wise one. We headed home on Saturday morning and after being on the road for about ten hours my car revved up and quit moving. We coasted to the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and realized that our transmission was not working. Uhh… pretty major deal I would say. To add to the saga, as we sat there in dismay contemplating what we would do next, I decided to get out of the car. I walked around the car a few times and then realized something had bitten my foot. It started swelling and stinging but I had no idea what bit me. It got worse by the minute. Just imagine sitting in the middle of nowhere, having an allergic reaction to who knows what and no way to get to help, oh, did I mention the temperature in the car was 116 degrees? Anyway my hero husband reminded me that I had benedryl in my purse, so I took it and pretty soon the bite was no longer the big issue at hand.

With our focus back on the non functioning vehicle we were able to contact a friend who had a trailer. Thanks to a good Samaritan, about an hour later we were on our way home in a borrowed truck.

I arrived home to a family that had been awaiting my return for several hours and all I could do was say goodnight because the benedryl was putting me to sleep. I got up the next morning to find that my dishwasher was full of water and not draining. In the midst of all these circumstances, and a few more I wouldn’t dare mention, I picked up a devotional that I try to read most mornings and read these words:
A lecturer to a group of businessmen displayed a sheet of white paper on which was one blot. He asked what they saw. All answered, “A blot.” The test was unfair; it invited the wrong answer, nevertheless, there is ingratitude in human nature by which we notice the black disfigurement and forget the widespread mercy. We need deliberately to call to mind the joys of our journey. Perhaps we should try to write down the blessings of one day. We might begin: we could never end: there are not pens or paper enough in all the world. The attempt would remind us of our “vast treasure of content.”
George A. Buttrick
Realizing that my little difficulties were so insignificant in comparison to the vast treasures that God has bestowed on me, I grew encouraged. And even though my car’s transmission is totally shot and I am facing various trials I can count it all joy, knowing that the testing of my faith produces patience (James1:1-2) and boy could I use a good dose of patience!
Making Memories, Maime

Collage

2009-07-21T19:20:00.000-07:00

Not enough time to share right now. Hope to be back soon. While you wait enjoy a few pictures.

Wedding Countdown Project

2009-07-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share a couple projects I am working on this week. I had a silver tray that was damaged and I couldn't really use it unless I covered it with a doily. I was inspired by Shanon over at http://thedavisfamilynwa.blogspot.com to use blackboard paint and turn my tray into a message board. With a wedding approaching quickly, I thought it would make a great wedding countdown.

This is what the tray looked like before the paint

This is after the blackboard paint
I love blackboard paint! For those of you with little ones it is so great for them to have a place to write and draw. For those with older children it can be used to leave messages for one another. I will be using it on another project. I got this old dresser at a garage sale a couple years ago and haven't done anything with it. I decided to use it as a kitchen island. It isn't finished but maybe you can guess how I will use blackboard paint on it.

4th of July

2009-07-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

As our country celebrates it’s independence I can’t help but reflect on how costly this liberty is. Most of us live our lives each day totally oblivious to the sacrifices that were made and continue to be made so that we can live without fear and tyranny. Oh how quickly we forget the price of freedom. Having forfeited my Father for a large part of my childhood to the War in Vietnam I have only tasted a small part of what this great freedom can cost. Many of you have experienced the loss of a loved one which, in my opinion, is the greatest sacrifice of all.
Though my voice is small I feel compelled on this great day of celebration to declare my gratitude to all the men, women, boys and girls who have given of themselves for this great cause of liberty! Thank you for your courage and dedication. That goes for all of you Moms, Dads and children who have been left behind for such long periods of time. I appreciate the support you give your soldier. Don’t underestimate the part you play in the big picture. If it were not for your dedication they would not do their jobs as well. I will leave you with a few quotes and pictures of the red, white, and blue in my neighborhood. Enjoy this great day!

My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy! ~Thomas Jefferson

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. ~Dick Cheney

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. ~Thomas Paine

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

This, then, is the state of the union: free and restless, growing and full of hope. So it was in the beginning. So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith. ~Lyndon B. Johnson

Let freedom never perish in your hands. ~Joseph Addison

Please pray for my father who has served this country well. He will be undergoing a major surgery on Tuesday morning. Also, my brother is deployed and away from his precious family. Please pray for his protection. Making Memories,

Special Friends

2009-06-28T20:58:00.001-07:00

Recently our dear friends Jim and Judy came to west Texas for a visit. We had a wonderful time of fellowship and making memories.

Judy and I almost always exchange “Happies” when we see each other. It’s just a fun way for us to express our love for each other. It’s usually just something fun or sentimental. This visit Judy brought me a wonderful bottle of balsamic vinaigrette. It is really special and you will know why when you see it.

Always nice to have something with your name on it.
It’s not often that God blesses our lives with people who aren’t relatives but are definitely family. Our friends Jim and Judy are such people. In 1995 my husband Tim and I went to Lafayette LA to spend a weekend away. We were at the tourist information center when we ran across a brochure for some of the cutest little cottages I’ve ever seen. I asked Tim if we could just ride over and see what it looked like in person for future reference. He agreed and we went out to Country Oakes in Breaux Bridge, LA.

Interestingly there was a cottage available for the weekend. We decided to book it and spend our weekend there. As we were leaving our cottage for dinner the owners(Jim and Judy no longer own Country Oakes B&B)invited us to join them for lunch the next day. We accepted and that was the beginning of our relationship. Jim and Judy adopted us that day as well. They have shown constant care and concern for our entire family. It was so special to me this visit to observe the way they both inquired and showed genuine interest in our daughter Bethany and her upcoming wedding. They sat and listened with undivided attention as she shared every detail. They were here when Bethany’s wedding dress arrived and based on the level of excitement they showed you would have thought she was there daughter.

I thank the Lord for putting them in our lives. When we moved to Texas almost twelve years ago, I was concerned about how we would maintain our relationship with so much distance between us. I should have known. Jim and Judy have made every effort to stay in touch as well as come for regular visits. It is rare for us to go to LA for a visit without including them in our itinerary. Every time we visit their love and care for us is apparent. Their passion for the Lord and each other is contagious. I thank God that He so sovereignly crossed our paths all those years ago. I’m not sure who we would be today without their influence and love in our lives. Thank you Jim and Judy for Making Memories with us.

We Have A Winner!

2009-06-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Edie Sanders! You are the winner of the Sacred Influence Book! Thank you all so much for signing my book and keep reading because we will have more drawings coming soon. Edie, I will put the book in the mail to you right away.
Making Memories, Maime

Lawn Mower Cupcakes

2009-06-20T21:12:00.001-07:00

I’m sure all of you have already thought up a wonderful treat for your Fathers this Fathers day but just in case you haven’t, I thought I would share a cute idea from Family Fun Magazine’s June/July issue. Mary, Julia and I spent an evening making these sweet lawn mower cupcakes. We had a great time! They tasted wonderful and are simple to make.

For each, mix a handful of flaked coconut with a few drops of green food coloring. Press a chocolate-frosted cupcake into the coconut to cover. The mower is made with a dark chocolate Hershey’s Nuggets body, brown M&M’s wheels, and a red M&M’s engine, held in place with dabs of frosting. Shape the handle from a piece of black licorice lace, then insert the ends into the cupcake.

Julia really enjoyed the licorice

Things started getting a bit messy

Time to put the bib on

We had a great time but...

All good things must come to an end. Julia definitely knows what all done means.
Making Memories, Maime

Sacred Influence

2009-06-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

Thank all of you who have signed my guest book. It’s so fun to get to see your beautiful faces! Let me share a little bit about the book “Sacred Influence by Gary Thomas.” The subtitle is “How God Uses Wives to Shape the Souls of Their Husbands” which was revised in a more recent printing to “What a Man Needs From His Wife To Be The Husband She Wants.”
Here is an excerpt from Gary’s introduction:

I believe God has heard your prayers, and I know he sees your pain. I further believe that, since he designed marriage, you should look first to him about how you can best encourage inspire, challenge, and appropriately influence the man you married. God wants you to feel loved, to be noticed, and to be cherished. He didn’t create you and cast you adrift on a sea of happenstance, catching the tear you might be shedding this very moment at the thought of a God so involved in your life that he put your thoughts on paper for you to read.
But be forewarned! Your husband isn’t the only imperfect person in your relationship. You also contribute sin every day. We are all sinners, and you can be sure that God desires to work on your own heart every bit as much as he desires to have greater influence in your husband’s life. In keeping with this perspective, this book will present some serious challenges for you to be moved as well – closer to God and closer to your husband.

I recently completed a seventeen week study of this book with seven young women and I believe all of our lives were impacted in some way by the Biblical Truth Gary Thomas brought to us.

I know all of you can’t win a copy so if you don’t win the drawing, be sure to get the book and read it anyway. You will be challenged. I will share more about how the book challenged me personally very soon at Grace-Works (elainerusso.blogspot.com). Don’t forget to sign my guest book so I can enter your name in the drawing on June 22!

Making Memories, Maime

Here are a few pictures from the Bar-B-Q we had with our families at the end of our book study!

Drawing

2009-06-11T21:48:00.000-07:00

Be a star in my show, and sign my guest book. If you put your picture on the big screen before June 22nd I will enter your name in a drawing for the book " Sacred Influence" by Gary Thomas. I will blog later about the book.
Making Memories Maime

Experiences

2009-06-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

I had two first time experiences today:
My first was a Mountain Dew. Yes, that's right, I don't remember ever drinking an entire Mountain Dew before (I don't really care for the taste) and boy, have I missed out! I realize now why some people sip on them constantly. I felt like someone hooked me up to an electrical outlet and I just couldn't find the off switch! That's why I'm still up this evening. I had more energy today than the energizer bunny! It was great because I got quite a bit done but honestly I don't think me or my family could handle this energy level on a regular basis. If I ever decide to drink one of those energy drinks that I see people downing all the time, I bet I would just fly right on up to Jesus!

My second new experience was the sweetest, tightest hug from Julia when she awoke from her nap. Today was the first time that I really knew that I was special to her. The timing was perfect. When Tim and I kept her for Benj and Mary's date night this week, she cried when Tim left the room. I thought it was a coincidence so I made him leave again and she cried again until he came back. Well, she hasn't ever cried when I left the room. Anyway, I was feeling a bit of competition. The whole "she loves me best" kind of stuff. Well, needless to say, Julia has enough love for all of us. Yesterday, I was at her house when she awoke from her nap and when I went in the room and picked her up out of her crib, she gave me the biggest smile that said "I love you Maime" and the longest tightest hug that said " I'm so glad you are here". Now that was a first for me and boy did it make my day! And don't you think for one minute that I imagined it because I was under the influence of Mountain Dew.
Making Memories,
Maime

Don't you just want to kiss those chubby cheeks?

Annual Family Camping (Cabining)Trip

2009-06-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

May has been an exceptionally busy month and somehow we managed to squeeze in a family vacation. I read years ago that if you want to bond with your family, you should spend time camping. Tim and I started camping with our girls when they were very young. Some of our first camping adventures have left indelible marks in my memory. Truly, each trip holds its own when it comes to memories. There are myriad choices when planning a family vacation but by far camping has been the most restful and memory making experience for our family. This year Tim and I chose Lake Brownwood State Park as our destination. Though most of our camping has either been by tent or RV, this year we chose the Fisherman’s Lodge. Ironically, it was available (It books up a year in advance). The reason we chose a lodge was because of our new granddaughter, Julia. The West Texas heat would not be a pleasant experience for an eight month old with out a cool place to retreat to. I might add that her Maime loved using her as an excuse to stay inside. You would not believe the chore it is to get the schedules of eight adults synchronized! Once that is out of the way, everything else is a breeze. During our respite, when one of my daughters thanked me for all the hard work that went into the weekend, I realized that it wasn’t hard at all. My mind reeled back to the days of packing camping gear, linens, food, clothes and everything else for a family of six for three or four days away from home. I remember being exhausted by the time we got where we were going, only to be faced with setting up camp and preparing meals for everyone. Camping trips for me in those days were quite the chore. I would arrive home after our “vacation” really needing a vacation. Everything has changed so much! My family has grown to the point where everyone packs for themselves and pitches in with everything else. I am only responsible for communicating the details to everyone; the menu and whatever goes along with preparing meals including grocery shopping; a few fun activities; and of course getting a “Happy” for everyone.” This year we all took turns preparing meals and cleaning up after. There is much to be said about adding son-in-laws to the mix. Benjamin and our soon to be son-in-law John Ryan sure did make things a lot easier for Tim. It’s so nice that he doesn’t have to do all the blue jobs alone anymore. I would have to say that this particular camping trip was by far one of my favorites. I’m not sure why, but I have speculated that having adult children who take so much responsibility for what goes on around them has made my role much easier and less motherly. I enjoyed so much having conversation with the girls in the morning, in my pajamas, while drinking coffee on the porch; the sweet smile of Julia as she greets the new day; doing whatever, whenever; laughing my head off at the male humor and male sounds in such large doses; and just being with my family without interruption.Camping (or cabining as we have decided to call it) is definitely a bonding experience.

Playing Horseshoes, I wonder who won?

Just taking it easy....

Julia sitting on Aunt Beka in her swimsuit without a diaper. Oops! What happened?

Keeping the little Boogie Bear out of the sun!

Bringing home the fish!

Bethany and John Ryan preparing a delicious meal!

Mary and her preoccupation with smores

Rusky and Ju-G fighting over the hat guess who won?

And the winner is.........

Cooking up the cakes!

Movie under the stars! WE ARE MARSHAL

The winning picture for Julia's funny faces!

I thought it might be beneficial to some of you younger moms to have copies of my schedule, menu, and fun activities. Why reinvent the wheel? If you are interested just email me and I will be happy to share all the details with you.
Making Memories, Maime

Fun In The Sun

2009-05-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

I am working on sprucing up the back yard. I don’t have the luxury of all the wonderful colorful flowers that are found in the south and with water being a valuable commodity here in the west I decided to add some splashes of color to the back yard with paint. This is only a sneak preview! You will have to wait for the finished project to see it all. See if you can guess what the theme of my back yard will be. I will give you a hint. Where do people go to relax and have fun? If you think you might know the answer, please join my followers and leave me a comment. I will disclose the theme when the project is completed and is posted.

Before

After

Before

After
I found the flowers and butterfly at a thrift store my last visit to the South.

Before

After
I have had these metal candle holders forever! What an improvement!
Remember, send me a comment if you can guess the theme. Making Memories, Maime

Mother's Day

2009-05-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you wonderful Mothers had a great day on Sunday! It was a special day for me! First, because I got to share my daughter Mary’s first mother’s day with her, and secondly, because all of my daughters really made me feel honored. They all pitched in with their Dad and made one of my favorite meals. In fact I think it should become a Mother’s Day tradition! We had homemade grilled hamburgers. Yes, I said hamburgers. I have come to embrace the fact that a good old fashioned hamburger is one of my favorite things to eat. Along with the burgers and all the trimmings we had Mary’s wonderful twice baked potatoes! Of course let’s not forget the great chocolate cake with chocolate icing that Rachel made, add Rebekah’s sweet tea,Bethany’s finishing touches on the table setting and I’ll just say it was wonderful! Oh, I must not forget to mention the beautiful fresh flowers that Tim contributed! Those girls and their Dad sure know what makes me feel special!

My granddaughter Julia was feeling a bit feverish due to teething so all she wanted to do was lay on Maime (I might add that her mommy wasn’t available and that’s the only reason I would do). It was a dream come true! Julia and I literally laid on the sofa all afternoon, drifting in an out of a nap while everyone else was busy in the kitchen. Cuddling with Julia is another one of those special moments that words can’t define.

What more could a mother/grandmother desire? Well, there is only one more thing I would have wanted; my son-in-law being with us! Benjamin had to work on Sunday and boy did we all miss him. He adds so much life to our family and has become a fixture that we all love and appreciate. Though he couldn’t be there he made my day by calling and wishing me a happy Mother’s day. What a great guy!
I almost forgot to mention that my children all put together and got me rocking chairs for my front porch.

I am looking forward to the many memories that will be made in those chairs. Making Memories, Maime

John Ryan's Graduation

2009-05-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

Most of our family spent Saturday in Brownwood enjoying family and friends as we celebrated John Ryan's graduation from university. We are so proud of him for all that he has accomplished!

Beth, Mary, Benj, and Julia

Bethany and John Ryan

One big happy family!

Flower Pot Centerpiece

2009-05-07T21:58:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share a little craft I did for a couple of events recently. There are many modifications you can make to this as far as color, height, and flowers go.
Supplies Needed:
Six inch terracotta pot
Eight to nine inch dowel
Small cat food or tuna can
Square foam
Your choice of greenery and silk flowers
Hurricane globe
Your choice of votive or tea candle
Your color choice of spray paint
One screw

Spray paint the tuna can, dowel, and flower pot the color of your choice and let dry thoroughly. Then insert the foam into the pot. Connect the tuna can to the dowel with a screw and press the dowel into the foam.

Add greenery and flowers of your choice.

Put a votive or tea light inside the tuna can. Add a hurricane globe and voila, you have a nifty centerpiece.

I have used these for many years for many different occasions, and they have been many different colors. It’s almost time for me to throw them out and start over with new ones.

Make a Memory, Maime