The Loss of a Loved One

July 15, 2017July 15, 20174 Comments

Hello everyone. I was going to post something yesterday, but I believe that this is more important. So, I’m sorry if you were expecting something.

I woke up yesterday morning to the sound of my phone vibrating. It was my mom calling to say that our 17 year old chihuahua terrier mix Chica was not doing well. She didn’t give me details, but I knew it was bad.

About an hour and a half later I got the text saying that she crossed the rainbow bridge.

chica at Christmas

We got Chica from a friend of our the summer of 2006. She was a country dog whose friend had passed away. The family was afraid to bring her inside because they had a young son at that time. They didn’t want her to be hurt and weren’t sure what to do. This was the time when Haley and I entered 4-H and needed two dogs to participate in the dog program. Our friends suggested Chica and we took her into our house.

And she fit in perfectly. She got along great with our other dog Ezzy and soon became our little princess. She loved sleeping on beds and following people around to make sure that they weren’t leaving her. She trotted after us and made us trip over her so many times.

We always joked that if she was a person, she was a dumb blond who hated the outdoors and took things too literal. If she saw a sign that said ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’, she wouldn’t drink any water because it was drinking. She would shiver in the cold of the outdoors, even after we put a pink jacket on her. She would be perfect in our 4-H shows because she was scared that she would lose if she did move.

chica on bed

But she was our little Chiquita Chihuahua.

And as she got older, her health started to decline. She couldn’t see that well and started to lose her hearing. She could see shadows and us giving her hand signals, but that was about it. But, Chica could always hear the treat bag open and be right at our feet for her daily bone. She would usually pee in the house, unless we carried (did I mention that she was a princess?) her outside to go to the bathroom. But we did that because we loved her and would do anything for her.

Now without her, things will be vastly different without her. We won’t hear the pitter patter of her feet on the floor, and the click of her nails on the hardwood. We won’t have to worry about her being in pain. She will be in heaven, watching us from above.

chica 4th of july

So to celebrate her life, we did some things that Chica would’ve loved to do. We ate Mexican food and toasted to her. And we did some retail therapy, something that Chica would’ve loved to do.

So Chica, you will be greatly missed. Know that we loved you so much and you will be greatly missed. You now have your own castle where you can rule over everyone and make the executive decisions. You will always be loved and missed.

sparkle

The Post That Didn’t Happen

July 10, 2017July 9, 201730 Comments

I had it all planned. I prepped, painted, and planned. And then..forgot the after pictures. I painted something for Lauren for her birthday and then totally forgot to take pictures after I was done. So close to amazing!! Which brings me to KariAnne’s book! Like how I did that?! If you haven’t heard about it yet or missed it, KariAnne Wood has written a book, ‘So Close To Amazing.” It is amazing!! I tells about the family’s trip from Dallas to a farmhouse in Kentucky and all the adventures along the journey. You can pre-order the book here.

Since I don’t have a new post, I thought I would re-share this one. Enjoy!

I don’t know about in your part of the world, but here in California, we need to make reservations for camping in the summer, in the month of March. Crazy, huh?! So when I made a couple of reservations, it made me think of these solar lights I made. I’m sure you have seen these all over the internet, by instead of mason jars, I used plastic peanut butter jars. This way I don’t have to worry about glass breaking in the trailer or at a campsite. I started with a clean jar.

I bought a couple of solar lights from the 99¢ Store. I removed the clear plastic cover off the light.

I cut a square in the top of the peanut butter lid. I used a razorblade for the first one. It was a little tough, but it was so windy outside, I really didn’t want to go out. The second jar, I used a dremel. Much faster!

After cutting out the hole, I used E6000 to attach the solar light, making sure the solar part is facing up. I’m sure other types of glue would work too. Let it dry for about 24 hours.

I added some twine and string just to make it look pretty. I also spray painted one of the lids so it would match my camping dishes. I put some rocks in the bottom so the lights wouldn’t get blown away or topple over.

Doesn’t it look nice! I love how it adds just a little bit of light, especially at night.

(I didn’t actually go camping to take these pictures. They are in my backyard. That explains the cat on the table! She was being nosy!)

It’s also nice if you have to go out later. You will have a little light to guide you.

These would work great for your yard too. Last year, we had our power go out for awhile. I brought a bunch of these in so each room had a little light. It sure made getting around a little easier and safer. What do you think? Do you make reservations already for camping? If you try these out, let me know how it works for you!

Starbucks Blended Strawberry Lemonade

June 30, 2017June 29, 2017Leave a comment

Hey guys! I was going through old blog posts and found this one! It is such a great drink for the hot summer and I want to save some lives! Hope you enjoy! By the way, I still love ordering this drink.

Let me start off by saying that this is a very popular drink. So much so, that this is the drink I normally order when it is 150+° in California.

I don’t think the Central Valley has ever reached 150+°, but you get the point.

This is a no coffee drink which is perfect for those who despise the taste of coffee. It is smooth and icy, which helps to cool you off in the summer. You can order just a plain Strawberry Lemonade, but where would be the fun in that? The Strawberry Lemonade, un-blended, is a nice drink if you want it to accompany your lunch or dinner.

But we are talking about the Blended Strawberry Lemonade, so let’s go and review that.

This drink is absolutely delicious. It is cool and icy, so it has a slushie taste to it. The drink will stay cool, unless you leave it for a very long time to warm up. It is also a drink that kids could have since there is no coffee This drink is also a fairly priced, less than $4 for a Venti. And finally, you can add other flavors to this drink, like mocha and white chocolate. My personal favorite is mocha because you then get a chocolate covered strawberry drink.

So when you go to Starbucks, you can go ahead and say you want this drink. No need to bring your own recipe. The baristas know the drink, so go ahead and order away.

I hope that you guys go out and try this drink! If you decide to order this drink, please let me know what you think. I am very curious!

My Vintage Chair Makeover

June 23, 2017June 22, 201714 Comments

This is a re-post from last year. Hope you enjoy!

I’m back today with another makeover! I have so many projects and I am trying to get them done before summer will be over and I will be back in school!! It’s much harder during the school year.

This chair belonged to my Grandpa, my dad’s dad. He was born in 1898 . He sailed here from Holland and met his wife on the ship. They were married after they arrived in the United States. We have even found their names on the registry at Ellis Island. So much history! My dad received this chair after my grandpa passed away many years ago and it was in my parents room for a long time. My mom was ready for something different and asked if I wanted it. Of course! It has sat in Lauren’s room for a couple of years and I finally decided it was time to renew it.

First I had to take off all the old material and batting. Do you see all the little nailhead tacks? Yep, I had to remove all of those, plus staples.

I used a small screwdriver and pliers to help me pull them all out.

This isn’t very pretty :(. I will have to figure out something to cover it up.

Here is what was underneath everything. I pulled out all these nails too. The ‘stuffing’ is just a pillow inserted into the middle.

Here it is, all naked. I tightened up the straps with a few more staples underneath and gave the wood a good cleaning. Then I used some antiquing wax on the brown wood to freshen it up a bit.

I used the material from the old cover as a pattern to cut out a new one. I had some painters cloth and decided to use that for my cover. I laid the old one on top of the cloth and cut around it. I had to do some trimming afterwards.

It didn’t quite come out straight! After trimming, I sewed the two sides together, leaving the back open to insert new padding. Notice, I purposely left the hem on the back so I wouldn’t have to sew it! 🙂 #justLOVEsewing!! #NOT!

The padding that was in it was in pretty good shape, so I used it again.

I found this pretty twisted trim at Hobby Lobby and thought it would look relly good with the chair, plus it would cover up all the ugly holes. I used the tacks again, but no as many this time.

I did freshen up the paint a bit too, but just with the same color. It’s done and ready to live out more days in our home. It’s perfect with the beach theme right now!

I used neutral colors so it would go easily into any room in our home.

Thanks for coming by and hope you have a wonderful week!

Click on a picture below to see more makeovers!

Navy, Red and White Table Setting

June 19, 2017June 10, 20173 Comments

It’s almost July! How did that happen? Here in the states we are getting ready for Independence Day, or 4th of July. One of the best memories I have was, from 1976, the U.S.A.’s bicentennial year. We went to Disneyland that summer, and what a firework show they put on. I remember the amazing parade and all the red, white and blue. If you can believe it, we even camped in a truck and camper in the parking lot! That was a long time ago!!! We have been to Disneyland many times since, but there has never been a firework show quite like the one in 1976.

I started this tablescape with the traditional white tablecloth and then layered a navy and white table runner across the middle and then a place-mat at the edge of the table.

I layered the plate and bowl, starting with a white and red metal plate at the bottom and then adding a white bowl on top. I placed a blue cloth napkin between them.

I love these little navy bags from Target. It’s fun to put a special little treat in them for visitors. Succulents in little white pots and layered on wooden blocks give the table a summery feel.